*This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click through and make a purchase I may receive a commission at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.
Construction workers and contractors provide important service under risky conditions. Unsafe construction sites pose many risks for both minor and serious injuries. It is the duty of construction contractors to keep sites and workers as safe as possible. There are important safety measures every contractor should implement.
An Edge Protection System for formwork and structure shells is one important step to take. This is a system that is all-in-one to prevent falls on both the formwork and the structure shell during the construction process. It has been designed to be easy and fast to erect using the easy-click function. It uses a new bottom-fixed design with height extenders for uprights as the building construction proceeds floor after floor to the top of the new building.
The handrail posts increase safety and reduce falling hazards on construction sites. Safety barriers can include protective gratings, wood planks, gap-free boarding, or scaffold tubes. These edge protection systems must be safety tested and properly installed for effectiveness. The edge protection systems must be reusable from one construction site to the next and include the ability to adjust to a variety of building requirements.
Though nearly one-third of the deaths in the construction industry are caused by falls, many of those incidents can be prevented. Construction workers are often working on roofs, ladders, or scaffolding at great heights that present safety risks. There is a National Safety Stand-Down to Prevent Falls in construction program with OSHA. Here are five recommendations for construction safety on building sites:
1. Examine construction site conditions for safety issues. Slipping and tripping hazards are part of the falling category, so make sure to remove these hazards. Check the safety of the site housekeeping. Provide steps or stairs where site levels change more than 19 inches. Correct muddy, slippery conditions by installing crushed rock or detouring workers around the muddy spots.
2. Plan the construction project and work to be done in a way that minimizes injury risks. Provide the needed safety equipment for each work job.
3. Plan ahead to have the correct equipment on-site for each job. Safety equipment might include beamers, rope-grabs, retractables, beam straps, retractable lanyards, butterfly anchors, and concrete plunger anchors. The correct equipment for each task can save lives and avoid injuries on the job.
4. The correct equipment can not be its most effective if the construction workers are not trained in how to use it. When it comes to, for example, hydraulic power units, you need a professional and skilled engineering team to install the hydraulic power units. OSHA can give citations and shut down jobs for lack of employee training as well as other safety violations. Employees must be trained in how to use safety equipment, how to care for it, when to use it, and what its limitations are.
5. Plan ahead for safe construction sites. Have the construction company use engineering controls and work rules for the safety and protection of workers. Plan and provide for the proper PPE equipment for each job and train the workers who will be using it.
Follow these safety procedures for a safer work environment and fewer injuries:
· Every worker must be required to wear appropriate clothing and protective gear when on the job site. This can include the correct foot gear, head protection, gloves, and eye protection.
· Take precautions when lifting. Teaching all workers how to lift correctly can avoid back, shoulder, and neck injuries.
· Work area crowding should be avoided.
· Consider weather conditions and take appropriate steps.
· Use the correct safety equipment.
· Make sure the work area is kept clean with debris cleared away before work begins for the day.
· Workers need to be given the right training for every job and piece of equipment.
· Train workers so they understand ladder safety
· Workers should be trained to get on and off machinery correctly and safely.
When a work site is well-planned and run in a safe manner with appropriate safety equipment, injuries will be avoided.