“There is a real problem with construction safety.” – Mark G. Peters, Commissioner, New York City Department of Investigations
Construction workers have one of America’s 10 Deadliest Jobs. The reality is that the actual and social costs of construction accidents that cause injury and death are astronomical.
These costs do not discriminate; they impact general contractors, developers, and subcontractors, alike. The good news is that many of these risks can be mitigated with a solid behavioral, cultural, and technological strategy.
The leading causes of worker deaths on construction sites were falls, followed by electrocution, struck by object, and caught-in/between. These “Fatal Four” were responsible for more than half (58.1 percent) the construction worker deaths in 2014. Eliminating the Fatal Four would save 508 workers’ lives in America every year.
4 TIPS FOR PREVENTING ACCIDENTS IN CONSTRUCTION SITES
- Communicating with workers. Schedule regular meetings with crews working in all areas of the construction project to discuss proper safety protocol. Focus on the equipment they’ll be working with during that week. Keep in mind, risks change as the construction project goes through different stages. Having safety meetings every day benefits the workers by keeping them updated. They should also be reminded that their safety is valued.
- Wearing proper gear. “We don’t work in a dangerous environment. We work in a hazardous environment that we make dangerous by not following safe work procedures and wearing our PPE.” – Brad Miles, Environmental Health and Safety Expert, EHS. Today Everyone on the job site, especially visitors, should be required to wear high visibility gear, hardhat, and safety glasses. Following this simple tip could prevent those on site getting hit by machinery.
- Training the employees. Workers should be trained on how to properly use the equipment/machinery they’ll be working with. Only employees who have been educated on how specific machines function should be the ones operating the respective machinery.
- Use signs to warn employees. At the construction site, employees are exposed to a variety of hazards. For example, displaying signs around areas where there are cables or wires that have high levels of voltage would help prevent workers from being electrocuted.
For more tips, download our free 19-page guide, Top 5 Challenges Facing the Construction Industry and How to Solve Them with easy to understand strategies. Get your copy here.
