On May 6, 2021, The Commercial Observer's virtual construction safety forum brought together leading companies in development, construction, architecture, engineering and law, and top public officials and city agencies to explore emerging health and safety trends, procedures, and policies and integrate them into practice to improve project performance. Construction Counsel, Sean Scuderi moderated the panel, "Emerging Trends & Policies in Construction Safety." Sean discusses key takeaways from the panel below:

1. Cooperation

Ray Master, Head of Environment, Health & Safety at Lendlease, explained that in light of the ever-changing landscape of policies and regulations, including screenings and checkpoints, the collaboration between workers on the job site and construction professionals is essential to a safer environment for all employees. This coordination has allowed for the industry to emerge safer than ever before.

2. Planning

Daniel Monteiro, Chief Operating Officer at Reidy Contracting Group LLC, added that having a holistic approach to planning has been instrumental in ensuring efficiency for a project. Having conversations earlier regarding protocols and planning helps improve the team's safety and success in the long run.

3. Technology

Tomasz P. Dering, Corporate Safety Director, Plaza Construction, noted that recent technological innovation has been significant in following safety protocols, such as barcodes, which allow workers to access critical information on their own devices. Emerging software on risk aversion has been incorporated in the projects to improve the job site.

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