There is an unpleasant stereotype regarding construction workers. People who use this stereotype tend to think or portray construction workers as dumb or uneducated. While some may not have a college degree, it is by no means grounds for insinuating that you have to be less educated to work construction. Still, as a construction contractor yourself, there are some things you can do to dispel this mythical stereotype.

Make Sure Every Crew Member Takes a Construction Outreach Class

Just as responsible beverage servers (i.e., bartenders) have to take a class on responsible beverage serving to prevent deaths, so construction workers have to take a construction outreach class. No, this is not a class on community outreach programs or charitable giving. It is a course that teaches ALL of your newbie construction workers about the dangers of the job. Most of the time, you and the rest of the crew cannot take time out of your busy schedules to show the safety ropes to new employees. Hence, OSHA makes it mandatory that new construction employees take this course to decrease on-the-job accidents and prevent injuries.

Every Employee Should Know and Recognize Every Tool

If your employees only know what a hammer, saw, screwdriver, and nails are, you should not have hired them. Instead, before you hire someone, make sure the applicant can recognize at least fifty different tools that are used on the construction site, what each tool does, and the safety precautions needed while each tool is in use. That way, when a more experienced employee asks the newbie for a "3/16 precision cut off of a 2x4 board via the bandsaw," the newbie knows exactly what the other employee just said.

Hard Hats on Heads at All Times

Nothing looks more uneducated to the public than a construction worker that is not wearing a hard hat while on the job. This is exceedingly dangerous and is cause for alarm. Your employees should be dressed for the weather, and wear hard hats at all times to protect their skulls. Short of falling from on high and landing with something impaling him/her, the hard hat will protect the most vital organ of the body (i.e., the brain) and prevent instant death.

A Minimum of Three Years' Experience, or a Degree in Construction Work

Degrees in construction work are rare, but if you have applicants with degrees, you know that they know what they are doing. Every employee should have a minimum of three years' experience or a construction degree. Specialty workers, such as welders, should definitely have a degree. This helps promote the fact that all of your workers are very smart, and all of them are quite knowledgeable. 

Contact a company like ALLIANCEOUTREACH.COM for more information and assistance. 

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