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Each year, about 150,000 construction workers are injured on the job. If you are a worker or a construction company owner, there are many things you can do to keep yourself, or your employees, safe from harm while constructing incredible projects.
1. Climbing
Use caution when climbing off and on equipment at the construction site. Many falls happen when workers are getting on or off their equipment. Making sure your steel-toed boots are free of debris, water, or mud will help keep you from slipping as you are ascending or descending from the heavy equipment used on construction project sites. You should always be wearing gloves that allow you to have a firm group with your hands as you are climbing. Also, do not jump down from a machine since you can injure yourself when you are least expecting it to happen.
2. Protection from Falls
Fall protection is imperative on construction sites. Employers must protect their employees from falling objects by making sure all workers are wearing their hardhats and by installing things, such as screens, guardrails, canopies, toeboards, and barricades to keep workers from falling objects or falling into holes, including skylight areas and elevator shafts.
All workers should be familiar with any potential fall hazards on each job site they are assigned to work at. If fall protection systems are not already in place, workers should refrain from working in that area until they have been installed. If you are using a personal fall protection system, make sure it is always in good repair and in great working order before relying upon it.
Employers are required to have protection systems in place for their workers in all areas where walking is required that are above six feet off the ground. Guardrails should be a part of these systems and safety nets are an added bonus.
3. Ladder Height and Proper Usage
It is important to ensure that workers have the correct ladder required for each job. Using a ladder that is not tall enough to reach the desired work area is unsafe and a recipe for disaster.
The improper ladder use of ladders is one of the number one causes of falls for construction workers and can end in the injury or death of a person. Some of the reasons for ladder falls include choosing the wrong ladder for the job, trying to carry tools and equipment while climbing on the ladder, and failing to properly secure the ladder before using it. Workers should always maintain three points of contact with the ladder when climbing up or down and the ladder should be secured at the top and bottom.
Employers should ensure that all ladders have been inspected each day by a competent person and defective ladders are marked or tagged as being out-of-service until they are properly repaired.
4. Drones to Keep Workers Safe
Drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles as they are also referred to, can be very helpful to keep construction projects on budget, manage time and resources, and keep projects on schedule, but they can also help keep construction workers safe while on the job. The use of drones can detect hazardous working conditions and even inform construction site managers when workers are taking unnecessary risks. Drones can move through the construction site to give managers updates on working conditions and can go places workers cannot go to detect safety hazards in those areas.
5. Scaffolds
Statistics show that about 65 percent of all construction workers will, at some point, need to do their job using scaffolds. Anytime you or your employees are on scaffolds, exposure to things like electrocutions, falling objects, and falls are more apt to occur. All workers should wear hardhats while on scaffolds, wear non-skid work boots, and use tool lanyards to help prevent slipping or falling from happening. No workers should even use a box, ladder, or any other object to stand on while already standing on a scaffold to increase the height they are working from.
Also, the maximum load allowed on the scaffold should be complied with by everyone. Tools and other equipment should not be placed on either end of a scaffold, which could make it tip. They should be hoisted up to the worker after the worker is in place on the scaffold.
Employers should ensure that all scaffolding being used on their construction sites is designed correctly for the job and has been erected by an experienced person and then inspected by someone who understands scaffolding. It should always be placed at least 10 feet away from power lines and have guardrails, mid-rails, and toeboards installed to protect not only the employees working on the scaffolding but the ones that will be working under and around it.
6. The Eyes Have It
All workers’ faces and eyes should be protected from injuries that can be sustained from falling debris, flying dust particles in the air, injurious light radiation, molten metal, and liquid chemicals, acids, gases, and vapors. These things can be caused by a number of activities on a construction site, such as chipping, grinding, welding, sanding, and masonry work. Eye protection should include side panels or at least be fitted with detachable side protectors.
7. General Safety and Staying Healthy on the Job
Construction workers need to sometimes work in environments that are unsanitary, hazardous, or even dangerous to their health. It is imperative for employers to ensure their workers have the best safety and health practices in place to protect them as much as possible. Workers should know their surroundings and be aware of any safety or health hazards that are present and take the necessary precautions to limit their exposure as much as possible. The main takeaway from this should be that workers know that there are protections in place for their safety while working on the construction site. This includes receiving proper training for specific job duties and being provided with the proper equipment at all times.
8. The New “Smart” Hardhats
Hard hats with sensors built into them are all the rage when it comes to the latest technology on construction sites. Like the hard hats that have been around for decades, smart hardhats will protect workers from falling debris but these new and improved hats will also tell the worker when dangerous conditions are present. This prepares the worker to be on the lookout for these hazards and some smart hardhats will even detect when a construction worker is fatigued on the job which can create an even more dangerous working environment.
If you or one of your workers do suffer injuries on the job, you may need to consult with a construction accident lawyer. The knowledgeable and experienced construction accident attorneys at O’Dwyer and Bernstien can assist you with all of your questions and needs in this situation.