How to Keep Employees Safe on Construction Sites

Construction sites tend to come with a lot of hazards. There are toxic substances, heavy machinery, and sharp objects to consider. Construction employees often work from a height and lift heavy loads on a weekly basis. It’s a challenging environment to work in daily, and thousands of constriction workers are injured every year. Health and safety are paramount for construction sites. Site managers need to manage the team safely and efficiently to reduce the risk of injury on site.

Here are a few ways to keep your construction workers safe on site.

Follow the guidelines

All construction workers should undergo rigorous health and safety training throughout their profession. Your employees should understand the basic safety principles on-site and how to operate each machine properly. They should know to mitigate some of the risks of working at a height. For example, they need appropriate footwear and a safety harness in some cases.

Organise regular health and safety workshops for your construction workers throughout the year. It’s important to refresh their safety knowledge on site and double-check they fully understand the risks involved.

Wear the correct protective gear

Personal protective gear can prevent serious injuries on site. You need to provide high-quality helmets, ear protection, safety goggles, and much more for your employees. They should know how and when to wear the protective gear properly. For example, ear protection should be worn when operating loud machinery. The machine’s vibrations can damage your ears and leave long-term damage.

The PPE should be the correct size for everyone in your team. Oversized clothes could cause them to trip and fall on site. Equally, tight-fitting PPE can be very uncomfortable to wear, and your team is likely to wear it consistently.

Maintain clear and transparent communication

Communication is vital on construction sites. Communication can keep your employees safe and help you identify any risk factors. For example, you may notice that some employees have less safety knowledge than others. They could endanger another worker by operating machinery poorly. You will need to bring their knowledge up to speed with further safety training. Any potential hazards should be communicated to everyone site through a warning sign or poster.

Inspect tools and equipment regularly

Construction teams rely on tools and machinery to get the work done. Manpower only gets you so far these days. We need high-powered machinery to lift heavy loads, build new structures, and demolish old ones. Outline a routine with your team to inspect all tools and equipment regularly. You can identify any problems and fix them as soon as possible. For example, you could ask every employee to check a machine before and after using it.

Protect workers mental health

Accidents can lead to physical and mental injuries. Check in on individuals who have been injured in the past and watch out for signs of PTSD. Alternatively, if you have been involved in an accident that wasn’t your fault – you should seek the advice of a solicitor.

Follow these tips to make your construction site a safer place.