Construction sites are among the most hazardous workplaces. With heavy equipment moving around, hanging materials from way up high, and workers busy doing their respective tasks all at the same time – one wrong move and a disaster could happen in the blink of an eye. So, if you are managing such a workplace or you’re someone working in it, there are safety issues and the necessary precautions that you have to know.
For example, do you know that there are some 6.5 million workers at around 252,000 construction sites around the U.S. at any given time? That same number of workers are exposed to a wide range of workplace hazards such as scaffolding collapses, falls from heights, electrocution, and injuries caused by repetitive movements of particular body parts. Such varied workplace hazards make the fatality rate in these sites higher than the nation’s average across all industries.
So, how can you ensure that you or someone you work with won’t become part of such a sad statistic? Here are five workplace accident preventive strategies that you could apply:
Invest in PPEs.
There are hard hats, gloves, and safety boots for sale that you could invest in to keep yourself protected from potential bodily injuries in case of an accident. Personal protective equipment (PPEs) is a must-have in any construction, particularly if it’s a large one. Additionally, emphasis should be placed on wearing a complete set of PPEs for all workers in the construction site at any given time. No worker should be allowed entry into the worksite without wearing appropriate and sufficient PPEs.
Ensure workers’ awareness of site risks.
Workers’ awareness of all risks and hazards inside the worksite is critical in preventing accidents from happening in the first place. No matter what position a worker holds in the construction site, he or she must be fully aware of all site risks and how one’s carelessness could put the safety of fellow workers at risk. There has to be a mandatory site safety orientation for all site workers so they would be aware of the different safety risks and appropriate precautions.
Provide safety training and lead by example.
Aside from orientation about site safety, all workers must undergo safety training to ensure that they can apply the theories that they have been oriented on. Additionally, those with critical positions in the construction site should lead by example for their subordinates to follow, like wearing complete and proper PPEs throughout their shift.
Implement proper work planning.
They say that failing to plan is planning to fail. This is particularly true in any construction site, more so in a large one. By preparing a work calendar, providing PPEs ahead of each shift, and checking all heavy equipment, tools, and materials before the start of every workday, things will run more efficiently and risks could be minimized and avoided.
Maximize mechanical aids.
In any construction site, working smart is always better than working hard. This can be demonstrated by maximizing mechanical aids such as cranes, forklifts, and conveyor bets instead of using brute force to lift heavy objects. Using these mechanical aids not only makes work faster and easier but also lowers the risk of accidents.
With these safety precautions, your work site should be a safer place for everyone. Just make sure you’ll prioritize the most essential things such as PPEs to help lower the chances of workers getting injured.