In the world of construction trades, where hazards like electrical mishaps, mechanical failures, and equipment risks loom large, safety must always take center stage. With over 90 years of experience in the Canadian market, Smith & Long has established itself as the fastest-growing, large-scale, multi-trade company, uniquely positioned in electrical, mechanical, and engineering fields. However, even with a rich tradition of excellence, Smith & Long recognized the need to embrace modern solutions to enhance safety management across its expansive operations.
Smith & Long’s journey of transitioning from traditional pen-and-paper methods to cutting-edge software solutions provided by Corfix has had a transformative impact on enhancing safety monitoring, streamlining processes, and fostering a culture of proactive safety management.
Joe Pellerino, Chief Health and Safety Officer and a seasoned professional with decades of experience in safety management at Smith & Long, was at the forefront of this transition and has remarked on the benefit to the company’s safety protocols and overall efficiency.
Like many health and safety managers, Pellerino faced challenges in overseeing numerous sites simultaneously and had first-hand experience with the inefficiencies of manual monitoring. “Where we are now with software and apps, it’s way better just to monitor what’s going on across the board, where you don’t have to be at 90 sites at once,” he reflects. With Corfix software, he has gained a comprehensive overview of operations through a centralized dashboard, allowing him to identify issues promptly and address them effectively.
“Corfix has that beautiful dashboard where I can see who’s doing what, when they’re doing it, and how they’re doing it.” – Joe Pellerino, CHSO
Real-time insights provided by Corfix enable Pellerino to take proactive measures, such as addressing improper form fillings or conducting on-site training. “For example, if they are not filling out a form properly, I can view it right here from my chair and have a discussion with them. I wouldn’t have known that for weeks if I didn’t get to that site,” he explains. This level of visibility and control enhances safety protocols and fosters a culture of proactive safety management within Smith & Long.
Due to a significant regulatory shift in the past decade, most companies involved in the trades, including general contractors, are recognizing the critical role of documentation in safety compliance. Corfix simplifies documentation processes, and gives companies the confidence and security that comes with regulatory compliance. It also facilitates communication across teams, enabling access to forms, documents, task notes, and pertinent jobsite information within a mobile app.
“All companies, all GCs are putting safety first. If it’s not documented, it didn’t happen.” – Joe Pellerino, CHSO
Within Smith & Long’s 1,100-employee-strong organization, Pellerino emphasizes the profound responsibility of ensuring every individual’s safety. “I’m dealing with someone’s husband, someone’s dad, someone’s mom, someone’s daughter. You want to make sure that they go home the same way they came in,” he says, highlighting the deep care and commitment ingrained in the company’s safety culture.
Corfix not only aids in maintaining safety standards but also contributes to financial stability by reducing lost hours and mitigating fines.
Resistance to change is a common obstacle, especially in construction and the trades. With Corfix’s intuitive and impactful software, Smith & Long successfully navigated that challenge by demonstrating to the workers that it would make their work easier and safer instead of harder. Unlike a lot of other software with similar features, it was built with the field worker in mind, which is very helpful for quick adoption in a generally tech-averse industry.
Together, Corfix and Smith & Long are driving positive change and elevating safety standards, creating a model for other companies considering a digital solution for their safety programs.