How Well Do You Cherish Your Health?

The leading safety accidents on construction sites include falls, being stocked between objects, being hit by objects, and electrocutions. Most countries have guidelines and regulations for fall protection to prevent deaths and injuries. It is pivotal to put all safety measures to work to avoid injuries and death, whether you own, manage, work with/for a construction company.

Let’s go through the safety measures;

1. Awareness

Before any worker, regardless of his or her role or level of experience, can step foot on a construction site, she or he must be pre-informed of the possible hazards. Ignorant workers are perhaps the most-exposed to dangers in any industry, as their unknowing mistake puts all workers at risk. Understanding of situation at hand and sustaining a conscious state of alertness is perhaps the best way to prevent these accidents. Every single being that steps foot onto a construction site should be fully aware of the risks linked to the job and how to avoid them with their full understanding of construction site safety.

2. Do Not Tamper with the Equipment.

If some machines are not working, or some other things do not look right, report it through the right channel. Don’t try to alter something force something if you’re not trained to or supposed to.

Never remove those guard rails or scaffold ties. Do not remove any machine guard. Do not attempt to correct any defective equipment unless you are trained to do so. Do not ever tamper with any equipment authorized.

Every employer is responsible for safeguarding their staff’s safety and health irrespective of the nature of the industry and the type of work being performed. In the case of construction staff, they always work in a high-risk environment that is prone to electrical hazards and the dangers of even the construction machinery. According to a construction company’s database, almost twenty-five thousand (25,000) workers suffered several injuries on their sites within the past three (3) working years due to unsafe work conditions. Twenty-three (23) workers died, and 1700 were left with persisting disabilities.

These alarming records make it evident that it is very vital to protect the construction workers from fatalities and take appropriate safety measures on any construction site.

All employers have roles to play in protecting their employees’ health and safety, regardless of their industry, unit, or occupation. For construction workers also, who are exposed to highly risky environments, there are additional risks that must be considered.

If you’re a site manager, it’s left to you to take the right precautions and guard your workplace against unnecessary hazards. Construction sites are risky places to work. Every year, so many people get injured at work on these sites. So, if you work with any construction company, it is crucial to put your safety and health into consideration and guard it preciously.

3. Proper Equipment

To create some ethics around construction site safety, employers need to equip their workers with the proper equipment and adequate work environment for the job at hand. Without the supply of proper equipment, you may not have construction site safety because there will always be an avenue to get injured using the wrong equipment. Construction workers using inappropriate gear are bound to make fatal mistakes as well. Not only should all pieces of equipment on the site be ideally suited to work in view, but construction firms also should make sure that all materials and machinery are well maintained.

You have to secure site objects and minimize the risk associated with their falling. Construction safety does not just end as soon as the task is completed and your workers left for their homes. All stakeholders involved in the construction process have a common duty of ensuring that the right equipment and quality materials are used so that risks are avoided for a more extended period.

4. First Aid

For all managers of construction companies, it is expedient and expected of you to make the necessary provision of at least one first aid officer per twenty-five (25) employees. All first aid kits and related equipment should be placed in some strategic and accessible areas on site.

5. Training

Although most of all construction workers’ skills can be acquired on the job, safety is another vital skill set that is best learned before the start of works on construction sites. It is expected of all experienced workers to often refresh their knowledge of optimum safety by frequently attending training sessions throughout the year. These training periods can go over little things such as proper use of and fall protection on ladders, but the goal is to ensure that everyone is appropriately trained. At the end of these training sessions, employers should know what safety measures to take in the case of an emergency.

Not minding that workers are expected to attend regular safety training sessions about construction safety throughout the year, demonstrating safety skills on-site would help construction employees imbibe the safety rules. The on-site practice of construction site safety training skills will force employers to practice these skills in an area where safety is essential and ensure they are well trained. Without these proper training, construction workers are easily exposed to injuries or even killed. In such an area where fatalities and injuries are highly similar, training is pivotal, and as it will prevent lots of workplace injuries that may hurt you economically and ethically.

6. Do Not Work in Unsafe Areas.

Make sure your work environment is very safe. Be informed of the happenings around you. Be aware! According to the HSE documentary, about 14% of fatalities in construction sites were caused by the collapse of structures or overturning, and 11% by being knocked by moving trucks.

DO NOT work at height without some suitable guard rails or other fall preventive measures. DO NOT enter unaided trenches. Ensure you have safe access. DO NOT work under crane loads or any other dangerous operation.

7. Use Clear Signage on Site.

The site SWMS (Safe Work Method System) should be displayed at any construction site so that all safety measures are readily available – alongside 24-hour emergency helpline directions or a map to the site office. Visible signage (boards, posters, etc.) should also indicate locations of site amenities (such as clinic, entry and exit points, toilets, first aid, and emergency fire equipment).

8. Communication

Accidents are believed to likely occur when workers are unsure of what to expect. Direct discussion of the day’s objective, goals, and activities will reduce the chances of surprises that could cause bodily injuries. It would be wise of construction firms to equip their workers with devices, like walkie-talkies, headsets, and smartphones, which allow fast and effective communication among team members. With no proper communication between different parastatals on the construction site, workers may not know what to expect. Concise and clear communication with everyone not only does not just make the project go by faster but also help every worker informed. Communicating the staff and making sure they are doing their job is an appropriate way to communicate and ensure they do understand construction site safety.

9. Do Not Put Yourself or Others At Risk.

According to a saying which says, “actions speak louder than words,” especially on our construction sites where someone’s wrong move could expose almost everyone to harm. Set a very good standard, think safe, and do things safely on site.

You are responsible for any of your behavior. Construction arenas are dangerous places to be. Make sure you remain safe alert throughout your shift.

10. Documentation

To enforce construction site safety, you have to be sure you have a proper record of every activity that has been carried out on site. There are some legal requirements most construction companies must go through to begin construction, and it is pertinent that all license procurement and proper registrations are done before work begins. Contractors and supervisors who will be tasked with particularly tricky tasks, like blasting, should provide proof of their certification in advance of their employment on the construction site. Not only does this prevent hazards due to improper training, but it does protect construction firms from public scrutiny and legal action. Any safety accidents that make their way through to the media will appear very bad for construction firms.

No reasonable construction worker wants to work with a construction group that doesn’t put its workers’ health and safety first. Any employer that has been injured on the job site due to a lack of safety measures will pick up new prospects of running away from the construction firm. Implementing several safety measures to practice on construction sites prevents hazards such as falls and other harms from happening. For falls, there are factors including the misuse or failure of protective equipment, human error, and unstable working surfaces. Also, work documentation on the field using mobile technology or cloud makes things more comfortable than ever before to lessen future lawsuits.