Safety Is Part of How We Work
At Howe, safety isn’t a checklist item. It’s how we’ve earned the trust of commercial and industrial clients for more than 85 years, and it’s woven into every project and jobsite. Our teams work in environments where planning, awareness, communication and proper training are essential, whether we’re supporting a hospital expansion, fabricating process piping for a manufacturing facility or installing mechanical systems in a secure government building.
Our HVAC, plumbing and fire protection crews work on active construction sites, in our fabrication shop, on rooftops and inside occupied buildings, and all of them benefit from consistent planning and training. That’s why our safety commitment begins long before anyone steps onto a worksite, with preparing our crews and communicating expectations. Every project benefits from deliberate coordination between field teams, fabrication specialists, project managers and leadership.
Reliable, responsible mechanical contracting extends beyond our employees. Workplace safety protects customers, project partners, building occupants and the communities where we operate across the Upper Midwest. Whether we’re in a school, a data center, a food-processing facility or a municipal building, our focus on delivering quality workmanship remains consistent.
Safety Starts With Our People
Howe’s safety culture begins with employees who understand safe work practices, look out for each other and take responsibility for maintaining safe jobsites. We encourage our team members to speak up, identify potential hazards and share information that keeps them protected.
Our workforce brings robust credentials to every project, including OSHA 30-Hour training across field leadership, MSHA-certified staff and specialized certifications in MEWP operation, forklift operation and rigging. These qualifications prepare our crews for the environments and equipment they encounter daily.
We always comply with our host facility’s permits when monitoring and controlling high‑risk activities. Stringent inspections and stop-work authority for every employee reinforce and protect safety throughout the project.
We’ve woven these shared commitments into every level of our company because we firmly believe safety is a collective responsibility upheld by the people doing the work and placing trust in each other.
Training and Safety Awareness
Howe invests in ongoing education that enables our employees to stay aware and informed. We reinforce the fundamentals while staying abreast of best practices and emerging risks. For example, aerial lift safety is a frequent topic across the industry, and Howe uses these discussions to reinforce proper operation, situational awareness and communication among team members.
Our full-time safety manager, Autume Hamner, holds a master’s degree in occupational health, safety and environmental management and is an OSHA-authorized construction outreach trainer, allowing Howe to deliver in-house OSHA 10- and 30-Hour training instead of outsourcing it. Her background in manufacturing and construction safety leadership includes incident investigation and strict OSHA compliance, which has given her the prerequisite knowledge to develop Howe’s job hazard analysis and training programs.
Daily briefings, meticulous project planning, pre-task discussions and ongoing refreshers ensure everyone understands the expectations of our workplace safety culture, whether they’ve been with us for two months or two decades.
In addition to OSHA 10- and 30-Hour training, our comprehensive programs include:
- New-hire safety orientation
- Weekly toolbox talks through our companywide learning management system
- Situational awareness and hazard recognition
- CPR and first-aid administration
- Background and drug screening
Planning for a Safer Jobsite
Employee safety training involves understanding the project at hand, anticipating challenges and coordinating with partners. Before beginning work, our teams identify potential hazards, review site conditions and set realistic standards.
Whether we’re supporting a healthcare facility, a manufacturing plant or a municipal building, following stringent protocols allows us to approach every job with intention as a responsible commercial and industrial partner.
Hazard identification and control measures include:
- Job hazard analysis
- Permit-based hot-work and confined space entry programs
- Fall protection
- Lockout/tagout procedures
- Respirable silica exposure controls
- Jobsite safety inspections
- Stop-work authority for every employee
Safety in the Field
Once work begins, construction safety practices guide every action on the site. Our employees wear proper PPE and maintain clean, organized work areas. These established procedures empower our crews to work consistently and confidently, while ongoing communication keeps everyone aware of changing conditions. Employees care about each other, share information and stay alert to the environment around them – whether they’re working at height, operating equipment or coordinating with other tradespeople.
Many of our projects take place inside owner-operated buildings such as hospitals, schools, offices and manufacturing plants. Our crews consistently follow all host-facility requirements, including:
- Permit, lockout/tagout and hot-work systems
- Site-specific contractor orientation
- Background and drug screening
This high-level, everyday discipline turns planning into real-world protection. It’s how Howe maintains safe jobsites across the Upper Midwest and how our teams uphold the responsibility we have to each other, our customers and project partners.
A Culture of Looking Out for One Another
A cohesive safety culture begins with reinforcing positive habits – speaking up when something seems amiss, preventing small issues from escalating into hazards and sharing information that keeps everyone protected. Every Howe employee takes these responsibilities seriously and shares their insights and awareness as needed. Leaders reinforce this commitment by setting standards and maintaining accountability.
Our fleet safety program also reflects this mindset, with telematics in every company vehicle, driver behavior monitoring and coaching, and driving record reviews as a precondition of vehicle assignment.
Safety Protects More Than Our Employees
Safer jobsites benefit everyone, including our customers, general contractors, project partners, visitors, building occupants and the communities where we operate. Daily, we uphold our values of quality and professionalism, reinforcing the trust our clients have placed in us for more than 85 years.
Independent verification through ISNetworld, Avetta and client-specific platforms such as Gatefeed provides third-party confirmation of our safety documentation, training records and compliance standing. Howe also received the Award of Excellence from Griffin Casualty, Ltd., which is presented to member companies ranking in the top 10% of its benchmark scoring program for loss prevention and claims management.
Every aspect of our work relies on transparent communication, careful planning, hazard awareness and disciplined field practices. We believe protecting our people is the best way to thank them for being high performers and keeping projects on schedule.
Our Commitment Goes Beyond Compliance
Compliance provides the foundation, but our culture keeps safety top of mind in every conversation, decision and project. Employees actively think about mutual responsibility and maintain situational awareness, which guides how we plan projects and complete tasks. Our team members understand these expectations and cooperate to create secure worksites for everyone.
Building a Safer Future Together
Training, planning, communication and continuous improvement are cornerstones of safety at Howe. Our teams look out for one another, stay informed through ongoing education and communicate across departments and responsibilities. These practices create safer environments for employees, customers, project partners and the communities we serve.
As we look ahead, we remain dedicated to building a safer future by investing in our staff, refining our processes and expanding training opportunities.
Learn More About Howe
Interested in working with Howe? Explore our client testimonials to see how our team supports commercial and industrial projects across the Upper Midwest, then contact us to learn more about partnering with a company committed to safety, quality and dependable performance.
