Wherever anyone works, there are several things that they expect to happen. They will get paid for their work, they will be allowed a lunch break and they will be kept safe on the job. If this is not met then they may seek employment elsewhere where their best interests are looked after.
An industry where safety is paramount is construction. With the most workplace deaths happening in construction out of the 123 that occurred in 2022, employers must do all they can to protect their staff from the threats that they face every day on site.
To help, we’ve prepared a guide on how you can make your construction site a safe workplace for employees.
Clearly labelled cautions
You must highlight any of the potential dangers on your site, warning individuals to take precautions when in the area. Signage is a cost-effective and efficient way to get this message across and could indicate a range of different hazards including:
- Falling objects
- Presence of hazardous chemicals
- Risk of electrocution etc.
- Trailing wires
- Heavy-duty machinery
Training
Workers in medium and high-risk environments should have adequate health and safety training and an understanding of the associated risks when working on a construction site. They should be educated on the proper use of tools and processes on-site to minimise the risk of accidents occurring.
Should an accident occur even after this training, you could provide further training on basic first-aid and life-saving techniques to prevent injuries from getting worse for those affected.
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Wearing PPE can differentiate between a minor and major injury. You must provide employees with this equipment and ensure that they wear it too. Here are some examples of PPE that you must have on your construction site:
- Hardhat
- Respiratory mask
- Work gloves
- Goggles
- Steel capped boots
Regular inspections of tools
Tools are essential in construction and workers need to be able to use them efficiently to get the job done. Unsafe or broken tools are more likely to lead to serious accidents. These should be inspected regularly for any defects by your employees and reported whenever there is an issue.
This is just one of the ways you can be a better employer for your staff. Showing leadership and empathy for your employees is likely to have a positive impact on the workplace. With them knowing you care about them; they’ll be more loyal to your business and work harder to impress you and other supervisors. Take care of your employees and they’ll support your business too.