CONSTRUCTION SITE EMPLOYEE WELLNESS PROGRAM 11
11.3 WELLNESS PROGRAM CONSIDERATIONS
might address wellness on each of its projects . The other case would be a contractor who does not have a corporate program in place but is required by the owner (in case of GC) or GC (in case of subcontractors) to participate in a project-level wellness program as part of the contract . Either way, contractors might find the program guidelines provided in this section to be useful to help develop and implement an effective workplace wellness program . Remember wellness programs are not required by any government regulatory agencies, it is a voluntary program to promote healthy behaviors .
11.3.1 Obtain project owner support
Like workplace safety, the project owner has a significant role in the implementation of a project-level wellness program . Some questions to consider:
Does top management of all project stakeholders buy-in to the idea of the jobsite wellness?
Do they understand the financial benefits of implementing a jobsite wellness program?
Does the project budget allow implementation of a wellness program?
Projects insured under Owner Controlled Insurance Program (OCIP) or Contractor Controlled Insurance Program (OCIP) have a huge incentive to implement project-level wellness program . Contractors who are self-insured even for their health insurance plans will benefit from this program . The support should include establishing a project budget for the wellness program . If the owner refuses to support a wellness program financially, will the project still be committed to implementing this program?
11.3.2 Consult legal counsel
There could be legal issues associated with implementing a wellness program including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), tax laws for incentives, and the Genetic Information Non- Discrimination Act (GINA) . Please consult your legal counsel to avoid legal issues .
11.3.3 Try to integrate wellness and worker safety
The project should aim to integrate wellness and safety since both the program’s goal is employee well- being . Since there are many parallels between these programs; it would be very efficient to integrate them . For example, safety incentives vs . wellness incentive, safety newsletter vs . wellness newsletter, safety committee vs . wellness committee, etc .
11.3.4 Develop a policy statement
The owner should issue a policy statement that outlines the site wellness program goals and show a commitment to employee wellness . A well-written policy statement will show the employees that the management cares and is committed to creating a healthier workforce . The policy should be communicated to employees during new employee orientation . If possible, instead of a separate policy statement, including wellness in the site safety policy statement would be beneficial .
11.3.5 Receive a commitment from subcontractors
Include wellness program requirements in the construction contracts . Specify the commitment required such as the cost associated with the “time” commitment required by their employees to participate in
does the project require a daily morning 15-minute stretch and flex program? It can cost a specialty firm employing 100 workers ($55/hour billing rate) more than $ 30,000 a month by requiring them to participate in a stretching session every day for 15 minutes .
11.3.6 Establish a jobsite wellness committee
Depending on the project size, a jobsite wellness committee can be established to lead the wellness efforts . Since most jobsites are required to have a safety committee, the project can just charge the safety committee to oversee the site wellness initiatives . This would be a better idea on smaller and short-term projects . The use of a multi-discipline (e .g ., electrician, plumbers, etc .) wellness team is essential in a project-level wellness program . Some firms have included workers who lead a sedentary lifestyle or who currently smoke and are committed to change their way of life .
11.3.7 Assess the needs and interests of the workers
Before the committee can create and implement wellness initiatives, it is important to determine the needs and interests of the workers . Construction is different; generic wellness initiatives might not work and will result in very low participation . Never assume construction workers will participate because it is good for them . Identify some initiatives that will be feasible to implement at a project- level, considering the jobsite constraints, and then survey the crafts .
The survey should be simple with less than ten questions and can be administrated during weekly site safety meetings . Remind the employees that the wellness program is not mandatory . Some of the items to include in the survey:
Gauge interest – Are they interested in participating? Determine what percentage of workers are interested in participating in the program .
Activity type – What are the different types of wellness activities they will most likely participate (e .g ., weight-loss, stress management, smoking cessation, etc .)?
How would they like to receive wellness training and education? (e .g ., paycheck stuffer, stand-alone trainings, messages on safety bulletin board, the project newsletter, etc .)
What will motivate them to participate? (e .g ., types of incentives) 11.3.8 Offer free biometric screenings
The project should provide a free biometric screening to establish a health baseline, and encourage employees to take advantage of this free screening . The administration of the program can be modeled similarly to other site programs such as drug and alcohol testing programs . The project can make arrangements so that employees can take their biometric screenings at the same clinic where they do their drug and alcohol testing to improve participation and make it efficient .
