As May comes to a close, we reflect on one of the most important months in our industry. For builders, it begins with Construction Safety Week. We use this time to increase safety education and recognize our field teams for their continued dedication to maintaining a safe work environment that promotes the well-being of anyone associated with a Blach project.

This year’s theme was Connected. Supported. Safe., which we find to be well-aligned with our company culture:

• Connections create camaraderie.
• Camaraderie establishes a supportive environment.
• And in the construction world, a supportive environment promotes a more physically safe jobsite and emotionally invested, trusted workforce.

Collectively, being connected, feeling supported and working within a safe space all result in successfully built, quality projects – something we at Blach hang our hard hats on.

While “safety” typically conjures up an image of physical protection, at Blach Construction safety is a much broader concept. Of course, our policies include rigorous practices to ensure our teams’ physical health and protection on the jobsite. Equally important is ensuring the emotional and psychological well-being of anyone associated with our projects and our firm.

Clearly, we are not alone. The Safety & Health Council of the Associated General Contractors of California (AGC CA), an industry advocacy organization with which we are highly active, recently devoted the remainder of May to increasing Mental Health Awareness. So, on the heels of Construction Safety Week comes an opportunity to keep the broader safety conversation open and moving.

At Blach we are steadfast in our commitment to supporting employee wellness. In addition to comprehensive health benefits and free access to Vida Health, an app-based, mental and physical virtual care resource, we provide a host of other programs aimed at emotional, physical and financial fitness. One such program includes the Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) that were established shortly after the pandemic began. Very well-embraced, Blach ERGs provide a platform for certain groups of employees to come together, share vulnerabilities, ideas and resources. Ultimately, they are able to establish a sense of camaraderie that extends beyond the jobsite or workplace, which can be very supportive, particularly in times of need.

Overall, our top priority is to ensure our employees are able to maintain a balanced, supported life to the greatest extent possible. Personal, professional, to us it’s one-in-the-same. So even though May is almost over, and Construction Safety Week is behind us, health and wellness will continue to be a topic of high importance to us – at Blach and within our industry. We are resolute in our commitment that everyone always feel connected, supported and safe.