Chicago Safety Campaign Uses Humor To Target Jobsite Safety

By Steve Smith

A new campaign from the Mechanical Contractors Association of Chicago uses tongue-in-cheek humor to reach construction workers on the very serious subject of jobsite safety.

“Safety has always been a top concern of the MCA,” said Dan Bulley, senior vice president of MCA Chicago. “The Safety Stuffers have been getting a great response since they catch people's attention.”

The Safety Stuffers are small fliers mailed along with weekly paychecks to workers employed by contractor members of MCA Chicago. The stuffers are sponsored by United Association Pipe Fitters' Local Union 597/MCA Joint Safety Committee.

We've printed the front and back page of one stuffer to illustrate the story. Two others include the following:

Front: Pucker up those lips and ... Back: ... learn CPR. It could save a life.
Front: Burning? Tingling? Quivering? Back: It could be frostbite. Avoid it by wearing layers and heavy gloves when it's cold.

The stuffers work in conjunction with the association's other safety education measures. For example, Toolbox Talks gather workers to hear the foreman share prepared safety advice. A listing is kept of all the workers who attended each talk.

“If employers can show they keep employees informed about safety issues, that can count in their favor in the event of an OSHA inspection,” Bulley added. “Plus, insurance companies like to know these companies have safety awareness measures in place.”

The information given through MCA Chicago's Safety Stuffers and Toolbox Talks is supplemented by material from the Chicagoland Construction Safety Council and the Mechanical Contractors Association of America.