Teams around the world took a stand for zero incidents during DPR’s Safety Week. Held in mid-September in conjunction with Construction Industry Safety Week and OSHA’s National Fall Stand Down, the week of activities emphasized the organization’s ongoing commitment to building incident-free environments and a special focus on fall prevention. While the week looked different this year to allow for COVID-19 protocols, the goal of recognizing, celebrating and sharing DPR’s safety mindset and best practices remained the same.

In Singapore, teams conducted several training sessions focused on Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) fundamentals. In Europe, teams focused on fall prevention and held safety briefings on working at height with trade partners. And true to DPR’s core value of enjoyment, elements of fun were sprinkled throughout the week. Barbecue was on tap in the Netherlands, breakfasts in South Florida, and even an ice cream truck in the Southwest, while Singapore ended the week with a celebration and a thank you lunch for craft team members.

“Every week is safety week at DPR,” said DPR's Michelle Gray, an EHS Leader. “Safety must be a constant presence in our lives, both at work and at home.”

The talk has been matched with action. Last August, for instance, DPR saw a 37 percent decrease in incidents, an achievement attributed to ongoing efforts to plan, a focus on near-miss analysis, and an increase in inspections. The importance of these efforts cannot be overstated—they literally save lives—and DPR continues to maintain the focus on safety by regularly hitting on important areas of emphasis, including fall prevention and working near hazardous energy.

San Diego safety team member Carlos Orzua summed it up simply by saying, “I observed that our commitment to safety is a promise to ourselves, our co-workers and the families who rely and count on us.”

“ZERO incidents is absolutely an achievable goal if we all work together,” added Gray. “We’re extremely grateful for every team member’s commitment to on-site trainings, having tough discussions and speaking up when there’s a potential hazard. Safety starts with you. Safety starts with me. Safety starts with us.”