The construction industry is infamous for its high-risk work environment that is responsible for a wide range of serious injuries and accidents. Some of the most common workplace hazards for construction workers include exposure to dangerous substances, electrocution, falls from height, loss of hearing, and musculoskeletal injuries. Unfortunately, a very high percentage of these accidents lead to serious injuries and even fatality.
The inherently dangerous nature of the industry makes it extremely essential for the site managers to implement proper measures for avoiding accidents in construction sites. Firstly, it is the moral responsibility of the employers to safeguard their workers by providing a safe workplace. Moreover, from the business perspective, implementation of workplace safety measures can also help construction sites reduce their downtime as well as insurance premiums. When their safety is addressed properly and adequately, workers are more likely to have higher morale and deliver higher productivity. By reducing construction accidents and taking care of the health and safety of its workers, businesses can also improve their reputation.
If you are really serious about providing a safe workplace to your construction workers, here are a few measures you may consider.
- The first step towards avoiding any risk is awareness of the risk. So, before your construction site starts working, conduct a thorough risk assessment. This will provide you a clear and detailed look at the potentially dangerous areas and activities. Once you have identified the hazards, create a protection plan for your workers.
- Many construction site accidents take place because of workers slipping or falling because of an untidy workplace. This is why it is important to keep your walkways free of debris. Create a standard of cleanliness for the workplace and ensure that the same is followed by all employees.
- All your equipment and machinery must be in optimum working condition at all times. This is only possible by following a regular inspection schedule and maintaining all records in writing. Also, encourage all workers to carry out a quick check before any equipment or machinery is used.
- Use of appropriate safety gear should be made mandatory for certain high-risk jobs. Educate all employees on the benefits of using these gears and if required, enforce their usage.
- Provide detailed health and safety training and ensure that this training is attended by all employees, supervisors, managers, as well as contractors. Customized training modules based on a construction site’s specific safety requirements are available nowadays.
- Conduct frequent safety meetings where the crew should be invited to share their feedback about the risks associated with their particular working environment. Create groups to brainstorm how these risks can be avoided.
- Finally, the advent of modern technology has resulted in the development of many high efficient accident prevention solutions capable of reducing construction site accidents to a great extent. Some examples of these solutions include rear-view camera systems, pedestrian detection camera systems, and proximity alert systems.
At ShockWatch, we have an exquisite range of accident prevention systems, designed for many different industries including construction. Please contact our experts today to discuss your specific needs.
