Managers involved in the commercial or residential construction industry understand the importance of maintaining a safe work environment. The goal is for every worker to get home safely every time.
However, due to the nature of the work required at the job site, workers are exposed to risks of falls, electrical accidents, machinery malfunctions, accidental falling objects, collapsing scaffolding, and more. For construction workers to be safe and the quality of work to be maintained, it is imperative that project managers and owners take necessary precautions.
Important precautions include reinforcing safety rules to workers, ensuring that the job site has the right equipment and tools, and keeping in mind industry recommendations to maintain a healthy, productive, efficient, and safe construction site.
Industry Recommendations for a Safe Construction Site
Take note of the following industry recommendations from industry resource J.J. Keller on workplace safety at the construction site. Make sure your construction team understands the risks working the job and the plan of action when risks are heightened.
1. Scaffolding Should Be Constructed and Maintained Correctly
When your team puts up scaffolding for a new project, it must be done with care and precision. It can be tempting to rush through this part in order to get construction going, especially if your company is concerned about deadlines or the overall project timeline.
But, taking shortcuts while building scaffolding creates a major risk for falls. Ensure that your team is properly trained on how to erect scaffolding. Also ensure that they understand the importance of each step in the set-up process.
Also, if any damages occur during the project, ensure that repairs are handled before anyone else uses the scaffolding.
2. All Employees Should Wear Protective Gear
Personal protective equipment (PPE) is specially designed to keep construction workers from a major injury. Failing to wear the proper PPE could result in serious injury, extreme harm, or even a fatality.
Construction site managers should provide the appropriate PPE based on the needs of the project and the amount of protection required. Such gear may include:
- Helmets
- Goggles
- Ear protection
- Knee pads
- Hi-vis safety jackets
Each item should be in good condition, verified for use in a construction environment, and fit each employee correctly. When PPE is ruined, worn down, or no longer effective, take steps to quickly replace the equipment.
3. Post Clear Signage and Communicate
Signage and communication are key to ensure that everyone is fully informed of the potential dangers at the job site. Highlight hazards with signs and posters that warn anyone walking through of a nearby safety risk.
Using signs is also a way to avoid costly accidents, such as heavy objects falling on a passerby or the inhalation of gas/chemicals. Hazards like those could harm a person if they are unaware of the environment they are walking into, especially if it requires special PPE.
Signs are one form of effective communication, but verbal communication should also be instilled in your team. A construction site is not the place to make assumptions! Those working on-site should know about all potential risks, and immediately share this information with fellow workers, as well as newcomers or on-site visitors.
Don’t hesitate to check in with your team on a regular basis. Show them you are ready and willing to do whatever necessary to eliminate potential risks to their safety.
4. Keep Your Site Clean & Organized
Everyone on your team should understand where equipment and tools can be used and stored. When not in use, equipment and tools should be immediately returned to their storage location. This helps ensure the safety of workers by not having dangerous tools or equipment in open areas where an unsuspecting worker could be injured.
Another way to ensure a clean site is by having an efficient process to remove waste. We recommend having the correct size dumpster or the right number of dumpsters on-site relative to the size of the job. This makes it easy to eliminate clutter, keep your team safe, and allow your team to work quickly and efficiently without waste piling up.
Consider Roll-off Dumpsters from Gainsborough Waste
Our company offers the ideal selection of roll-off dumpsters to help keep construction waste under control at the job site. Renting roll-off dumpsters will keep the waste build-up properly managed so that workers can perform their work in a safe, healthy, and efficient manner.
Smaller projects may only require a 20-yard dumpster, but we also offer 30 and 40-yard dumpsters for larger projects that accumulate more waste.
We encourage you to contact our team today to discuss your specific job to determine the size and number of dumpsters that will support your job. Our team is experienced with construction projects to help maintain the safety of the site.
To schedule service, contact us today through our website form, call 713-999-6178, or email [email protected].
