The construction industry is known for being one of the most dangerous fields to work in. In 2020, 4,764 workers died on the job, according to
the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a division of the U.S. Department of Labor, responsible for investigating workplaces.
These risks expanded EV Construction’s commitment to safety, which led the firm to begin hosting annual Safety Week events in West Michigan in 2015 in an effort to increase safety standards and reduce those numbers.
The Holland-based construction management firm will host its eighth annual Safety Week on March 13-16. This year’s event, “Safe and Sound: Ensuring Physical & Mental Health,” will be held at Watermark Country Club and the West Michigan Construction Institute, both in Grand Rapids.
‘Self-care Isn’t Selfish’
This year, mental health is a big theme in the sessions. Josh Zoerhof, a local and well-respected pastor, leader, and counselor, will present this year’s keynote, “Self-care Isn’t Selfish.” Zoerhof will speak to the audience about the importance of every member of a team being healthy, both mentally and physically.
“Construction and skilled trades workers rank among the highest levels of anxiety and depression in the U.S. and are additionally among the highest risk rates for burnout and suicide,” says Zoerhof. “In our post-pandemic reality, the need for new and adaptive practices addressing emotional wellness and safety are needed more than ever.”
His message to those in the construction industry is that, while many rely on them — family members, friends, employees, coworkers, etc. — to take care of others, they need to first take care of themselves. His keynote will offer guidance for self-care and tips for recognizing when somebody around us needs help.
![]()
The Safety Symposium is free training for those in the construction industry.
Breakout sessions and more
Participants of the Safety Symposium will have the opportunity to attend one of three breakout sessions offering deeper dives into mental health-related topics:
- Recognizing the signs of depression, and suicide awareness and prevention, hosted by Josh Zoerhof.
- How to support somebody who has experienced a significant loss, hosted by Dave McGovern of Winning at Home.
- Building a healthy team culture, hosted by Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services.
The event will also include vendor exhibits, networking, and a little friendly competition.
“The symposium always includes the best of the best in industry safety,” says Tony Roussey, COO of EV Construction. “After seven years of hosting the event, we continue to make it bigger and better in hopes of reaching even more professionals than in previous years. Increasing the safety of our industry requires all of us to work together; we need to hold one another accountable, learn from each other, and communicate goals. By unifying in the mission of fewer workplace accidents, we are more likely to experience success.”
Later in the week, EV Construction will offer free training sessions to industry professionals in several practice areas, including First Aid, CPR, and automated external defibrillator (AED); safe lifting; OSHA 10-hour; qualified rigger; burnout in the industry and mental health awareness; conflict management; setting up a safe project site; hot- and cold-weather safety; and lunch with Michigan OSHA (MIOSHA).
Celebrating an amazing accomplishment
The idea for the event came from a conversation Roussey, then-safety director, had with CEO Mike Novakoski in 2013 about the upcoming achievement of EV working for 2,500 consecutive days without a lost-time injury, which occurred in March 2014. The event was to celebrate an amazing accomplishment for any general contractor that has two-thirds of its 150 employees performing high-risk construction tasks.
According to OSHA, the construction industry is known for being among the most dangerous fields to work in. Out of every 5,000 private-industry worker fatalities, 20% are in construction, meaning 1 in 5 deaths is construction-related. Numbers continue to fluctuate year after year, but EV Construction aims to play a small, but crucial, role in inching the number closer and closer to zero in its home state.
EV Construction believes that bringing better training opportunities and awareness to local trades personnel helps decrease the number of work-related deaths and injuries. The annual Safety Week events are paid for by EV, removing the financial burden for trade partners by providing all training free of charge.
Mayor’s endorsement
Grand Rapids Mayor Rosalynn Bliss has recognized the week of the event as “EV Construction Alive 365: Safety Week 2023,” a notation EV Construction also received in 2017 and 2022.
“We are pleased with the mayor’s endorsement and recognition of just how vital safety
protocols are in the workplace,” says Joe Novakoski, EV Construction vice president of operations and safety director.
Founded in 1945 as Elzinga & Volkers Construction, the company recently celebrated 75 years in business. The company employs over 100 field personnel and 40 office staff. EV Construction maintains three office locations, with headquarters in Holland, Michigan, and additional offices in Coldwater and Grand Rapids.
The company specializes in delivering the highest-quality construction management and consulting services to a wide variety of industries. The firm has been named regionally as a “Best and Brightest Company to Work For” 14 years in a row and has won the coveted “Best of the Best for a Mid-sized Company” award.
For more information on EV Construction’s 2023 Safety Symposium or to register for the event, visit
https://ev.construction/safety-week/.