If you are an employee of the construction industry, you will be all too familiar with the dangers of working in the sector. According to Forbes’ list of America’s deadliest jobs, roofers rank fifth in the country’s riskiest professions, followed by structural iron and steel labourers and preceded by logging workers. Accidents in the industry are extremely common, with construction being the second sector in the United States for fatal injuries in employees.
If you too work in the construction industry and are responsible for your workers’ well being, there are a few measures you could put in place to make sure your everyday work is made easier and your surroundings become safe for you to carry out your duties without needing to overworry. Here’s what to consider.
Invest in roof-fall protection
In the UK alone, the majority of work deaths are caused by falls. In the country, the latter accounted for 29 percent of all workplace deaths. In 2015 in the US, the percentage was even higher, at 38.8. Whilst you still will need to climb that scaffolding and stand on the roof of a structure in order to carry out your job, there are safe measures you can put in place to minimise your risk whilst doing so. These roof fall protection systems will considerably minimise any risk of trip hazards.
Wear a helmet
Wearing a helmet might sound like an obvious measure to minimise self-injury at the workplace, but you would be surprised at the number of workers that don’t take this seriously. It is your responsibility as an employer to outline the risks in a construction site and provide your employees with a safety helmet. You should also ensure this is being worn appropriately whilst on site. Numerous reports have over the years highlighted the importance of wearing a helmet in a construction zone and these are not to be taken lightly. These hard helmets will help you be better equipped for your daily tasks.
Carry out regular site checks
As the saying goes, it is better to be safe than sorry and this applies specially to your construction job. There can never be enough checks in place and as a result, it is your responsibility as an employer to make sure your employees are safe and working in an area that has passed all the necessary tests to ensure your workers’ wellbeing is guaranteed. An inspection should identify the hazards you could potentially be dealing with so that you can introduce measures to minimise these. Whilst some inspections are required by law, the need to enforce others will be entirely up to you. Decide what your aims are before carrying out any checks. This will ensure your objectives are being met at all times.
Keep first aid close
Whilst not all your workers might be first aid trained (at least all managers working on site should have some knowledge of first aid practices), you and those responsible at the workplace should make sure first aid is accessible to workers. Basic aid for burns, cuts and impact bruises should be available and accessible so that first aid care can be provided immediately if needed. The earlier you or the managers below you can treat a worker’s cut or burn, the better its prognosis will be. Make sure you assess the needs of all your employees beforehand in order for you to be able to provide for them in the best possible way. This is what a construction site first aid kit should contain.
The above are a range of measures you should take into account if you work in the construction industry and have teams below you. Being one of the deadliest industries, it is of paramount importance to implement appropriate health and safety practices in the construction sector so that you can protect your workers and make them feel they are looked after.
As well as being one of the largest sectors in the world, the US construction sector is still underperforming when it comes to implementing adequate health and safety procedures. Get ahead of the game by inspecting areas where hazardous trips could become an issue, investing in roof-fall protection, enforcing the use of the helmet at all times and making sure your employees have some basic knowledge of first aid practices and there is a first aid kit available for their use should a colleague sustain an injury. Putting the above measures in place will not only decrease the likelihood of injury to your employees but it will also save your company money.
