Colorado Springs, Colo., June 6, 2019 – On Wednesday, June 5, more than 20 trade partners along with GE Johnson leadership and the company’s safety professionals united to cultivate relationships and share best safety practices at GE Johnson’s inaugural Safety Summit in downtown Colorado Springs.
GE Johnson’s approach to this Safety Summit is unique in that it empowered subcontractors to be honest about their challenges when it comes to safety. In an industry that continues to face skilled labor shortages and tight schedules, many of these trades – from drywall, to concrete and electrical – are facing the same challenges.
“The Safety Summit is not a commercial for GE Johnson,” said President and CEO Jim Johnson. “Through forums such as this, we can continue to improve as a general contractor and support our trade partners because we are stronger together.”
In addition to open discussions, GE Johnson covered their new environmental, health and safety preconstruction program as well as company safety programs.
“Some companies make safety proprietary – it really shouldn’t be,” said GE Johnson Safety Director Joe Weimerskirch. “It’s our responsibility to share what programs are working for us so that our subcontractors can adopt those successful strategies, too.”
Programs and jobsite compliance are only one part of keeping workers safe, though. For safety to be all-encompassing, contractors rely on industry partners. MiLL National Training Center, Careers in Construction Colorado, Red Wing Shoes, and Face It TOGETHER, an addiction counseling organization based in Denver, Colorado, all presented at the Safety Summit for this reason. Their corporate programs make it possible to provide workers with the equipment, skills, and resources they need to succeed in the construction industry.
Overall, the feedback from the event was extremely positive.
“What I enjoyed is the willingness of GE Johnson to reach out to subcontractors to help them not just understand, but excel, on any general contractors’ jobsite – not just their own,” said Aaron Romero, foreman for Bible Electric.
“As safety professionals, all we want is to make sure everyone gets home safely each and every day,” said Weimerskirch. “I truly believe that this Safety Summit is a step in the right direction for our local industry and beyond.”
About GE Johnson
Founded in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1967, GE Johnson builds challenging and demanding projects with quality craftsmanship; promotes positive change in the communities where we live and work; and strives for injury-free performance for our clients, employees, trade partners and communities. GE Johnson is headquartered in Colorado Springs with regional offices in Colorado, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Wyoming.
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