By Hannah Aguilar-Mota
Working in construction can be like a juggling act — except that the act of dropping one ball can have dire consequences. You face intense pressure to get your job done quickly. You are held responsible to do high-quality work. And, at the end of the day, you and your crew need to go home safely.
Mission Bell foreman Adam McPhillips juggles those three pressures brilliantly, which is why he’s being honored as our November 2021 Construction Safety Hero. The 30-year construction veteran has been building high-end cabinets and doing woodwork for Mission Bell, now part of USA Millwork, for more than two decades.
“I have worked with Adam on multiple projects with extremely tight schedules,” said eMOD founder and Dome superintendent Kaitlin Frank. “Typically, when there is a big schedule push on the job site, you worry about crews cutting corners to get the jobs done faster and the quality of what is getting installed. Even with near-impossible deadlines, Adam is able to lead his crew without impacting quality or safety. When I have Adam on my job site, I know the work will be done safely and professionally.”
I recently had the chance to talk with Adam — now 49, a father of three, and grandfather of 2 — about his work, and his views about construction safety.
What are some of the biggest hazards that you see in your daily work?
Well, there’s a variety of them. But the most serious injuries can be from a saw. You could lose fingers, if you are not properly using the tool or not paying attention. Fortunately, we don’t come across these types of injuries too often.
Do you find it difficult to talk about safety issues with your team?
No, not at all. And if I do have a situation, I’m happy to get a safety professional involved. I would rather have the experts involved than try to navigate some of the safety issues myself.
What’s an example of one way you try to help keep your crew safe?
After I give someone a task, I ask them if there’s anything they’re uncomfortable with — whether it’s a custom cut or using certain tools, or the product they’re working with. That way I don’t put them in a position to get hurt.
Have you had or seen a serious injury?
One of our guys who’s been working with us for 15 years had a fall. He’s 51 years old, was coming down off an eight-foot ladder, and he stepped off too soon before the last step. He just fell two feet but broke his hip. After that, he worked for a short time doing light duty, and then I think he just called it quits. He retired.
So when you see something like that, how does it affect you?
Well, it’s a co-worker and I’ve known the guy for years — yeah, it hurts. Seeing someone you know get hurt — you can almost feel his pain after you see something like that.
Does it change how you work?
Well, with ladders, I think we’ve all done that — where we miss that last step. And now it makes you a little more aware. This isn’t something we just read about. It actually does happen.
Kaitlin at Dome said, “It’s obvious that you care about your crew going home safely every day.” That must feel pretty good to hear that.
Yeah. It’s humbling. You know, it’s nice to hear that from somebody outside of my crew. I’ve got a pretty good crew.
What do you think is the biggest challenge when it comes to safety in construction today?
I think it’s how safety officers and workers work together. A safety officer may be going by the latest safety rules and the contractors have been doing things their way for years or even decades. Some changes for safety can actually take us out of our comfort level because we’re not used to it — which can also be unsafe.
Do you think that during construction safety has improved in recent years?
Oh yeah, definitely. Just walking around a job site, you see a lot more hazards that are marked — caution tape, signage, all that stuff. When I was getting started, you’d just walk right onto the site and get to work. Simple things like putting signs up — they are definitely helping.
Do you think safety could be improved more and if so, how?
To be honest, the only way you can improve safety more is to add some time. If you could stretch your schedules out a little bit, that would probably help the most.
So what does it mean to you to be honored as a safety hero?
I’m glad it came up. It is humbling to be recognized by peers in our industry.
What is your favorite part of your job?
Well, just the challenges of it. Our work is high-end and pretty complex and you’ve got to coordinate with other trades and put the team together to get it done. And once you get through all that and see the final product — it’s a rewarding feeling. And also the camaraderie. You come in every day and it’s like you’re working with your brothers and sisters. It makes it fun.
Thanks for your time Adam — and congratulations!
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.
Nominate an eMOD Safety Hero Today
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Hannah Aguilar-Mota is an onboarding specialist for eMOD.