SAFETY

Committed To Your Safety And Ours

Award Winning Safety Program

With more than 100 years of experience in the region, Knutson is a leader in the construction safety industry. We strive to create a culture of safety, not just for our workers, but also for your clients, your employees, and your visitors. Our culture of safety is communicated from the top of the organizational chart through every worker on site. Safety is everyone’s job and is a part of our performance management planning. This ingrained view of safety is central to our consistent safety performance and is one reason why subcontractors enjoy working on Knutson projects; we hold ourselves accountable and we expect the same from all of our team members.

AT A GLANCE

Safety Starts With Planning

Knutson has an extensive written safety program designed to maintain compliance with Federal, State, and local safety standards and goes above OSHA requirements in many areas. More importantly they are the rules we follow to ensure the people in and around our projects are not being injured. This extensive program has resulted in a consistently low Experience Modification Rate (EMR).

On each project, a member of Knutson’s safety department meets with the project team to develop a project specific safety plan. We received input from key team members, critical subcontractors and if requested, owner representation. The purpose is to identify the high-risk activities and component of the project and develop controls. We want to make safety part of the daily routine and identify hazards/risks early on so that precautionary measures can be implemented. The safety department conducts regular and frequent project audits to ensure Knutson, the Owner, and regulatory safety requirements are being followed and to assist in identifying risks.

Zero Incident Culture

We believe in coaching. Our safety professionals job is to be a resource to the projects, not to be the safety police. We create a culture of safety that is communicated from the top of the organizational chart through every worker on site. On the very few occasions when enforcement action is required, we do not hesitate to take action. This way, we build a culture of safety and accountability across our work force and that of our construction partners.

We also receive resources and support from upper management. We constantly review and update our safety policies and practices based on audit findings to stay at the top of the industry in safety performance. This consistent and measured approach to safety is critical to our Zero Incident Culture.  We believe it our corporate responsibility to provide a safe work environment for the construction personnel, owner staff and clients and the general public.

Accountability & Expectations

Knutson is proud to utilize cloud-based safety management software to efficiently track job site incidents and effectively train project team members. These tools play a vital role in advancing Knutson’s Zero Incident Safety Culture by streamlining our safety management processes, improving operational efficiency, and enhancing worker competency via well-defined safety training management and delivery processes.

We are dedicated to ensuring that every person who interacts with a Knutson job site has a safe, secure experience. It is our intention that each employee returns home safely each night feeling assured, inspired, and appreciated for the work they do. Using safety software helps assure that goal becomes a reality.

OUR TEAM
Safety Manager

Chris Benson

Chris has been a valuable asset to Knutson’s safety team over the years. As safety manager, Chris evaluates exposure on our projects and designs and implements site-specific safety plans. He follows up regularly with site inspections to ensure plans are being followed and any adjustments are incorporated into project safety requirements. He also assists with regular safety training for Knutson employees and subcontractors.

Site Safety Manager

Wally Heidelberger

Wally is responsible for overall safety and quality control for projects, including both oversight of self-perform and subcontractor work. He works closely with key team members as a liaison between the project teams, including subcontractors, and the Knutson superintendents. He ensures the project is exceeding the quality expectations required by our owners construction standards and is running as safely and smoothly as possible.

Site Safety Manager

Daniel Dustin

Daniel has over 20 years of experience in construction safety management, safety consulting and training, and emergency management, making him a welcome addition to Knutson’s safety team. As Site Safety Manager, Daniel is responsible for managing overall safety and quality control of his project(s). He also works closely with all project teams, including subcontractors and Knutson superintendents, to ensure job sites remain safe and secure.

Site Safety Manager

Chris Lisowski

With over 28 years of various construction / trades experience, Chris brings established value to the project teams he works with in his position as Site Safety Manager. He is responsible for maintaining safety and quality control of projects as well as working closely with pivotal team members like Knutson superintendents and subcontractors to ensure work is being completed in a safe and timely manner.

General Labor Foreman / Safety Specialist

Tom Smith

Tom is an experienced General Labor Foreman / Safety Specialist with over 32 years in the construction industry. He has extensive knowledge of safety protocols and regulations and is dedicated to creating a safe work environment for his teams.  Starting with Knutson as a Laborer, Tom is highly skilled in managing project teams and ensuring that projects are completed safely, on time, within budget, and at the highest level of quality.

Safety Systems Manager

Denise Crestik

As Knutson’s Safety Systems Manager, Denise leads internal efforts to establish and support safety initiatives, including implementation of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) software and management and coordination of employee safety training. Denise has worked in the construction industry for more than 10 years and brings both relevant experience and passion for systems and training to her role. She is excited to empower project teams with the knowledge they need to continue embodying Knutson’s top-tier Zero Incident Safety Culture.

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MNSHARP Award

Dedicated to Safety

Minnesota OSHA created the MNSHARP Program in 2004 to recognize construction companies where managers and employees work together to develop safety and health programs that go beyond basic compliance with all applicable OSHA standards and result in immediate and long-term prevention of job-related injuries and illnesses. Since the inception of the program, only 64 construction projects statewide have received this award.

Knutson has had the honor of receiving nine MNSHARP awards since the program was created. Learn more about our award-winning safety efforts by visiting the blog.

“I want to thank everyone that has been a part of this project at Mercy Hospital. It was a very coordinated project with safety for patients, staff and visitors at the forefront and then our own safety next. It has been and still is a TEAM effort to make this project a success!”

Rod Sessing, Senior Superintendent

Knutson Construction

Careers

Make Your Mark

At Knutson Construction we empower our employees to shape the communities they live, work, and play in. Regardless of where you are in your career, this is your chance to transform communities and make your dream of a great career a reality.