Addressing & Preventing Framer Job Risks

Framing contractors occupy a unique place in the construction industry. After a building’s foundation is completed, framers go to work; the frame is the structure upon which the rest of the building is constructed. The nature of the framer’s role exposes contractors to certain risks, and framing contractors insurance helps protect against those risks. In this guide, we will explore common risks in the framing trades, helping your clients to better manage their risk exposures. This understanding of risks supplements the protection of framing contractors insurance.

Inherent Risks in Framing Construction

According to the United States Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the construction industry is classified as one of the riskiest due to its high volume of workplace injuries and fatalities. As of 2018 figures collected by OSHA, one in every five worker deaths in the U.S. was in construction. This high number puts construction in nearly the same risk category as industries like mining and heavy equipment manufacturing. For those engaged in framing operations, framing contractors insurance serves to provide coverage against many of the common risks on construction sites.

Thousands of workers in framing and general construction are injured each year. Four common hazard areas exist; these hazards are so common to the construction trades that OSHA refers to them as the “Big Four”:

• Falls
• Electrocutions
• Caught-in
• Struck-by

Framing contractors are often working above ground level, which increases the potential for slip and fall injuries. Electrocutions also occur on a regular basis, especially when construction operations continue during inclement weather or near bodies of water. Equipment, materials, and ground can shift unexpectedly, pinning a worker and leading to injury or death. Finally, the same equipment and materials – heavy tools, vehicles, dimensional lumber, masonry – can fall, striking a worker and causing serious injury or death.

Preventing Workplace Accidents: Tips for Framing Contractors

Framing contractors insurance is a blanket term for the policies available to this essential component of building construction. Insurance options like commercial general liability, commercial auto, and umbrella insurance provide a wide range of coverage against operational and liability risks. Even with these coverages in place, preventing workplace accidents is an important piece of the risk management puzzle.

To help develop safety-oriented workplace conditions and cultures, framing contractors can take several steps:

• Daily inspection of work areas to identify hazards like loose scaffolding, exposed electrical wires, trip hazards, and damaged or broken equipment.
• Providing personal protective equipment (PPE) for all workers and mandating its use on the jobsite. PPE may include hardhats, protective handwear and footwear, reflective vests, or insulated coveralls.
• Conducting daily “safety huddles” with crew members.
• Implementing reporting tools for workers to note workplace hazards wherever they may be encountered.
• Training workers on safe workplace practices, use of PPE, and proper use of lifting equipment or other specialized pieces of equipment on the jobsite.

Professional organizations like the National Framers Council (NFC) have launched a program called FrameSAFE which serves to address workplace hazards and to provide resources for framing contractors. Armed with the information, training, and tools to mitigate the chances of a workplace injury or death, framers are able to support the broad protection of framing contractors insurance. Safe workplaces are efficient workplaces, and while no construction site can be made completely free of hazards, adopting a safety-oriented culture can greatly reduce both the severity and frequency of workplace incidents. By understanding and addressing risks in framing, these management strategies help keep workers safer and protect company assets from loss.

About Coastal Oak Insurance Services

At Coastal Oak Insurance Services, we strive to protect your personal and business assets from coast to coast. When you work with us, you’re family. Contact us today at (949) 519-3738 to learn more about how we can provide you with comprehensive and tailored insurance coverage.