Some people enjoy building and creating useful things, making them a perfect candidate to join the other 11.4 million Americans who work in construction. While construction provides a great living, it can be a dangerous profession. When someone gets hurt, it reflects poorly on the company and the supervisor in charge. These are some of the safety protocols you should ensure are implemented on your sites.
Test Machinery Before Use
Construction workers must utilize heavy machinery to get the job done, including lifts, excavators, loaders, bulldozers, and scrapers. Before using any piece of heavy machinery, employees should complete a safety check to ensure the machine works properly. Workers should have a daily, weekly, monthly, and annual checklist for all potentially dangerous equipment.
Work Zone Equipment
Some work zones take place near heavy traffic, increasing the risk significantly. To help reduce the risk of injuries and fatalities, construction managers should place work zone equipment in the area.
Bright signs, cones, and other types of road guidance can make drivers aware of the construction workers in the area. It can also designate areas where work is being done so that cars stay out of those zones, protecting workers from the traffic. The more signs and road guidance, the better, as long as you don’t block visibility.
All construction companies should also advocate for stricter punishments for people who fail to adhere to the precautions in place.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Every worker should wear the correct personal protective equipment (PPE) to protect themselves from injury while on the job site. PPE varies based on the job, but some common items include goggles, gloves, boots, helmets, ear pieces, and masks. Every supervisor should clarify the required PPE and send anyone home who failed to wear the correct PPE that day.
Thorough Safety Training
Every new employee should go through rigorous safety training, complete with both paper and functional tests. No employee should work on their own until completely trained. Training doesn’t end after orientation, though.
Employees should go through safety training regularly throughout their tenure with your company as recommended by OSHA to keep them up to date. As a supervisor, you want to eliminate as many injuries on the job as possible. Injuries come with lawsuits and a shortage of employees. With proper safety protocols, you can reduce incidents at your organization and even prevent someone from death or lifetime impairment.
Bio: Anita is a freelance writer from Denver, CO. She studied at Colorado State University, and now writes articles about health, business, family and finance. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family whenever she isn’t writing. You can follow her on Twitter @anitaginsburg.
