In the past several years, safety and health have been main priorities of construction companies, and for good reason.
Construction has always been a relatively dangerous profession, especially when you have to deal with extremes like welding, the outside elements, height and heavy equipment. Sometimes you have to deal with all at the same time. So it is no wonder why companies have taken a vested interest in their workers, both on the construction site and off of it.
Staying healthy on a construction site
Failure to know surroundings
Knowing your surroundings is one of the best ways to stay safe in any situation, but especially on a construction site. Regardless of what position you work in, you should know what every job does, where everyone is at all times and how they are doing it. Accidents happen, but many of them are only accidents because the person did not know what he or she was doing.
Lack of training
One of the biggest reasons that people get injured on the construction site is a direct result of lack of training. Every worker, regardless of what he or she is doing, should have a thorough understanding of not only what they are doing, but how to operate the heavy machinery that they will potentially use. Thought this might sound redundant, thousands of people get injured every year because of lack of oversight or failure to thoroughly learn the machinery they use. It is not difficult to learn the machinery, especially in the day of instant communication with the internet. Many construction dealers offer free tutorials for their machinery, such as videos, user manuals or online quizzes. Many even offer a certificate to each person that passes a course, giving them extra credibility.
Loading/unloading equipment
Problems occur at every end of a construction site, even on level ground. As rudimentary as it might sound, loading and unloading equipment often leads to unnecessary injury. It is crucial that no one ends up in the direct path of the loading or unloading of equipment. Heavy machinery needs enough room to comfortably maneuver around a site, which often requires a spotter to be nearby at all times. It is also important to use proper tie-down procedure for heavy objects.
Overhead/buried obstructions
This goes along with knowing your surroundings, but it deserves its own category regardless. Before digging or building anything, it is crucial that you know exactly what is below or above you, such as pipes, wires and power lines. One phone call to your local utilities service will ensure that nothing is in your direct path. This could save you thousands of dollars in damages, along with any worksite injury that can occur. If you have any exposed wires, make sure to use a hose protector or cable protectors. This will ensure that heavy machinery can cross over protected wires without any damages.
As technology becomes more advanced and jobs require more intelligence, staying safe on the construction site will only require more effort. The better you stay up to date, the more secure you will be.
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