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9 Construction Safety Guidelines to Work Securely and Avoid Accidents On Site

By Bernadette Salapare | Jan 04, 2024 11:44 AM EST

Accidents can occur everywhere, but they are widespread on construction sites due to the large number of machines and equipment required to build a structure. To ensure the safety of both yourself and others, what are the actions that you ought to consider? Discover these guidelines for construction safety, which you must adhere to no matter where you are on a building site!

(Photo : Pexels/PhotoMIX Company )

1. Start with safety training.

Before working on-site, every employee must exhibit a valid white card. To identify any high-risk regions and provide instructions for emergency management, it is also necessary for each worker to complete site-specific initial training.

2. Wear Appropriate PPE.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is essential to building site safety. It is the responsibility of employers to ensure that every worker is wearing the required PPE, which may include eye and ear protection, gloves, and hard helmets, among other things.

3. Keep the Site Clean and Organized.

Accidents can be avoided by maintaining a clean and well-organized working environment. Employers must clean and maintain construction sites regularly, such as removing debris and materials that could cause accidents, such as trips or falls.

4. Use Proper Tools and Equipment.

When it comes to reducing the likelihood of accidents, it is essential to use the appropriate tools and equipment for each task. Ensure that all the tools and equipment are constantly inspected, serviced, and maintained in a state that allows them to function correctly.

5. Be mindful and follow signs.

Management can warn employees and visitors about potential hazards and enhance their awareness of health and safety issues through safety signs. Ensure that they are positioned appropriately throughout the site in the appropriate areas. Workers must be familiar with the safety advice and construction site signs. These include fire fighting equipment signs, forbidden signs, mandatory signs, safe condition signals, and warning signs.

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6. Provide clear instructions.

General contractors should be provided with a site induction while on the premises. In this way, new employees will be able to become familiar with the site operations. Moreover, instructions on health and safety can also be effectively communicated to the workers through toolbox lectures. It is performed daily or more frequently before the initiation of labor.

7. Have an emergency response plan.

When calamities such as natural disasters, fires, spills of dangerous materials, or other types of occurrences occur, an emergency response plan provides the workforce with instructions on what to do. Establish a specialized group that is accountable for managing emergency situations, providing answers to queries, and reporting potential dangers, quality problems, or near misses.

8. Set up safeguards.

Engineering controls, which include barriers, fences, and safeguards, are one of the ways that safety can be ensured on the construction site. Individuals can be separated from potentially dangerous regions, including high-voltage electricity or chemicals emitting harmful fumes.

9. Report issues immediately.

Workers should be trained to report faults and near misses on the job site as soon as they become aware. Bringing problems to management's attention is the only way to find solutions to them. The sooner issues are brought to light, the lower the likelihood they will become more severe, resulting in accidents or additional damage.

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