By Melanie Fry
When you work in a dangerous industry like construction, you remember the accidents. And maybe even more, you remember the near misses — each of which can redefine your perspective on safety in an instant.
A few years ago, Jose Marin was superintendent on a job where his team was working on trenching. He saw a junior laborer just about to cut into the floor — and an electrical pipe. He yelled to him and told him to stop just in time. “I’ll always remember that,” Jose said. “If he would have cut through it, he would have been electrocuted.”
The 33-year-old foreman for the Raymond Group said the incident has made him much more aware of his surroundings every day — both for his own safety, and that of his team.
The 14-year construction veteran — a husband and father of three — is this month’s eMOD Construction Safety Hero. In particular, Jose has been nearly flawless when it comes to completing safety reports and ensuring the safety of his team on his current office building project, said Brian Johnson, Raymond Norcal’s area safety manager.
To date, there have been zero accidents, incidents, first-aid or otherwise, and that is a direct product of Jose’s commitment to safety on a daily basis,” Johnson said. “Jose has done an amazing job. … It’s reassuring to know I have people like Jose running jobs who take safety seriously and deliver our safety message, day in and day out.”
We recently sat down with Jose to talk about his life in construction, his views on safety, and even a hobby that might surprise his peers.
What are some of the biggest hazards you see in your daily work?
Well, there’s often a lot of debris on the floor. Tripping hazards. That’s what we have to look out for most often.
How do you remedy that?
We have to keep everything clean. If someone else leaves a mess, then I’ll clean it up if I have to. But we also make that a daily task in the eMOD app. My guys have all the cleanup tools they need. So after they’re done, they clean the area and then move on to their next area. We clean everything.
For people just getting started in construction, how do you explain the importance of safety?
Well, being safe means going home safe to your family. That’s the most important goal you can have today. A lot of the guys I work with are married and have kids. They have people that need them.
Do you talk to a lot of new people about safety?
Yes, because we need a culture of being aware. So we have to coach them — and let them know that they need to be aware of their surroundings. And before they start something, they need to take a step back, look at where they are, and really think about what they’re going to do. That’s the best approach to being safe. Because if you’re not aware, then that’s when accidents happen.
Do you have any examples of safety incidents that stick in your mind?
A few years ago, I was working on a project and there was this new laborer. We were about to do some trenching. And there was an electrical pipe really close to where we were going to cut. And he was about to cut it. I looked and I saw the pipe sticking out of the floor. And I yelled to stop. If he would have gone through it, he would have been electrocuted. So, you have to really be aware of your surroundings.
How could that have been prevented?
We could have been a little bit more cautious. Take one extra step to prepare. Really be aware of our surroundings and what objects are there before we start. I’ll always remember that.
Do you think construction safety has improved during recent years?
Oh, definitely it has. We started off with having no hardhats or safety glasses. Now we have full PPE (personal protective equipment) all the time. It really has changed a lot and improved.
Do you find it difficult to balance safety with the pressure of keeping a job on schedule?
Sometimes it is difficult because, you know, your biggest priority is making sure your team is safe. But on the other hand, you have to keep the job moving. Fast.
You were nominated as the safety hero partly because of your great documentation. Do you ever get annoyed by paperwork?
It’s easier now because we do it on an iPad [using eMOD]. Before we had to write it down. It’s much easier for me now.
What does it mean to you to be honored as a safety hero?
I’m glad to do my part in safety — and having my guys all go home safe at the end of the day.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
My hobby right now is that I am learning to write Python code. That’s an interest that I recently took on. And I’m trying to create an app. We’ll see how that goes.
Really? What kind of app?
Well, right now I’m in the early stages of learning code. After that, I’ll learn the front end of it. I really like trivia. So, I’ll probably try to make a trivia game.
Wow, good luck with that! And thank you for being a true safety hero!
What is the eMOD Safety Hero Award?
Once a month, eMOD highlights someone working in the commercial construction industry who practices their craft with a safety-first approach. We recognize heroes who put safety ahead of productivity, who take action today to make our work safer tomorrow, who do the right thing rather than the most convenient. They promote accountability among team members, champion the latest safety practices, and encourage transparency about hazardous situations as they arise.
In addition to being featured on our blog, each winner receives a great prize package!