By: KeyCrew Media
A few years ago, safety on many construction sites followed a simple pattern: something went wrong, and then the site reacted. According to Anthony Burr, founder of Safety Pickets, Inc., that pattern has flipped. Site managers are now expected to catch hazards before anyone gets hurt, and the trades working under them are expected to keep up or leave.
Burr has seen the change from both sides. He spent years as a concreter setting up steel star pickets to form slabs on new builds, and he later invented a reusable steel cap for those posts. He says the shift toward prevention is the reason the product exists at all.
What Is Showing Up On The Checklist Now
When a site manager drafts a safety compliance checklist today, Burr says the items themselves may look familiar, but the level of attention is not. Exposed steel posts, work at height, and concrete dust are all getting closer scrutiny than they did five years ago.
Height is a good example of how inspectors now think about risk. Anyone working at height needs a barrier, but Burr says the concern goes beyond the fall itself.
“If they do fall off, it’s not just hitting the ground,” Burr said. “If they do fall on one of the pickets or something like that, and it’s only got plastic covering it, then there’s actually been a few deaths like that, unfortunately.”
That is why modern checklists treat hazards as connected rather than separate. “It’s almost one problem rolls into another,” he said. “A height problem, someone falls off and then it just keeps compounding.”
Trades feel that scrutiny directly. “If we don’t have caps on them, then we hear about it straight away because we’ve been warned and it should be a preventative thing now,” Burr said.
Compliance Is Now A Condition Of Working On Site
The biggest difference Burr sees is that safety is no longer something a good tradesperson can work around. Inductions and checklists set the terms, and those terms are enforced.
“It’s either get with the program and do these things that we’ve told you in the induction and the checklist we’ve given you, or you won’t be working on the site,” he said. “Even if you are a good tradesman or you’re good at what you do, if you don’t follow the safety guidelines, then you’re not welcome on the sites these days.”
For contractors, this changes the math on skill versus compliance. A strong reputation for quality work does not protect a crew that shows up without the required controls in place.
Not Every Buyer Is Being Forced Into It
It would be easy to assume that prevention is being driven entirely by rules. Burr says his customer base tells a more balanced story. He estimates that roughly half of the people who contact Safety Pickets are responding to requirements set by safety officers at builders, developers, and civil companies. The other half are getting ahead of rules they expect are coming.
“There’s a lot of forward thinkers in construction and these industries that don’t get the credit for wanting to use these new products and looking ahead,” Burr said.
In his experience, those contractors want to adopt a fix before it becomes a standard they are required to meet, rather than scrambling to comply after the fact. The company’s broader approach to site safety is outlined on its about page.
Why Easy Hazards Get Fixed First
When a safety officer builds a preventative program from scratch, Burr says exposed star pickets usually land near the top of the list. That is not because the hazard is unusual. It is because it is common, easy to spot, and easy to prevent.
“It’s so easy for a safety officer to walk in and see that the steel posts or the star pickets aren’t covered,” he said. “So that’s probably right at the top of their list because they can just come in and justify their job straight away.”
More complex problems tend to sit lower on the list because they are harder to solve. For site managers building their own programs, the practical takeaway is to start with the visible, fixable hazards first, then work toward the harder ones.
Burr says the reason behind all of it is simple. “Our main objective is to make sure everyone gets home to their family,” he said. “It’s all good going and rushing and taking shortcuts. But if you’re not going home to your family, then there’s no use making the money.”
Safety Pickets, Inc. designs and manufactures a reusable steel safety cap for star pickets and t-posts, currently sold across Australia and expanding into the US market. Learn more at safetypickets.com.
Disclaimer: This article is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, or investment advice. The views and opinions expressed herein reflect those of the individuals quoted and do not represent an endorsement of any company, product, or service mentioned. Readers should conduct their own due diligence and consult qualified professionals before making any investment decisions.
