By George Grayson, Southern New England Account Manager

Measure twice, cut once! Being a carpenter, you know that the outcome of your work depends heavily on how well you prepare before every project. Knowing what you need to do and coming up with ways to do it enables you to meet expectations. Likewise, your construction safety relies on the actions you take to stay safe on the jobsite. Do you know what you need to do to protect yourself and strengthen construction job safety for you and your coworkers? Take a look at the points below that allow you to improve carpentry safety while doing your job.

Know What You are Getting Into
Carpentry requires great attention to detail and safety. If your approach to work is to plug in your tools and go then you need to take a step back. Before you get engaged with the project, make sure that you have a deep understanding of the jobsite you are going to work in and you are aware of any potential dangers and hazards that put construction job safety at risk. In addition, you need to inspect the jobsite on a regular basis to make sure that you are aware of pitfalls and you know what you have to do to improve carpentry safety.

Don’t Forget Your PPE
Meeting deadlines is one of the main reasons for neglecting construction safety. No matter how long you work on a job or how much you have to do to deliver the final result, it is crucial that you always use personal protective equipment (PPE). From cutting wood, to framing, to installing structures and fixtures, never forget to use the proper PPE. For instance, if the piece of wood you just cut needs more trimming before it is installed, don’t neglect to wear your safety glasses before proceeding. Remember that it is your construction job safety that you have to protect at all times.

Use the Right Equipment
Another suspect for putting construction safety at risk is convenience and misuse of tools. Construction workers tend to prefer using the equipment that they feel comfortable with. This often leads to serious injuries that otherwise could have been prevented. A way to avoid falling in the trap is to create a checklist of the tools you need before starting work and make sure you have what you need to finish the job. Inspect your equipment to ensure that everything is in great condition and that it meets safety requirements and standards.

Stay in Touch
A construction jobsite involves many moving parts that need to work together to achieve and foster construction job safety. Everything depends on teamwork. Painters have to work with carpenters, plumbers have to work with electricians and everyone has to communicate with each other and have each other’s back to deliver the results that are expected of them. Communication is the cornerstone of onsite success, and you as a carpenter must do your part. Make sure that you constantly interact with your coworkers to improve carpentry safety and minimize chances for mistakes.

Make Safety a Priority
How confident would you feel if you were to work on a carpentry project for which no one gave you safety training? How excited would you be to go to work every day? A great way to ensure that your construction job safety is reinforced and your coworkers have strong safety standards is to work with a qualified construction staffing firm that has safety training as a priority. By doing so, you join forces with construction recruiters whose priority is to improve carpentry safety and make sure that they train you on how to stay safe.

Key Takeaways to How to Frame Your Safety as a Carpenter:
1.  Inspect the workplace in advance to identify potential risks and hazards
2.  Don’t forget to wear the appropriate PPE at all times
3.  Always use the right equipment and inspect your tools before using them
4.  Constantly interact with your coworkers to improve carpentry safety
5.  Work with a construction staffing firm that has safety training as a priority

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