Being safe should be the first priority at any site or workplace. Most accidents at construction sites result from simple and common mistakes that can be easily avoided if enough effort is made. It is no secret that construction sites with heavy machinery and a lot of workers are very risky and anything can happen. Because of this, it is absolutely crucial for every employee to be keen and extremely conscious of this environment and the underlying dangers and most importantly, how to stay safe. Let’s go over these six simple but effective safety tips that when adhered to can drastically reduce the risk of injury at your construction sites.
If you are looking for ways to increase the safety of your employees and decrease the risk of accidents on your work-sites, contact Menotti Enterprise today. We will work closely with you and your employees to reduce the risk and cost of accidents in the workplace. We can also help with ensuring your work-sites are OSHA compliant.
TIP #1 — PROPER USE OF A SAFETY CHECKLIST
A checklist is very helpful in construction sites. A good safety checklist should have a record of all the machines and components in use. This helps the workers to be more aware and informed of the working environment. You can also include things like proper safety gear for each job or area of the site to ensure that each employee has the proper tools and safety equipment to keep themselves safe while on-site.
TIP # 2 — USAGE OF PROTECTIVE GEAR AND EQUIPMENT:
In addition to a good safety checklist it’s important to cultivate an environment where everyone on site is wearing the proper safety gear at all times. Most construction accidents become fatal when workers are more vulnerable by not having the right protective clothing and equipment. This is why it is important to ensure proper safety gear usage at all times. Even removing your safety gear for a short period of time can cause a minor accident to turn into a fatal one.
TIP # 3 — ADHERENCE TO THE TAGOUT/LOCKOUT SYSTEM:
This ensures that before machines undergo maintenance procedures, they are properly and completely disabled to avoid risks. If parts of the machinery are still active, there are high chances of harm to the operators. Make sure to discourage an attitude of taking shortcuts to save time. It may take a bit longer to shut down your machines completely to address a minor mechanical issue, but this is the sort of thing that leads to serious accidents.
TIP # 4 — CERTIFICATION IS KEY:
Before taking up the role of operating or handling any machinery, make sure that every operator has the proper certification and experience to be handling the equipment and situation. If there is a particularly difficult job that needs to be executed, make sure to choose operators who are suited for the job.
TIP # 5 — REGULAR SCAFFOLDING INSPECTION:
It is important to ensure that scaffolding is still in good condition to avoid the risk of causing harm. Scaffolding is the third most common cause of work-site injuries in construction with almost 3,000 citations in the US in 2019 alone. Take the time to carefully survey your scaffolding and ensure that there are no problem areas that need to be addressed.
TIP # 6 — CALL MENOTTI ENTERPRISES
Each and every construction site is different and has its own dangers and risks. That’s why it is important to have a construction management company like Menotti Enterprises to help you navigate the different risks involved with your construction and help manage the expectations and execution of correct safety protocol. Call us today to see what value we can provide for your construction company.