Safe Productive Work

We all know that time equals money. To maximize profits, a company must be productive and efficient. They have to develop and implement the plans. These plans include a tight schedule and specific safety procedures. The workers must work quickly and use their time wisely without any deviation. Yet, safety in construction is often overlooked in the pursuit of profit. Companies are willing to sacrifice safety for more money. It’s sad that people could be so selfish and greedy. All lives matter. These workers have family and friends who care about their well-being. Safety should be more important than anything.

Construction Death From Falls

Recently in my Building Construction class, we explored the importance of safety at a construction site. We participated in a safety activity that required us to flip a tarp as a team. The tarp represented a construction site and we were the workers. We had to remain on the tarp as we flipped it. If we stepped off or if our PPE fell off of us, we had to freeze for 10 seconds. Each time we performed the activity, a condition was added. For example, one condition was that we could not communicate with our team. Another condition was that we had to catch tennis balls when they were thrown at us. The tennis balls represented hazards that we would face at a construction site. If we did not catch the tennis balls it would be another 10 second penalty. The 10 second penalties represent a stoppage in work due to safety violations. Consequently, productivity decreased.

Construction Fatalities

The safety activity clearly displayed the importance of safety on the construction site. Without any hazards, we accomplished the task very quickly and efficiently. We were able to direct our focused to the task. As hazards were introduced, our productivity decreased and the workers safety suffered. We were distracted by the possibility of a hazard and had to divert our attention. It became a mess. When the hazards were controlled and we knew where they were coming from, we were able to focus on the task a little bit more. Our productivity was a little better but not as good as zero hazards. Ultimately, productivity is maximized when hazards are minimized.

From the activity, I learned that, as people, we forget the little things when we focus hard on a task. The little things, such as safety, are extremely important. Forgetting safety could result in someone or myself getting seriously injured or killed. Safety should be the utmost focus of any construction company. If a company has a bad reputation for the safety of its workers, many people would not work for them. People value their lives. This would result in the company providing a higher wage or salary to keep employees. Furthermore, the company would see a lost in revenue. By seeking to be more productive at the cost of their employees’ safety, they actually lose money. Ultimately, it is worth the cost of providing a safe work place. You cannot put a price on a person’s life. 

Housing For Displaced People - Part 2

As I continue to research solutions for housing displaced people, I discover other problems that hinder a possible solution. Going back to my original blog on the issue, I investigated EverBlock, a Lego like building material. EverBlock is fairly cheap and requires very low maintenance. The blocks can be easily shipped in cargo containers in mass quantities. Also, the blocks can be configured into any type of housing or building as needed. However, as I delved deeper into this possible solution, I discovered another problem. That problem is funding.

Shortage in funds

In my subsequent blog, I researched how the flow of money for refugees worked. I discovered that the money for relief is built into most countries budget. However, the amount of money and relief were very limited. The funds were not sufficient to provide help to the majority of refugees. I proposed that each country restructured their budget. This would include more money designated to relief. For example, a possible budget would require each country to designate 3% of their discretionary funds to relief. Yet, due to recent events in Paris many people believe that the refugees are responsible. Funding and relief are becoming harder to demand more of. Many countries are becoming more hostile to refugees and want to deny help.

Funding Based On Country

The problem with allocating a certain amount of money to relief funds is that some countries will refuse to comply. Many countries would only help if they see a possible benefit from helping the refugees. Big market countries, such as the United States and China, would have to dish out more money. Since the economy in China is not fairing as well, China may not provide any funds. The world market is greatly affected by China and the overall economy in the United States has just begun to slowly recover from the recession. Therefore, forcing countries to set aside a percentage of their discretionary funds may not be feasible.

Non-governmental Organization 

The funding problem could be directed to nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) such as the Red Cross  or the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). They will be responsible for collecting money to use to help the refugees. They will be provided the current funds from the budget of each of the countries. The NGOs must find other ways to raise funds. For example, they would have to ask for donations and set up fund raisers. They would also have to rely on volunteers to keep the expenses low. It would still require compliance from the various countries government.

I originally sought to solve the housing problems for displaced people. EverBlock seemed to be the solution but money became the issue. My examination of where the money comes from resulted in inefficient funds for any solution. However, I believe EverBlock can still be used. If each country decides to expand their budget and support the project, the refugees would greatly benefit. If each country ignores the politics and their personal gain, the housing problem would be solved. Ultimately that judgement is up to the people in power.