Construction had the most workplace fatalities than any other industry in 2018 with over 199 employee deaths, according to the Association of Workers’ Compensation Boards of Canada. As such, worker safety should be your number one priority for your projects. Here are ways you can minimize hazards in your construction site.
Training
One of the best ways to avoid an accident is to make sure your workers are proactive about their health and safety. Before they begin a project, make sure they get safety training seminars or sessions. If they already have construction experience, you can always enroll them in a refresher course to update their safety knowledge. It is always great to make sure that each employee knows how to keep away from harm with or without guidance.
Signage Matters
Signage is a great way to keep your workers safe as they do their jobs. You can put up safety signs in areas to remind your workers what they should do. For instance, a sign that says “hard-hat zone” will remind them to wear their safety gear. Even the most experienced employees can forget to do something as simple as wearing their hard hats, so putting up a few signs will definitely help employees avoid nasty accidents.
Conduct Regular Safety Meetings
While your workers should be proactive about their safety, reminding them about safety and the hazards at a construction site is essential. You can conduct regular safety meetings with your workers so they can refresh their minds about the basic regulations for safety. Try to keep the safety meeting short and straight to the point. This way, your workers instantly understand your point and get to work as soon as possible. Make sure you answer any questions that your workers might have, too.
Get New and High-Quality Equipment
Faulty equipment can be a danger to your employees. If an employee uses equipment that is old or needs repairs, it could suddenly break as they use it, which could lead to a painful injury. To avoid this, you should maintain your equipment regularly and get them from a reliable manufacturer to ensure safe and excellent performance. You should vet everyone from your subcontractors to your reaming shell supplier to ensure the quality of every tool you’ll use on site.
Safety Gear
Safety gear is another crucial thing that your employees should have access to at all times. No matter how careful you may be, accidents can still happen. Therefore, it’s best to make sure your workers wear the right safety gear to avoid fatal injuries.
The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety says that there’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to personal protective equipment (PPE). You should procure your employees’ gear according to the specific hazards they face on the field. For example, you should assign safety goggles to employees doing welding work. It also recommends asking your workers for suggestions on PPE they think they need on-site.
It’s your job as the supervisor to ensure that every worker in your project is safe. Proper training, PPE, and safety meetings help minimize the cost and production hits of workplace injuries. With a healthy and injury-free roster of workers, you’re sure to finish your project on time.
