Construction work can be dangerous as construction sites are always lurking with dangers. According to reports, around 900 workers lose their lives per year in this field, and the numbers are continuing to grow, especially due to modern and heavy machineries despite there being improved safety equipment now in place.
One major reason for these casualties to occur is lack of knowledge for safety standards. This leads to injuries and possibly even a Workers Compensation Attorney if matters get out of hand. There are many risks involved in the construction business including electrical hazards, chemical hazards, geographical hazards, falling from heights, improper use of machines etc.
Imagine someone working on ringLock scaffolding. The person can fall if there is no protection and face serious injuries. The only way to reduce this risk is to use quality scaffolding and provide the worker with required protection.
It is of vital importance that all construction companies educate their employees regarding safety measures and how to prevent these hazards.
To help you in this regard, given below are tips on how to prevent accidents in the construction business:
Safety Gear
In this field, you are constantly surrounded by elements that can cause you harm. There include open electrical wires, slippery floors, boundaryless roofs, damaged machines, heavy and hard-to-use tools, poisonous materials etc.
The most basic way to prevent these risks is to put safety gear on. It is the duty of the company to force employees on wearing safety gear and provide them with the right gear.
The right kind of gear depends on where you are working. For example, if you are working in an environment full of hazardous gases, you will need masks to ensure you do not inhale such gases. However, such a gear would not be needed if you work around electric wires.
Let’s get to know more about the right gear for different situations:
Safety Gear For Electrical Hazards:
Electricity is dangerous. There are live wires and the risk of being electrocuted. You can safeguard yourself by wearing the right gear. Some important elements include:
- A full sleeved t-shirt or jacket that’s flame resistant.
- Non-ignitable pants (preferably fiber).
- Gloves made up of rubber or leather. Moreover, protectors on top can also be worn to add extra security.
- Glasses to protect eyes from external elements, especially when welding, dusting and sawing.
- Hard hat for protection.
- Boots made up of leather.
In addition to this, those working around electricity should not keep any metal including keys and watches. Plus, water and other such liquids should be kept at bay as well.
Safety Gear For Chemical Hazards:
A lot of dangerous chemicals that can cause skin burns, and breathing problems are regularly used at construction sites. Therefore, it is vital to take precautionary measures. To do so, protective clothing is necessary. Here’s what one needs:
- Protective clothing including gloves, helmet, full sleeve clothing and boots.
- Goggles should be worn at all times.
- Proper training should be given to all employees who work around dangerous chemicals and products that are poisonous.
Other than that, it is the duty of the safety incharge to provide a safe environment to the workers. This is achieved by labelling hazardous chemical materials and keeping them well arranged to ensure there are no leaks and spillage.
In case of spills, the chemical must be cleaned immediately. Moreover, breathing around certain chemicals can cause lifelong problems if you are exposed for a long period of time. Make sure to be aware of what kind of chemicals are being used.
The use of hazardous chemicals is not very common when building structures, but they are commonly used in the manufacturing of certain elements.
Use Proper Machines And In The Right Way
Heavy machines are used in the construction business to demolish, move and construct buildings. These include cranes, bulldozers and many such machines.
These heavy machines pose a safety risk as they can lead to serious injuries and in fact cause deaths as well.
To avoid this from happening, all workers must be given hands on training on how to operate such machines. Other than that, these tips must be kept in mind:
Tips To Consider When Using Cranes:
Workers operating forklifts and trucks must be experienced because they incorporate complex controls and someone with no knowledge on how to operate such machines might end up causing damage not just to the machine and structure but to people as well.
- The hook and wire rope on a crane are the most important parts. Make sure to inspect the hook and rope before operating the crane as weak hooks can lead to serious accidents.
- Do not try to lift weight beyond the capacity of the crane.
- The area where the crane is being operated should be cleared from workers or boundaries must be installed.
Use A Harness And Scaffolding When Working On A Height
Construction often requires workers to climb higher places and work without proper support. This poses a risk of falling which can cause an injury or even death. Therefore, all workers who are working at a height, must wear a harness to avoid falling and hitting the ground.
Other than that, scaffoldings used at heights must be made up of sturdy material with no gaps in them. In case, it’s a wooden scaffold, make sure no plank is damaged or missing.
It is of utmost importance to take safety into consideration when working in the construction business because a simple mistake can cost lives and careers.
