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The 1,000 person quota

Based on the 1,000 person quota, we look at the prevailing situation regarding work safety in the construction industry.

In our company, work safety is the immutable focus of our activities. We stand behind this attitude one hundred percent, because

We work safe — or not at all.

Safety through strategy

Winner of the German Occupational Safety Award 2019 and 2025 in the ‘Strategic’ category

We are proud that our commitment to occupational safety has already been recognised twice with the German Occupational Safety Award - for the first time in 2019 and again in 2025.

In 2019, we won over the jury with our ‘Occupational safety as a corporate philosophy’ approach. 

In 2025, we were again honoured out of around 200 entries. This time for our project ‘Digital tools for the sustainable improvement of occupational safety and environmental protection’. With the MainkaApp and QR code technology, we are improving safety on our construction sites, simplifying processes and reducing environmental impact - step by step, together with our teams.

This award is both a confirmation and an incentive for us: occupational safety is not a project for us, but an integral part of our daily work. Our accident rates have been well below the industry average for years.

We work safe - or not at all. 

Safety through a common goal

We build safely — or we don’t build. At first, it may sound like a slogan by a clever ad agency, but we have lived it for over 20 years. It is the goal that binds us together and makes our company unique. We are convinced that, especially when it comes to work safety, we can only continue to improve with open and transparent communication. Openness is a matter of course. In our weekly, meetings, we talk about events on the construction site and the insights we have gained. Top management, project and construction management and safety specialists maintain regular communication.

Work safety through professional preparation

Safety from day one. Work safety concepts, risk assessments, work instructions (method statements): Only professional preparation of all site activities can ensure that work safety is successfully lived on the construction site from day one. To support construction and project management with this responsibility, we have created the “SHE-Q” department (Safety, Health, Environment and Quality), which works continuously to optimize safety on our sites. That way we can ensure that even the most difficult construction sites are safe places to work, and that accidents and negative press are prevented. On our sites, you receive a comprehensive project information packet on the respective construction project that is convenient to carry with you at all times.

Safety through tailored information on site

Every month, we conduct trainings for the entire on-site team at all of our construction projects. The topics follow the modules of BG Bau. They are complemented by our own topics, which are often generated through the report card system we have developed and based on example situations, near accidents or unsafe situations on one of our sites (“lessons learned”). Additionally, every employee does an “LMRA - Last Minute Risk Analysis” prior to starting work.

Safety through qualification and training

The initial and continued training of our employees is enormously important to us, because a high degree of safety can only be achieved through competence. We provide training for special qualifications ourselves. Our safety specialists in the QHSE department have taken part in a variety of training programs (e.g. BG Bau, TÜV etc.) in order to pass their knowledge on to colleagues under the “train the trainer” system. That way, the training sessions on “load lifting gear” and “PSA against falls” (PSAgA) in particular can be flexibly carried out at the construction sites. In regular trainings, our project and construction managers and foremen are educated on construction-related subjects as well as topics focusing specifically on work safety.

Safety through checking

Safety has many facets — one is ensuring that tools and equipment are in perfect condition. Trained specialists in our group regularly inspect all electrical equipment and all other tools like ladders, lifting and load handling equipment or personal protective gear against falls. In addition, our employees are qualified to check shut-off bladders and inflatable seals.

Safety through innovation

Special recognition for especially good ideas:

In 2016, our former trainees Jan Neumann and Stefan Behnen won the German Youth Work Safety Prize. They were recognized for their “ladder safety rack”, which prevents ladders from slipping and toppling.

In 2018, the German Youth Work Safety Prize again went to Mainka. Our trainee team of Peter Berning, Malte Gösse and Christian Schleicher received the coveted award for their project “Safety mat for reinforcement“. The mat simply and efficiently secures walking paths on construction sites during the installation of reinforcement until the concrete is poured. It dramatically reduces the risk of tripping, snagging or twisting an ankle.

The inventiveness of our trainees shows how paramount the topic of work safety is in our company. We continuously work on new solutions for increasing construction site safety.

Apart from these extraordinary success stories, many ideas emerge out of our structured continuous improvement process, which also helps to significantly increase on-site work safety.