Construction Safety Advice Your Workers Will Love You For

Working in a construction zone is a dangerous job; there are a lot of risks involved; workers need to be careful to avoid accidents and injuries (that may even cause death). 

Even though workers should be careful, it is the employer’s responsibility to keep their employees safe from danger. The employer should set basic rules at the construction site to make sure workers are safe and not at risk for any accidents.

If you are the head of a construction site and have workers working under your wing, here are some of the kinds of accidents that can occur and the safety rules you can implement to avoid them:

What Kind of Accidents Can Occur at Construction Sites?

Electrocution

With the electrical work and heavy wiring that comes with construction work, electrocution is a big possibility – they make up about 8% of construction accidents. They can lead to extreme injury or death.

Worker Motion

A “worker motion” injury occurs when workers injure themselves by moving or twisting into a position that causes pain. Although this type of injury is not life-threatening, it can cause workers to suffer from severe discomfort and lack of mobility. This lack of mobility and discomfort may lead to injuries or accidents later.

Vehicular Accident

Workers at a construction site are at risk of getting into an accident with a vehicle in use. They can easily get injured through caught-in, struck-by, and run-over accidents.

Hand Tool Harming

Hand tools such as drills, grinders, box cutters, and sanders are commonly used at construction sites. They can be sources of accidents and injuries if workers are not trained and are not aware of how to use them properly.

Slips and Falls

Most workers at construction sites will be working at heights – there is always a chance of a missed step or any other kind of harmful mistake that can cause workers to fall. Even a small height can cause a large amount of damage.

What Can I Do To Avoid Such Accidents From Happening?

Make Seatbelts Mandatory When Operating a Vehicle or Heavy Equipment

In the United States, motor vehicle crashes are the number one cause of on-job fatalities. You should make sure that each employee operating a vehicle or heavy machinery wears a seatbelt. It is a basic safety precaution that should be implemented at all construction sites.

Inspect Equipment and Tools Regularly

It would help if you took the necessary time to inspect the equipment and tools you will use at the construction site. If they are broken or out of order, you should repair them to keep them from malfunctioning while workers are using them to avoid any accidents or injuries.

Equipment and heavy-duty machines should go through regular maintenance to make the worker’s job easier for them and to make sure they are working safely.

Make Use of Fall Protection If You Are Working At Heights

 The leading cause of death in the construction industry is falling. If you have workers working on a higher level, it is best to install railings to avoid them from falling down due to tripping or slipping. Alongside railings, it would also be a good idea to have workers work in a full-body harness with a self-retracting lanyard as a safeguard to mitigate falling hazards.

Reduce Movement towards Blind Spots of Heavy Equipment

Instruct your workers to distance themselves from heavy equipment and machinery when they are in use. Workers should either communicate or make eye contact to make operators (of the machinery) aware that they are passing through. Workers should not move around the site blindly and should be aware of their surroundings to avoid getting caught in, struck by, or run over by such equipment.

Keep Yourself Out of the Line of Fire

The term “line of fire” is used to refer to the safety hazards of work.

Much like avoiding the blind spots of heavy equipment, workers should also be warned about staying out of the line of fire. For example, workers should avoid standing underneath lifted loads, working underneath equipment that is not properly installed, or standing by a pipe that is being cut that stores energy.

Keep Work Areas Clean

Injuries and accidents caused by strains, sprains, slips, trips, falls, and lacerations can easily be avoided by keeping the work site clear and organized.

Maintaining proper hygiene can also prevent the spread of diseases such as the flu.

Label and Store Chemicals Properly

Improper labeling and storage of chemicals can lead to property damage, fires, and corrosion. All these things are risk factors for potential injuries and accidents.

To avoid such incidents, you should follow your state’s and government’s guidelines on how to store such chemicals. You can also take advice from personnel who are experienced in handling such chemicals and substances.

Be In Open Communication with Your Workers

It is not safe to assume that your workers are aware of all the safety hazards and rules regarding them. Have regular meetings to establish and communicate these rules and make sure all your workers know them. This is especially important with new hires.

If rules are updated or changed, a meeting should be held to discuss them.

Stop Work When Faced With an Emergency

If you find that there is an increased risk for an accident or a safety hazard is about to occur, it is best to stop work and fix the problem before you move on.

Always take your time to evaluate the situation and get down to the root cause – make sure everything is safe before you continue to work.

Training

Before commencing on your project, workers should be trained properly on the equipment they will have to use – this helps to prevent mishandling and accidents.

Ensure that only workers who are trained to use the machine are using it; for example, only those trained to use the drill should be operating the drill.Sources: www.safetytalkideas.com