Safety Protocols for Construction Projects
In most office setting workplaces, accidents can be a nuisance to both the worker and HR management. But construction workers have one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. They are prone to accidents that can sometimes lead to death. Each day on average, it is estimated that two construction workers die at a construction site. The numbers are ever increasing, meaning that safety at construction sites should be paramount.
The most common accidents at a construction site include:
- Falls from heights
- Slip and falls
- Fires and explosions
- Electrocution
- Falling debris and objects
- Getting hit by a vehicle
- Getting caught in between materials
- The collapse of trenches
- Machinery accidents
To avoid these, you need the right equipment and parts. Everything helps, including the right cable track. Thankfully, it doesn’t take long to figure out a reliable provider if you know how to search well. You could easily find companies like Dynatect Manufacturing, Inc., which offers great construction parts and materials to make your jobs easier and safer.
Why is it Important to Ensure Worker Safety?
Aside from the legal complications, and the fact that you are responsible as an employer for worker safety, employee lives can be affected due to a single accident.
If a worker is involved in a bad accident, it will affect their whole life. This means they might lose their source of livelihood which will also affect their family. Moreover, they are bound to face huge medical bills during treatment.
Construction companies must strive to ensure that safety is paramount at any construction site. Moreover, it is also up to the construction worker to keep themselves safe.
Top Tips to Help You Improve Construction Site Safety
Here is a look at some tips that can help improve safety at a construction site.
- Awareness
Before any construction worker steps onto a construction site, a contractor or an employer should ensure that the worker is familiar with possible hazards. Construction hazards are mainly dependent on the type of construction project being conducted.
Some of the potential hazards have been mentioned above. As long as a worker is familiar with these hazards then they will know how to avoid them. Ignorant workers easily get injured, thus it is best to be informed. Safety equipment should be worn at all times.
- Training
Knowing how to avoid accidents is important. Interestingly, there is a false belief that most workers are familiar with safety tips. Project managers with this belief skip training workers. The Occupational and Safety Health Act of 1970 in the USA, provides workers with the right to receive proper training. This training helps workers to be informed about the various hazards and accidents that can happen at a construction site.
Proper training can help to:
- Reduce insurance losses
- Reduce administrative policies
- Reduce overall construction costs
- Communication
Communication at a construction site should be quick and efficient. This means that direct communication is the best way to inform construction site workers about impending dangers.
Contractors can make good use of gadgets such as smartphones, headphones and walkie-talkies to communicate faster. Moreover, contractors should always inform workers of their goals for the day so that they can be familiar with the kind of hazards that they might face.
- Using Proper Equipment
Every contractor should ensure that they are using the proper equipment for each specific project. The following tips can help ease the risk of accidents when handling equipment.
- Workers should understand the safety features of the equipment. Most construction equipment is used at various construction sites. Therefore a worker and contractor should ensure the proper features are installed for the specific project.
- Educate before operating the equipment. A construction machinery operator should be familiar with the basic knowledge needed while operating the machinery. This can be accomplished by reading through a manual guide for the specific equipment.
- Performing regular maintenance checkup. Routine maintenance is advised to make sure there is no potential problem that may cause the equipment to perform inefficiently.
- Be familiar with the job site. A machine operator should be familiar with the landscape of the job site so that they can be aware of potential dangers. These can include narrow roads, sharp curves, overhead utilities and soft ground.
- Supervision
Every construction site should have a supervisor or foreman. Site supervisors have the responsibility to ensure that workers do not face any hazards.
Some of the key responsibilities of a site supervisor are the following.
- Assessing various hazards that are likely to cause accidents. Moreover, the site supervisor should be familiar with the cost in case an accident occurs.
- Coaching and reminding site workers about proper safety measures.
- Motivating and disciplining staff as a form of management approach.