11.3.9 Select and implement “simple” wellness initiatives
Remember, traditional wellness initiatives will not work well on construction sites since most crafts are on the jobsite only for a short-term . Even when they are on the site, they are “on-the-go” all the time . They do not have the time to maintain a food journal or fill out an activity log . Provide them with tools such as a pedometer or an activity tracker or even buy them mobile apps that will make it easier for them to track progress while on the go .
In addition, it might be challenging to benchmark health data to set long-term goals to reduce at- risk behavior at a project-level . Also, the project duration can vary from few months to several years . Hence, the project team should aim for simple initiatives that could be a “starting point” for workers to make lifestyle changes – every little bit helps . A few examples of wellness initiatives that can be implemented on a construction jobsite include:
Locate craft parking lot a little farther away from the site to promote walking
Require daily stretch and flex exercises
Replace junk foods in the site vending machine with fruits and vegetables
Provide healthy food and snacks at safety lunches and meetings
Conduct team weight loss competitions, erect “number of pounds lost” signage similar to safety signs “a number of days without injuries”
Provide discounts for the gym membership near the project with a minimum attendance requirement
Conduct project-specific runs
Offer educational seminars on the impact of health risks and workplace safety
Support wellness programs such as smoking cessation, stress management, and substance abuse program
Supply free or discounted nicotine-replacement products
Include health tips in their pay stub envelopes
Post health tips/flyers on the project safety bulletin board
Leave health magazines in the lunch tent and rest areas
Create a “wow board” where employees can share their success
Provide water coolers at several locations to encourage workers to hydrate
Figure 11.1: Example of Employee Wellness Program - A Workplace Fitness Center (Picture Courtesy of Exxel Pacific General Contractors)
11.3.10 Provide incentives
Implement a wellness incentive program in conjunction with safety incentives to increase program participation with simple rewards such as a $20 gift card for:
Completing a health risk assessment
Participate in a biometric and other health-related screening
Lead site stretch and flex exercises
Meet some activity-based goals such as perform stretch and flex exercises every day, walk a certain number of steps, etc .
Note: Keep incentives simple and available to all employees for participation . Does the wellness programs incentives violate the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? A final ruling was scheduled in early 2015 “to address numerous inquiries the U .S . Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) has received about whether an employer that complies with regulations implementing the final Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) rules concerning wellness program incentives, as amended by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), will be in compliance with the ADA .” Employers should consult their legal counsel and frequently review their wellness programs for compliance with all appropriate regulations .
11.3.11 Maintain a hygienic jobsite
Employee morale is crucial to a good jobsite safety performance and a wellness performance . One cannot promote wellness on a project with poor housekeeping issues . The project should ensure superior cleanliness of site toilet facilities, lunch areas, sleeping quarters, changing rooms, drinking water, washing facilities and general site housekeeping, and proper vermin control .
11.3.12 Involve worker family in wellness & safety program
The program should make every effort to include a worker’s family members . Over the years, construction companies have involved family members in promoting safe worker behavior by creating safety calendars, construction safety activity books, family/home safety books and few others successfully . Similarly, an employee’s lifestyle can be changed by including their family members . For example, some companies like PCL Construction Services, Inc ., headquartered in Denver, Colo ., publish “PCL Family Safety” handbook . Its contents include safety topics such as skating safety, lawn and garden safety, winter safety tips, etc . In addition, the book includes wellness topics such as stress management, healthy eating, and physical activity tips . This is an excellent way to show that the company cares about not only a safe and healthy work environment, but it also cares about their employees and families’
well-being .
11.3.13 Evaluate program effectiveness and document lessons learned
Wellness programs should be continually assessed for performance effectiveness . Listen to concerns and feedback from management and employees that will help improve the program . Prepare “lesson learned” list on an ongoing basis, which can be applied in future project wellness programs .
Even though there are unique challenges associated with implementing a wellness program on a fast- paced, short-term, and ever-changing jobsites, it is possible .
Additional Resources, Readings, and References
NIOSH has prepared a Research Compendium: The NIOSH Total Worker Health™
Program: Seminal Research Papers 2012 – An overview of the relationship between wellness programs and workplace safety: www .cdc .gov/niosh/docs/2012-146/