Construction work always involves a lot of risks. This action must be accomplished through careful analysis and planning to construct a building and avoid accidents. Annual statistics reveal that about 150,000 accidents are happening on construction sites each year. These accidents may involve poor management, improper protocols, or even not wearing safety gear at work. But how do workers avoid these situations? What are the things that a company could do to prevent these errors from happening?
Construction firms have evolved through generations. Some construction firms learned how to protect their workers from accidents effectively. There are pieces of training conducted to assure that one will get hurt during the time of work. Most of the protocols issued are focused on safety. To know more about it, here are some safety guidelines to help everybody understand how construction workers achieve a smooth and safe workplace.
Head and body protection
It is a standard protocol for construction workers to work with a safety helmet or body protection. Safety equipment is mandatory, as it protects everybody within the vicinity of the construction area. Accidents that took place are results of improper wearing of safety gear in working environments. To assure that there are no hassles in the field, workers would check their helmets and body gears to confirm that it meets safety standards. It also includes harnesses for people who need to climb walls to paint and gloves to keep the hands safe during welding.
Construction machines and tools
Different types of construction machines are also needed to check for worthiness. These are construction vehicles that would lift heavy payloads to transfer from one location to another. Tires, engine parts, and hydraulic hose parts are necessary to ensure that there are no problems. It is also required to look into gas leaks to avoid accidents such as fire or malfunction. Other equipment such as portable cement mixers, welding machines, drills, and other construction materials would need to undergo a safety check before working. Remember to work with safety precautions, no matter how big or small the project is. Preventive maintenance is the key for a piece of equipment to perform the task effectively.
Scaffolding assembly
An essential tool for construction workers is to build scaffolding for climbing tall walls or work on towering floors. Choosing the right scaffolding would prevent anyone from falling. Some scaffolding is a sub-standard issue. These tools could compromise construction work with loss of time and money. If anyone would use scaffolding, check the local store where you bought the tools and ask what type of metal it is made of to give anyone an idea if that is stress-worthy or not.
Areas of construction
Checking the areas of construction is always a part of safety. Some locations have old buildings already constructed in them, and it is safe to do an ocular visit to see if there are areas of the building that could collapse. Some construction accidents happen because of improper inspection and only lead to a catastrophe. There are even videos on social media that show demolitions gone wrong. These accidents are the results of poor planning and analysis. To avoid these types of accidents, always do careful planning and inspection. It will save a lot of workers from getting into trouble.
Trenching safety
What is trenching? Trenching is a process of excavation that dug deep to produce a route for tubes and pipes. Its depth will depend on what the purpose of the trench will be. Some construction companies overlook the soil type in the area and may create risks to workers in the location. Some construction employees have experienced suffocation and even buried themselves inside those trenches. One way to prevent such accidents is to look into the area and the kind of soil. Some soil that is near rivers and waterways would be softer and can be risky to excavate. Being aware of the surroundings also helps the construction workers to identify the type of strategy.
There are a lot of factors to consider when working in a construction firm. However, no matter how good equipment and tools can be, it is always the workers that will take a big part in ensuring safety. Always remember to look at the checklist hanging on the door before leaving and working on the field. Always be cautious and consider all important details jumping on a task. It is always best to be safer than being sorry later on.
