7 Construction Safety Tips to Help Protect Your Workers

Did you know that working in the construction business is considered one of the most dangerous jobs out there? In fact, in the year 2019, over 5,300 workers died on the job, according to OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration.)

Workers come across all kinds of safety hazards while on the job, and no doubt, you want to keep all of your construction employees as safe as possible. To establish a safe work environment, follow these 7 construction safety tips as closely as possible.

1. Table of Contents

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   Health and Safety Training

If construction workers are going to be operating in a high-risk environment, they need to receive enough safety training. They need to be fully aware of all the potential safety hazards they might encounter, especially if they’re working with large machines or from risky heights. This also includes learning basic first-aid techniques and life-saving methods in case they or one of their colleagues faces a dangerous situation.

2. Make Sure Workers Wear Protective Gear

Working in a dangerous work zone requires you to wear the right protective gear. You’ll be working with all kinds of hazardous tools, and even though you’ll be handling them with caution, you should always wear the right gear before handling such equipment, such as the proper footwear and safety goggles.

For example, if your job involves lifting heavy objects, you should wear a good back brace and safety gloves to help prevent body injuries. Or, if you work from an elevated height, wearing a safety harness will save you from any potential falls. If you are usually surrounded by dangerous toxins and your work area has poor ventilation, wearing a good breathing mask is a must.

3. Inspect Tools Regularly

When working on a construction site, you have to learn how to use construction tools in order to get the job done. However, tools can break or become unstable. If they’re not safe to use, you could suffer severe wounds, including the loss of limbs.

To prevent such tragic accidents, all tools and equipment need regular inspection. Both the worker and employer are responsible for keeping an eye on the tools and making sure they’re safe to use.

Plus, it’s always a good idea to invest in top-quality tools that will lower any risks of potential threats, such as safe digging technology. You could research some of the latest construction safety equipment on the market that are both efficient and safer to use than most other tools.

4. Avoid Crowding Work Areas

A frustrating thing that comes with working on a construction site is when areas become crowded. It becomes an even bigger issue when large machinery is involved, as there’s a bad habit of construction workers gathering around to watch them. Doing this, however, exposes workers unnecessarily to potential injuries.

In other words, if you’re operating with large machinery, the rest of your colleagues should remain as far away from the zone as possible. Superiors should reinforce this rule and remind their employees of the possible danger they’re exposed to if they do so.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that it’s the operator’s job to make sure people are keeping a safe distance. Yet, they can warn workers they’re standing too close by honking their horns before starting up the machines. They should also be cautious whenever they’re backing up.

5. Climbing On and Off Equipment

Many construction workers get injured whenever they’re linemen climbing gear on and off large machines such as forklifts and digging machines. To ensure these accidents don’t occur on your job site, you need to make sure that your workers understand what they should or should not do.

For example, workers should make sure that the machine is clean from any dirt or mud before climbing on in order to prevent slipping. Wearing gloves with a high-grip is also essential to secure a good grip on the machine. And when climbing on or off the machines, make sure you’re not carrying any kind of tools.

6. Communication is Key

Communication is a significant factor in keeping construction workers safe. Staff should always keep communication open with each other if they recognize potential risks. Also, when working onsite, you should be aware of all the possible safety hazards.

There are times where certain safety hazards are more visible to some workers than others. That’s why it’s always a good idea to regularly ask your employees if anything can be done to make the work setting a safer environment.

Any accidents that were prevented or were a near miss should always be reported. It can be uncomfortable to report any incidents at work, so encouraging a positive safety culture at your job will help your workers report with more ease if necessary. Also, you should complete risk assessments in your work area.

7. Use Clear Signs

Construction areas are full of all kinds of possible dangers for both the workers and the public. Some of these hazards might not be visible to most people, which is why hanging some clear signs that highlight potential threats are important. It’ll help people take precautions whenever approaching the area and encourage worksite safety.

Follow These Construction Safety Tips

If you follow these seven construction safety tips above, you can guarantee that your construction site will become safer and more efficient. No matter what you’re working on or what project you may be working towards, the safety of the workers should always come first regardless. If you’ve found this article practical, be sure to explore the rest of our blog for similar pieces!