In the residential construction industry, the housing "shortfall" indicates that the demand for new residential housing units exceeds the current production of new homes. The residential construction industry is rushing to meet that demand at the expense of sacrifice to safety obligations. This scenario is witnessed across the country.
Though OSHA present empirical data that attest to construction related incidents and fatalities are on the decline; residential construction loss, both fatal and serious accident, are on the increase due to vastly diverse home production, project management scheduling dynamics, techniques, regionally and a workforce profile that continues to demonstrate risk management and occupational safety challenges. The safety and health issues of residential construction that regards the loss control process are not all that dissimilar, however, the safety management approach to working with the trade contractor, is quite different than commercial, heavy or civil construction.
The application of strategic loss control systems planning, through leadership, provides a strong foundation for safety cultural design, development and delivery. This establishes achievable parameters and best safety practices that will address the following: wrap up insurance program, legal liability of management and frontline supervision, performance expectations, quality assurance, workforce accountability, safety culture development "buy in" and regulatory compliance. This can also be enhanced with a developed relationship between the home builder and the insurance broker and /or insurance carrier.
It has always been a contention that the home building industry did not receive the immediate attention from the burgeoning OSHA during the past three decades from 1970. There was more focus towards the general industry, heavy and commercial construction, and civil construction.
For the past thirty years, the home building industry has evolved from the creativity of a one bedroom, one kitchen, one living room bungalow in the 1940s to exotic home engineered designed structures that challenge not only project management dynamics but also the morale focus of builders trying to meet the needs of target prospective home buyers: the "baby boomer", born between 1944 and 1960 and are ages 40 and 56 and numbering about 76 million; and a certain percentage, who are seeking that last custom built designed home of their dreams.
There is the Generation Xers, who were born between 1961 and 1980, being between the ages of 20 and 39 and number about 51 million, who are seeking that first entry level home or the second home of raised standards that will meet their social needs of a family with children in a secure and functional neighborhood environment.
Coming and searching for new homes, are the Generation NexTers, who were born between 1981 and 2000 and are currently around the ages of 20 and numbering around 73 million. They are not necessarily searching for the "dream home" as yet; however, their cultural influences have taught them to build and be secure in their investments; thus you see this group of young men and women investing in functional multi-family home structures that fit their multitasked lifestyles.