By Kyle English, Resource Manager

Prevention is better than cure! If you don’t want to deal with safety violations on the jobsite, then do your best to prevent them from happening. It is great to have skilled and experienced tradespeople; however, construction safety must be the foundation of every construction company that respects its employees. Every year, hundreds of workplace accidents take place as a result of ignorance or carelessness. What is a safe construction site today can be a dangerous place tomorrow and your company needs to acknowledge that and take action to prevent workplace safety violations. Take a look at some steps to protect your workers from injuries.

Constant Safety Training
Safety training means caring for your employees’ well-being; not only about their construction skills. The more you invest in training, the more you prevent workplace safety violations. No matter how experienced your workers are or how fresh out of school they are when they join your company, ongoing safety training must be at the center of your operations. Never send your crews on the jobsite before they have a complete understanding of safety guidelines and procedures. If they do not know how to do their job safely, their safety is at risk. Similarly, when you work with a staffing firm, make sure that you pick a partner who is a recognized leader in construction safety and risk management and has OSHA certified trainers with continued focus on safety.

Commitment to Guidelines
A construction project is like a puzzle. It consists of many pieces that need to be put together carefully and in a timely manner. In addition, meeting deadlines is crucial to the progress of each plan. It is important that your tradespeople follow the safety guidelines you set at the beginning of every project. Cutting corners to get things done faster or taking shortcuts just to finish on time is a recipe for disaster. Communicate this to your workforce and urge them to stick to the instructions that enable them do their job safely. Make sure they understand safety procedures and know what to do before they set foot on the jobsite.

Safety Meetings
The more you talk about construction safety, the more your workforce stays focused on it. The fact that your tradespeople have strong construction skills doesn’t mean that your attention to their security can be limited. The working circumstances of a construction site change from one day to another. From weather conditions to use of heavy machinery to different crews working on different sections of the project, the workplace you know today is not going to be the same tomorrow. Hold regular safety meetings with your team to assess potential hazards and risks and prevent workplace safety violations. Make sure that your tradespeople are informed and prepared to address safety issues by staying focused on construction safety.

Safety Gear
Make it your company rule. No one starts working on the jobsite without their personal protective equipment (PPE); ever. The confidence in their construction skills misleads many tradespeople to avoid using the appropriate safety gear. There are numerous examples of accidents that could have been prevented if the proper PPE was to be used. Make it a priority to provide your workers the necessary safety equipment to do the job and ensure they know how to use it by holding regular training meetings. Prevent workplace safety violations by working with a staffing firm that has a strong safety program in place, and knows how to help you improve work site safety, reduce risk, and increase productivity.

Increased Accountability
When you show how seriously you take construction safety and how invested you are in everyone’s welfare, you eliminate mishaps. During your safety trainings and safety talks be thorough about your expectations and hold everyone accountable. Walk the jobsite to make sure that your crews meet your safety guidelines and address any irregularities on the spot. Encourage your people to promote accountability by saying something when they see something wrong on the workplace. Communicate to everyone that staying safe is a team effort and everyone needs to contribute their best.

Key Takeaways for Preventing Safety Violations on the Jobsite:
1.  Stay focused on construction safety by provide constant training to your workers
2.  Your workforce must always stick to safety rules and never cut corners
3.  Hold regular safety meetings to review jobsite working conditions
4.  Make sure that your tradespeople use the necessary PPE at all times
5.  Share safety guidelines with your team and hold everyone accountable

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