By Elias Brito, Resource Manager
Take a look around you. You are about to walk on the jobsite. Do you know what you and your staff have to do to ensure your safety? Are you aware of regulations, guidelines and principles that help you build a safe construction site? Are you on the same page with your team about construction job safety and how to achieve it? What happens when you walk away from the worksite? Are rules being followed? Reinforce the security of your people and create a safe construction site by adhering to the following benchmarks.
OSHA Regulations
It goes without saying that when it comes to a safe construction site the primary source for guidance is the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA). Unfortunately, professionals often cut corners in an effort to save time and money, and end up jeopardizing construction safety and causing accidents. Don’t go down that road. Always be informed of OSHA regulations and mandates specific to the project you are working on and communicate them to your team. Visit the organization’s website and follow up with updates and changes to the rules at all times. Secure your safety.
Understand What You Need to Do
Knowing and adhering to regulations is one part of the story. Knowing what you need to do is the other. Once you are aware of the rules you have to follow, make sure that you understand what measures you need to take to enforce them. Are there specific safety procedures that you need to follow based on the type of work you are performing? Do you know exactly what you need to do and how? Keep in mind that the devil is in the details and construction job safety requires understanding the details. Secure your safety.
On the Same Boat
A safe construction site is not only about protective helmets, safety glasses and vests. While personal protective equipment is of vital importance, when you are out there you need to go one step further. You need to ensure that your workforce understands the importance of adhering to construction safety guidelines. Make it clear to them that it is for their own good and that they need to respect the regulations at all times. Keep bringing up the topic whenever you have a chance and try to build a safety culture that everyone conforms with. Secure your safety.
Know Your Surroundings
Would you ever walk into a room for the first time with your eyes closed? How about trying to operate a new tool without instructions? Before you answer, keep in mind that construction safety relies heavily on the ability to identify potential hazards and risks beforehand. Walking around the worksite with your team for example, is a great way to understand what you have to do to increase security for you and for your team. Identify dangers and work on solutions in order to turn your surroundings into a safe construction site. Secure your safety.
Safety Meeting
Another great way to make sure that you walk into a safe construction site is to have a safety meeting with your team and talk about your plan of action. Is there a safety datasheet and where is located? Do you have an updated first aid kit and does your staff know where to find it if they need to? What is your emergency action plan and does everyone understand it? Nothing is going to increase your construction job safety more than guaranteeing all of the construction safety measures are in place around your project. Secure your safety.
Key Takeaways to Top Safety Construction Considerations When Building:
1. Always be aware, obey and follow up with OSHA standards
2. Have a clear understanding of the safety measures you need to follow
3. Make sure that everyone on your team is on the same page when it comes to construction safety
4. Identify and understand the risks of the jobsite you are about to work at
5. Have a safety meeting to review and communicate safety instructions
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
