Working in construction exposes you to risks that are unheard of in other industries. Falling from far heights, electrocution, getting crushed by machinery or debris, or even getting struck by a moving object. These four risks are known as the “fatal four” and were responsible for about 57.7% of fatalities in 2013.
So how can you practice job site safety? You can start by following these four tips:
- Personal Protective Equipment.
PPE is necessary for every employee on site. Enforcing PPE can mean the difference between life or death. This does not always mean that a hard hat and safety goggles are going to protect you from every life-threatening scenario. Most fatalities happen when a worker is left alone or unsupervised. One way to combat this is to implement lone worker safety devices. These can have a major impact on emergency response time. - Enforce Safety Measures!
Just having a written policy is not enough to ensure safety, you have to actually show that safety is enforced by upper management. If necessary, you can even put forward an incentive program that rewards proper safety precautions. It might seem like that’s rewarding people for doing the obvious, but it could save you some serious money in the long run. - Contractor Safety.
On large construction projects, general contractors and subcontractors might share a job site. Their safety standards might not be up to par with what you expect. Management needs to ensure that safety is a major concern across the board and that everybody is on the same page. - Don’t Cut Costs.
The main focus of most construction companies is speed and cost. Contractors want to get the job done as quickly and cost-efficient as possible. This sometimes means skimping out on enforcing safety rules or safety training. The truth is, the total cost of fatal and non-fatal injuries in the construction industry is over $13 billion annually. Just a little bit of extra time can make the difference between millions of dollars.