By Jay Osborn, Resource Manager
How strong are your construction job safety reflexes? Are you doing your best to make sure that you stay safe and sound on the jobsite? What is your plan to reduce and eliminate dangers and hazards for you and your team? Working on a project is not simply about having the right construction skills. It is also about making certain that you comply with construction safety guidelines. Turning a blind eye to safety rules and regulations always leads to tragic accidents with catastrophic results. See what steps you must take every single time you set foot on a construction site.
Stay Alert
Let’s put it like this. The less you know about safety guidelines, the less likely you are to maximize construction job safety. Your knowledge about regulations and rules doesn’t have to end with the training your employer provides you before you start working on a project. It is up to you to stay alert and up-to-date. Make sure that you completely understand what you need to do to protect yourself and do not hesitate to ask for further information and guidance on safety issues. Keep in mind that a great worker has the necessary construction skills and prioritizes safety.
Watch Your Equipment
It goes without saying that using the right equipment for the job promotes construction job safety. The same is true about using the proper personal protective equipment in respect to the project you work on. Even though these steps enable you to comply with construction safety guidelines, there is more to be done. For example, if you are an electrician, you must make sure that your extension cords do not lie around exposed thus creating potential hazards to fellow workers. Keep in mind that without the proper precautions on a construction site there is too much going on and sometimes dangers are overlooked.
Take on Responsibility
Construction job safety is a collective effort. It is not only up to the safety manager to ensure that workers adopt construction safety. Workers have to embrace safety and do their part in achieving it. Your responsibility doesn’t end by simply signing a piece of paper that identifies site risks. You need to go the extra mile by making sure that you comply with construction safety guidelines at all times. Staying safe means that you also do your best to strengthen the security of others you work with. In other words see safety as part of your job, not a regulation you have to adhere to.
Inspect before You Expect
Chances are that you are going to work on a jobsite that transforms every day. The more workers who are on the site, the more things move around and the more risks you might have to deal with. Always keep this in mind. Safety managers do their best to comply with construction safety guidelines and make you aware of such potential hazards, but sometimes catching up is hard. To be sure of what to expect make sure you always inspect your work area in order to minimize the chances of unpleasant surprises. This way you always have a clear picture of your surroundings and you know what to do to boost construction job safety.
Salvage Plan
Doing your best to comply with construction safety guidelines must always be a priority. Another item to have on top of your list though is a plan for how to react to incidents that might take place. Do you know where the first aid kit is located? Do you have the cell phone number of the safety manager? What are you supposed to do in case a coworker gets hurt? Don’t wait for a bad event to happen to find the answers to questions like these. Be prepared to take the necessary action that is going to enhance construction safety by being familiar with the recovery plan.
Key Takeaways to Complying to Construction Safety Guidelines:
1. Make sure you completely understand what you need to do to protect yourself and others
2. Use the right equipment and personal protective equipment and be responsible for them
3. Take the initiative to embrace safety as part of your job
4. Always inspect the construction site before you start working
5. Be familiar with the recovery plan in case an incident takes place
About TradeSource
Founded in 1993, TradeSource is a construction labor solutions firm focused on delivering labor solutions to contractors throughout the United States. By supplying skilled tradespeople – where and when they’re needed – we help contractors grow their companies, without the associated costs and hassles of full-time hires. Likewise, we match qualified employees with rewarding and well-paying job opportunities in the construction industry. www.tradesource.com
