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Maintaining a safe working environment is extremely necessary for both workers and supervisors when it comes to working at a construction site. As construction workers encounter more safety risks than any other professions out there, it is of utmost importance that specific safety and security measures are in place to have an accident and hazard-free environment. Construction sites consist of heavy machinery, tools, and chemicals, and improver handling of said items can lead to severe injuries occurring without prior notice. This number is gradually rising day by day as project managers and supervisors refuse to follow specific safety rules and regulations required at a construction site.
If you are a project manager or a supervisor working at a construction site, you need to take safety measures to prevent your construction workers from seriously injured. Do not worry, as we are here to guide you. Today, in this article we are going to share with you specific essential safety measures that need to be followed at a construction site to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for the construction workers and even for yourself. Some of these safety measures are listed as follows;
Provide Personal Protective Gear:
Personal protective gear is necessary for a construction worker if he or she wants to remain accident-free at a construction site. Accidents happen, and nobody knows when they are going to happen. Construction sites consist of heavy concrete, tools, and sharp metals, which can cause serious injuries. That is where protective gear comes into play.
As an employer, you must provide your employees with the best and latest personal protective equipment available in the market. It can include equipment such as helmets, safety harnesses, safety glasses, and fall protection gear. That is a good starting point when it comes to keeping your employees safe. It would help if you did not allow anybody to work at a construction site without the safety mentioned above gear with them.
Implement Strict Safety and Security Protocols:
Safety of Construction sites is very important factor of construction industry. Access to a construction site should be strictly limited to authorized personnel only. That will ensure that heavy machinery and equipment will remain free from theft. The safety of a construction worker is not the only thing that needs to consider when construction work is going on; nearby pedestrians are at the same risk as an employee present on-site. Visitors that are authorized to be present on-site should give access to the construction site.
Having strict safety and security protocols in place protect contractors from security breaches, theft, liabilities, and litigation that happens due to negligence of safety and security.
Display Signage Clearly:
The safe work method statement must display at various parts of the construction site. It will ensure that all the safety measures and protocols are visible to everyone present at the construction site. Also, a map should be current on the safe method statement that shows the contractor's office location, along with a 24-hour emergency service number.
The signage should also include emergency exits, first aid supplies, and fire extinguishers so that employees know where to go in case of a fire or any other form of an emergency. If such signs are in place, employees that have a habit of forgetting their way around the construction site will be able to find their way out of it in case of an emergency.
Ensure Proper Storage Of Hazardous Chemicals:
Many different types of hazardous chemicals are present at a construction site, and they must be stored properly to avoid any mishaps like spillage, fire, explosions from occurring. Governing bodies have placed specific rules and regulations that contractors must follow to store harmful chemicals properly to avoid their employees from coming in contact with such chemicals. Also, the use of protective gear is a requirement whenever someone at a construction site handles or moves such harmful substances from one area to another.
Plan for Adverse Environmental Conditions:
Adverse weather conditions can cause many serious accidents and injuries at a construction site. So it is a must that every construction site has a contingency plan in place to avoid such accidents from ever happening. Contractors should provide clear instructions that all construction work should stop immediately when the weather conditions become favorable for the workers in case of contrary weather conditions.
In case of a natural disaster like an earthquake, all work should shut down, and employees should be evacuated from the construction site to avoid further damage to human life.
THE FINAL WORDS
The goal of every contractor is to provide a safe and hazard-free environment for the workers. The fewer the accidents, the better it will be for that contractor. However, the only way to keep a construction site incident-free is to educate workers and train them to follow safety protocols to the maximum. You can put thousands of safety measures in place, but accidents will surely happen if your employees do not follow them. Today, we have made you aware of some safety measures that should support at a construction site. So, if you are an aspiring contractor or project manager, it is a good idea that you consider these safety measures and precautions.