News

In preparation for the much-anticipated Construction Safety Week 2022, we sat down with Amoroso's Safety Directors, Mike Newell and Mike Jackman, to discuss what they see as the most critical factors in maintaining a safe jobsite—our firm's highest priority—because at the end of the day, it all comes down to safety.

Each day of Construction Safety Week 2022 has had a topic of focus. Today's (Friday, May 6) topic is, fittingly,  "Thank You".  Our Safety Directors and executives alike stressed how absolutely crucial our employees' efforts to maximize safety are to our 83-year history of success.

Year after year, Amoroso's Experience Modification Rate, or EMR, is amongst the lowest (best) in the industry. EMR is a calculation used by insurance firms to determine the likelihood a company will experience workers' compensation claims and then the price of their premiums. It is also the only consistently quantified measure of safety in construction and is commonly used by project owners to assess a company's safety record.

The average EMR is 1.0, about on par in terms of risk with the majority of other contractors their size. A rating under 1.0 is considered safe and above 1.0 risky. Amoroso's EMR is consistently well below the industry standard for firms our size. In fact, we are proud to report that in 2021, Amoroso scored a company record low EMR of 0.53 despite the challenges faced during the pandemic

Amoroso's impeccable safety record reflects our commitment to the health and wellbeing of our employees, clients, and neighbors, but also has direct consequences on the health of the company and the maintenance of our employees' jobs! EMR is often a critical component of our experience that project owners analyze when selecting firms who are qualified to bid their work and when scoring Statements of Qualifications and Proposals. Our low EMR can be the deciding factor in whether or not we are awarded a project!

When asked what he thought the greatest contributor to our low EMR is, Mike Jackman reiterated the importance of firsthand jobsite experience and safety training, supervision, and enforcement, stressing the difference between learning something in a book and experiencing it in real-time, "There is no replacement for on-the-job experience when it comes to safety."

Safety Director Mike Newell highlighted the contributions of the "Program and People" as a key factor. Explaining further how our people contribute to consistently excellent safety rating, Mike stated "its not just one person…everyone from Foremen on up have a duty."  On the success of the program itself, he stressed the importance of Amoroso's Live Safety culture, "It's our culture that if we don't practice safety, we may not be around anymore."

Live Safety, Amoroso's first and most important Core Value, is more than just a slogan: it is the guiding principle on and off our jobsites. Our Safety Department strives to create a Live Safety Culture, which involves being united in our shared practices, values, and beliefs about reducing risk on the jobsite.

The health and wellness of our employees is the focus of Amoroso's Safety Week 2022 activities, with presentations, demonstrations, and discussions on a variety of topics taking place across our jobsites, including the rollout of two new initiatives from the Safety Department: the Suicide Prevention Program and the Safety Champions Program. The Safety Champions Program reinforces safety guidelines through the recognition of employees that go above-and-beyond on the jobsite and truly display what it means to Live Safety!

Looking ahead with an eye on maintaining our low EMR and ensuring the safety of our personnel while preparing for upcoming challenges, Safety Director Mike Newell states that Amoroso's Safety Department will "continue to enforce our Safety Culture, increase the number of trainings provided, implement existing programs, and highlight the new initiatives—Safety Champions and Suicide Prevention."

The Safety Department reiterates that the need to stay focused on safety never takes a break. This year's theme, "Connected. Supported. Safe.", highlighted the importance of staying safe both on and off the job site, and how they are often connected. Support from family, friends and coworkers is integral to mental health and sharpness, which can have a significant impact on the safety of a jobsite.  Building connections with coworkers strengthens Amoroso's Safety Culture.

As Construction Safety Week 2022 wraps up, we are reminded of the vital role that Safety plays in Amoroso's eight decades of success and in us achieving our mission "to build lasting value for our clients and communities by promoting a passion for construction, investing in our people, and continuing our relentless commitment to safety workmanship, and integrity".

In keeping with the theme of the final day of Construction Safety Week 2022, as always, we want to thank each and every member of Amoroso for your individual contributions to the continued success of our Safety Program.