We recently presented you with an article here about the essential features of your construction site. In this article, we’re going to be taking that a step further. Business owners who are working in the construction industry know that things don’t always work out perfectly.
Surprisingly, the problems I’m going to list are actually very common. Though construction safety standards are generally high, these awkward problems often occur. They can cause delays and damage to your construction in general. They can even pose significant risks of injury on the job.
Here are common yet underestimated problems found at construction sites.
Inadequate sediment control
When you’re drilling and digging away at various materials, you’re going to get a lot of sediment. Eroding anything is going to result in dust and even larger chunks of material. The most obvious problem here is that it creates mess and affects visibility.
But inadequate sediment control also sees pollutants enter local waterways. It also affects local air quality. Fiber rolls, mulch, silt fences and proper sheeting can help you maintain proper erosion and sediment control.
Flooding
Seems like a classic and easily-solved construction problem, right? During drilling or digging, you hit a water pipe. Water begins soaking everything, and may even build up into a small flood.
Flooding is, of course, much more severe than a lot of people think. It can damage the foundations of your construction. If you’re working with wood, it can outright ruin most parts of it. Make sure you know the complete plumbing infrastructure of the site you’re working at. If something does happen, look into some heavy-duty flood handling items, like Goulds pumps.
Not cleaning up
Remember that stuff I outlined above about sediment and dust earlier? When all that stuff gets onto the streets, it needs to be cleaned up thoroughly. Unfortunately, the way many workers try to clean it up is by just shifting it around. Sweeping it all with a broom to less noticeable areas doesn’t resolve the problem. Using blowing machinery causes more damage than good.
Cleaning the streets around your construction site requires vacuuming, possibly of an industrial quality. And you can’t just leave it till the end of the project or even the end of each week. You’ve got to clean up the streets on a regular basis, getting cleaners out there possible several times a day.
Worker overexertion
People talk a lot about the dangers posed to the builders. They talk about slips and trips, falling objects, electrocution risks. They quite often forget to talk about the risk that is not only a danger in and of itself, but liable to lead to other injuries. And that is worker overexertion.
Labor at a construction site is hard. It’s physically demanding and requires being exposed to the elements all day. It’s why most people don’t do it, right? You need to make sure your workers are taking regular breaks. If the sun is screaming and the weather is hot, make sure they get some time in the shade. And make sure, whatever the weather, they’re staying well hydrated!
