There are a number of reasons why modular buildings are up to 20% less costly than conventionally built structures. In this installment we examine the sixth reason behind the cost savings associated with modular buildings: how safety practices in modular construction affect the bottom line.
Construction is a hazardous occupation. It’s easy to understand why, when you consider that the trade involves a daily mix of risks that include heights, power tools, heavy machinery, electricity and a host of other risks. Those risks are multiplied when factors like weather, lighting conditions, terrain and demanding schedules act as compounding variables.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 4,251 worker fatalities in the United States private industry in 2014. Of those worker fatalities, 874 or 20.5% were in the construction sector – that is, one in five worker deaths occurred in construction. Insurance companies are acutely aware of the risks involved in construction. In fact, occupational health and safety costs typically account for between 2-10% of a construction projects’ total cost.
Palomar’s modular construction strategy mitigates many of the common construction hazards. Wall and roof sections are built on jigs at safely accessible and ergonomic standing heights before being mechanically lifted into place. Interactions between workers and large machinery are minimal as modules are constructed in the company’s manufacturing facility. The work environment in Palomar’s manufacturing facility is designed to be as safe and ergonomic as possible without uncontrollable environmental conditions like moisture, wind, extreme temperature and variable lighting.
Contact Palomar Modular to learn more about how the modular construction process is safer, more ergonomic and more cost-effective than conventional construction.