With the increasing demand for modern infrastructure and houses, the construction industry is overgrowing. Although it provides jobs to thousands of workers, this industry also exposes them to dangerous working conditions. Labors have to deal with extensive tools, use heavy machinery, and work at heights without significant safety measures. Similarly, construction sites have uneven terrain and unused material on-site, resulting in slips and falls.
Construction sites are also noisy, meaning loud and repetitive noise can create hearing problems for the workers. Is this worth risking a person’s life? As fatalities and injury rates are rising in construction industries, you have to deploy necessary safety protocols. Despite a different working environment, you have to provide workers with all amenities. From protective gear, first-aid, clean water, to safety measures, fulfilling labor’s basic needs is inevitable.
Here we are unfolding easy arrangements to help workers at the construction site.
Accessible Restrooms
Usually, construction managers only care about finishing the work on time. They believe workers should be responsible for finding restrooms, even if they have to walk miles down the street. Unsurprisingly, this logic falls apart when you examine the facts. Each time the workers visit an off-site venue has to spend time walking to that location and then walking back. Alongside wasting time, it halts the construction work.
Therefore, you have to provide all these amenities on the construction site. You can either construct restrooms or get portable toilet rentals for construction, helping you cut corners on this expense. The number of restrooms depends on the size of the workforce as you have to make sure there are no long waiting queues. Provide soap, clean water, and anti-bacterial hand cleaners to ward off any compromise on hygiene. It creates a smooth workflow while ensuring compliance with the occupational health and safety administration – OSHA.
Personal Protective Equipment
When it comes to construction work, a yellow cap is not enough for protection. You have to provide workers with personal protective equipment PPE to protect them against health and safety risks on the site. It reduces exposure to hazards, avoiding injuries. It includes the following items.
- Protective helmets to protect against flying objects and prevent head injuries.
- Eye protection to work with metals and wood.
- High-visibility clothing saves you from burnt marks and skin cancer.
- Safety footwear guards feet from all the bricks and stones.
- Hearing protection to cut down the noise levels.
First-aid Arrangements
Despite safety measures, injuries happen. Construction sites should have immediate access to first aid rather than rushing the worker to the hospital for a small bruise. Get a first-aid attendant on board and equip them with all the tools and dressing station. First aid kits should have appropriate types of bandages and antiseptic sprays, specifically for construction-related injuries. Most importantly, all supplies should be available in sufficient quantities. Such practices ensure workers are in their best health, keeping productivity levels up.
Hazard Communication
Construction sites are enormous, and different activities are happening in every corner. Failure to recognize hazards in each department can lead to injuries, chemical burns, fire explosions, and multiple respiratory problems. Hence, create an arrangement for hazard communication. Are you wondering how? Here are some tips.
- Maintain a material data sheet for every chemical on the site.
- Educate all employees about safety concerns.
- Use yellow boards to alert the workers, for instance – electric work ahead.
- If dealing with chemicals, have a spill control plan.
- Limit unauthorized access to high-risk departments.
- Teach employees how to dispose of materials, closing doors for safety risk.
Hazard communication comes in handy, especially when multiple things are happening on the site. Besides this, workers also appreciate such arrangements, assisting them to stay careful.
Scaffoldings
Are you constructing a skyscraper? It is exciting to see a building rising high, but things are pretty challenging for people who are building it. After all, working at heights is no easy feat. You can reduce the risk and danger by bringing a scaffolding on site. It is a stable platform with proper fencing to avoid any falls while letting workers complete the tasks smoothly. However, you can’t use objects like barrels, loose bricks to support the scaffolding planks. You have to place it on firm ground.
Final Thoughts
Project managers think their responsibility is over once they bring workers on the site. Imposing safety protocols and making proper arrangements on-site is an equally vital responsibility. It allows workers to perform tasks smoothly without compromising on the work quality. Alongside safety measures, give them access to all primary amenities – food, protective equipment, restrooms to keep their morale high.
