Tucker Paving doesn’t chance it when it comes to safety.

According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) statistics, there were 1,075 fatalities and 173,200 nonfatal injuries in the construction industry in 2023. While OSHA maintains that worker deaths have declined over the last 50 years or so, every fatality and injury is avoidable. Every injury affects workers, families, companies, and communities. Even one death is one too many. That is why at Tucker Paving we say, “Don’t take a chance on safety.” Many injuries and fatalities in construction start with someone taking a chance that ends in disaster. You might have taken the same chance a hundred times without incident, but the consequences of the one time it does not go the way you want are not worth it. See the most common chances we warn our team members about so that maybe next time you choose to gamble with your life and well-being—and that of the people around you—you will do the right thing and choose safety rather than rolling the dice.

Common Chances We Take Concerning Safety

At Tucker Paving, we tell our employees that, in the construction industry, “CHANCE TAKERS” are a dime a dozen—they are present on every job, creating danger for themselves and others. The only difference between chance takers is the size of the gamble they take! Since so many of these chance takers are around, here’s a good tip on how to spot one quickly: look into a mirror!

Everyone is guilty of taking chances; you know it makes you safer, but you’re too lazy to do it. It’s not until after an injury or fatality has occurred that you will wish you hadn’t taken that chance.

Common chances we take on a construction site include:

  1. Ignoring vehicle safety. People neglect to buckle their seatbelts in a motor vehicle, they speed, drive erratically, and text while driving every day. Motor vehicle accidents are one of the leading causes of death in the US after diseases; taking a few precautions like using a seat belt, going the speed limit, and more can help you to not be a part of that statistic.
  2. Neglecting vehicle and equipment upkeep. Examples of this include driving on bald tires, using a frayed fall safety harness, or using a machine where the safety devices have been removed. Keeping your vehicles, machinery, tools, and equipment in good working order will keep them from failing when you need them most.

Not following safety protocols, even for short distances. Have you ever driven with your truck bed up because the distance was a short one? While you may get away with this time and time again, there can come a time where there is something overhead—like