Every year, there are thousands of worker’s compensation claims from the construction industry. It doesn’t matter whether you are from the United States or Australia, the same rings true.
That is where the basic safety rules and construction come into play. Although they may be discussed and implemented, it is following through with the safety rules that matters in the construction industry.
As an employer, it is important to ensure safety by doing routine checks. You should also have your employees take courses when applicable.
But what are the basic safety rules in construction? What should you ensure is happening on your site?
Keep reading this guide to learn more about safety in construction.
Always Wear PPE
One of the most important things that you can do on a construction site is wearing PPE. PPE stands for personal protection equipment.
The type of PPE that you wear is going to differ based on the type of construction site. However, wearing it is vital.
If something goes wrong on the construction site, the PPE is your defense mechanism. It can protect you from various accidental happenings on the job.
As an employer, it is your job to enforce the safety rule for all of your employees. You should have safety checks before anyone enters the site to ensure the safety of everyone on the location. This will also reduce any worker’s compensation claims from any accidental injuries on the job and therefore, save you money and time you would waste in court.
Train Your Employees
As great as wearing PPE is, it is also vital to train your employees. Some construction sites will need to provide safety training about working at heights off the ground. Taking a working safely at heights course should be mandatory for employees. The training will differ based on the type of construction site, but without the training, more injuries will occur.
Other jobs will require operating heavy machinery. For these types of jobs, employers should provide training about how to operate machinery as well as take care of it.
Always Ask Questions
If someone notices that something seems off or wrong, it is important that person asks questions. Not only that, but if you notice a problem, you should report it to a supervisor. Reporting to a supervisor can make or break a dangerous situation in an instant.
If you feel that your question is not necessary, you should ask it anyway. Working in the construction industry can be a dangerous place. That means that any question or doubt you may have is just as important as someone else’s questions.
Don’t Tamper With Items
In a construction site, everything is in a specific place for a reason. If there is caution tape, do not enter that area. You should also not get rid of the tape itself.
The same goes for if you see a sign. If there is a sign that says “Do Not Enter,” you need to follow what the sign’s instructions say.
Additionally, if you notice any defective equipment or equipment that is not working properly, do not try to fix it yourself. This is an instance in which you should always ask questions and tell your supervisor right away.
Even if you notice something small that seems off, it is better not to tamper with the item. This can either lead to damage to the equipment and machinery, or even worse, can harm you.
Provide Clear Instructions
If you are an employer or supervisor in charge of delegating tasks, it is important to provide clear instructions. You do not want there to be any confusion while people are working on a construction site.
That means that you should never give instructions on the site that something is happening. They should be done in a meeting ahead of time. It should also be written down for those who like to see instructions in written form.
By giving clear and concise instructions, you will be ensuring safety on the site. If there’s any confusion, this can lead to a dangerous situation as well as workers accidentally hurting themselves.
Keep the Site Clean and Tidy
At the end of every single construction day, the site should be cleaned. If there is any debris, dust, loose nails, or any other type of tool around, it is important to pick it up. Keeping a construction site clean can prevent any safety hazards. For instance, if there is clutter on the site, it is more likely that a worker will trip, slip, or fall.
Cleaning up the construction site should be on the task list every single day. This is a basic safety rule working in the construction industry.
Store Tools and Equipment Properly On Site
Knowing how to store tools and equipment properly is one of the best ways to stay safe on the job. If equipment is not stored properly, it can lead to malfunctions and dangerous situations. The same goes for tools. If these are lying around, they can become hazards for workers.
The last thing that you want is for a worker to get hurt on the job. However, you also do not want your tools or equipment to get damaged because of improper storage. By taking a few extra minutes at the end of the day to pick things up, you will be saving your equipment as well as the safety of your workers.
Maintaining your equipment properly will also help you pass any inspections that you may have in the industry.
Follow These Safety Rules in Construction
It is extremely important to follow the safety rules in construction. Providing a training course for your workers is a great line of defense when hiring new workers. However, you also want to have daily tasks such as decluttering a site on your to-do list.
By following these rules, there will be less injury on the job.
If you enjoyed learning more about the basic safety rules in construction, you should check out some other articles on our site. We have everything from business articles to health articles.
