By Kaitlin Frank
Some heroes are bold and full of bravado. Others are more measured and behind-the-scenes. More like Jess Mendoza, a lead laborer for Dome Construction, who is our eMOD Safety Hero for the month of October.
“Jess is an undercover character,” said Mat Phillips, an Assistant Group Superintendent at Dome Construction who nominated Jess for the honor. “He’s been a quiet achiever on so many successful projects — he truly deserves the Safety Hero accolade.”
Having worked in construction for 16 years, Jess’s daily duties include ensuring safety on the job site. He’s also been a big help in training construction project team members how to use the eMOD app — and ultimately, using eMOD to make sure everyone on a job site is compliant with safety best practices.
“His attention to safety and early adoption of the eMOD platform has been a great help to his project teams,” Phillips said.
I recently had the chance to sit down with Jess and talk about the state of safety in construction today. Here’s what he had to say:
What does your day-to-day job look like, and how does safety factor into it?
Well, I’m kind of the eyes and ears on the job site. I’m the person making sure everybody and everything is safe. That includes reviewing our plans, making sure everything is where it’s supposed to be, and making sure everybody is talking to and coordinating with each other.
What’s the biggest hazard you see in your daily work?
Right now it’s COVID-19 — and making sure people are wearing their masks correctly. Sometimes people have tried to get away with wearing it halfway because it can fog up their glasses. That’s probably the hardest thing — wearing face masks in combination with safety glasses. But you just have to do it. We’re all getting used to it now.
Speaking of COVID-19, what about working in tight spaces. Has there been any issues with safe distancing?
For the most part, we’ve been able to work around that. Our crews get it. The hardest part is tasks like sheetrocking, where people need to work together.
What’s the most blatant safety violation you’ve ever seen on a job site?
Probably ladder safety. People stand on top of ladders and that’s just not good. One time, we had a guy who fell — and he broke both his wrists. He couldn’t do anything after that. At home, his wife had to take care of everything for him. So, that puts things in perspective — and I try to tell people about that when I see them being unsafe.
What do you think is the biggest (industry) challenge when it comes to safety in construction?
Probably getting everybody over their own machismo, and understanding that everyone has to wear PPE and be safe about how they work. There are people who just don’t want to follow the rules.
Do you think the schedule and time constraints affect safety?
Yeah, for sure. There are people who basically act like, “I have a half an hour for this job.” And they don’t take the precautions. So, yeah, time constraints are a factor.
Do you generally think safety in construction has improved during recent years?
It’s improved, for sure. I’ve been doing this for 16 years now, and I can say that it’s changed a lot in my time.
What would you tell someone about safety who’s just starting in construction?
So we just hired a new guy. He’s brand new with union. We’ve been coaching him about how to take care of his body. I used to work concrete. I used to do carpet and flooring. I’ve worked in all sorts of areas. And I never used knee pads. Now, it’s definitely kicking me in the butt. So, for people who are just starting, wear all the stuff you should be wearing. All your PPE. It’ll help you now and later.
What does it mean to you to be honored as a “Safety Hero”?
Hmmm. Hopefully people will follow my lead.
We hope so, too. Thanks Jess 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!
Kaitlin Frank is co-founder of eMOD and a superintendent at Dome Construction.