Safety first: here are the best practices to improve construction site guide, Building design H&S advice
Best Practices to Improve Construction Site Safety Guide
7 May 2021
In the world of construction, safety will always be a broad and current interest. Apart from it being a hazardous industry, a good deal of people are badly injured or killed every year. Safety audits are a top priority not just to prevent workers from accidents, but it is also for your business’ growth and revenue.
Make sure to put “Safety First” into action, and not just merely a lip service. It will help you build a safe and strong workforce culture. You can start implementing simple steps to reduce on-site hazards, keeping everyone safe, and enhancing work productivity. Here are some of the best practices to improve safety in the construction site.
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Safety First: Here Are The Best Practices to Improve Construction Site Safety
Possible Hazard Awareness
Regardless of experience or role, workers must be completely aware of the potential threats prior entering the construction area. Otherwise, they are putting everyone at risk. The best way to prevent possible accidents is understanding and maintaining a constant state of vigilance.
The construction manager is responsible for making sure that workers are aware of the potential risks that may come in the construction site. He/She should protect the workforce from getting harmed. Failure to do so as a manager won’t do good to the workers, the business, and the entire organization.
Have a Proper Training
Most construction skills can be learned while working on-site, but safety is best learned before setting foot in the construction. The Occupational Health and Safety and other sectors in Canada published resources to help company owners train their employees regarding standard security and safety protocols, this includes:
- Training videos
- Worksheets
- Pamphlets
- On-site trainings
Tenured workers are expected to have a knowledge refresher about standard safety through regular training sessions. White card training session tackles basic things, like proper ladder usage, and protection from a fall. However, the goal is to ensure everyone is trained properly. Furthermore, practicing the construction security measures while on site will help workers hone their safety skills in a risky environment.
Communication is Key
When workers are uncertain about what to expect in the workplace, accidents are likely to occur. It’s important to have a direct communication of activities and goals for the day to cut down on sudden mishaps that could cause serious harm.
Construction companies should equip workers with walkie-talkies, smartphones, or headsets for a more streamlined and faster communication within the team. With clear communication, not only projects can be done fast, each worker is updated with every information.
Appropriate Machinery and Tools
In order to build a safe and culture centered construction workplace, provide workers appropriate equipment and sufficient work area. Otherwise, there will be no on-site safety, considering getting injured is likely to happen when using wrong tools or machinery. Fatal errors are bound to occur if workers are not fully equipped with proper gear.
Also, all pieces of equipment used in the construction site must be regularly maintained, and are durable. For example, forklift trucks have Lakeport Metalcraft’s forklift rear post attached to protect operators against rear-ward collisions.
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On-Site Supervision
Construction workers should fully understand the risks of insufficient safety measures, so they should work fully prepared and proper guidelines. However, there should be someone in charge to strongly enforce safety standards, and that is where a supervisor comes into action. He/She should keep all workers updated throughout the day, and make sure they adhere to safety regulations. Otherwise, necessary sanction should be imposed.
Workplace Transparency
Shortcuts are a massive NO in the area of construction. Doing so will only yield poor quality projects and will put workers’ lives in danger. Transparency is essential to ensure you are open to any concern your workers have. You will be up-to-date about what’s going on in the site, and allows you to fully understand your workers. In every work industry, especially in the construction sector, transparency is vital.
The construction industry’s ultimate goal should be reducing workplace injuries, accidents, and deaths. If there are lesser hazards and fatalities, the industry will likely be more in-demand. Workers, on the other hand, have the right to seek advice from injury lawyers in Peterborough in case of accidents. The lawyers will help file incident reports to insurance companies.
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