Our Foundational Philosophy of Hazard Prevention
From the ground up, Miller Valentine Construction’s tight-knit culture is safety conscious.
We continually educate and train our Associates on safety practices and take advantage of new technologies and equipment. That’s how we maintain our exceptional OSHA Voluntary Protection Program partner “Star” designation, an honor that less than 2% of U.S. contractors ever achieve.
At Miller Valentine, we never stop seeking opportunities for growth. For proof, look no further than our Safety Director, Perry Gerome.
Perry is a trained paramedic, a certified fire marshal, and a former safety manager at Turner Construction. He spent 32 years working his way up to Chief Fire Officer and has experience in building plan review, inspections, and forensic fire investigations.
Perry’s safety philosophy goes beyond identifying and resolving safety hazards. He believes management must be participatory and inclusive. He encourages onsite communication from everyone so that attentive prevention is top of mind.
“I don’t believe in managing by fear,” said Perry. “I don’t want to be the safety cop. I tell our tradespeople, ‘step forward if there are any issues or potential risks, and we’ll work together to resolve them.’ Having those conversations in advance makes them more comfortable approaching us about any type of potential safety issues.”
Miller Valentine joined other construction companies across the U.S. with a continuous commitment to safety during Construction Safety Week. Throughout the week, Associates and trade partners came together to discuss Safety Week topics. In addition, Perry and the safety team focused on fall prevention, as falls are one of the leading causes of construction-related injuries.
“This year’s Safety Week theme, ‘Connected. Supported. Safe,’ is meaningful at so many levels because of the challenges we’ve overcome during the pandemic,” said Perry. “It’s essential for all of our Associates and trades to know that every single day, their project site and team are creating a safe and supportive environment while staying connected through consistent communication.”
When it comes to safety, consistency is key. At any given worksite, the message of safety depends on the project phase, but routine conversations and communication are emphasized to keep workers and communities safe. For example, daily huddles provide Miller Valentine Associates and trade partners an opportunity to review a Job Safety Analysis that covers daily tasks and associated risks.
“The intent is designed to keep the team mindful about what they’re doing because a lot of the day-to-day work can feel redundant. So sometimes I’ll sit in on those huddles, maybe ask them, ‘what’s your most dangerous task today? What’s the biggest hazard you face? And what are we going to do about it?'” said Perry. “No two days are the same.”
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