According to the official annual report published by the HSE, more than 61,000 construction workers were injured in 2021. Since the construction industry was still nowhere near its pre-covid status in 2021, that is an alarming number of accidents. The same report also indicates pre-covid accident rates to be lower, despite the engagement in 2018 and 2019 being much greater. It is evident that both employers and employees need to be more aware and be vigilant about workplace safety standards at construction sites. On that note, let’s look at a few crucial tips for safe workwear from industry experts.
Keep Your Workers Visible
Visibility is the most important aspect of maintaining workplace safety at a construction site. Smoke, fog, rain, nightshifts, power cuts, obstructions, poor vision, and distractions are just some of the many factors that can lead to tragic accidents due to low visibility. Protect your employees and your business from low visibility accidents with Hi-Viz workwear.
Screen Textiles has certified Hi-Viz (high visibility) jackets, vests, hard hats, hard caps, work trousers, work shoes, and just about anything else that any construction worker may need to stay safe. Not only do they deliver all accepted orders in 3-days or less (barring exceptions), but customers also enjoy a window of 28-days to return any product that they find dissatisfactory.
Everyone Should have Access to Work Shoes
Most workers prefer to wear their own shoes, but unless what they are wearing meet all the standards, they must wear company-provided work shoes. Since a construction worker’s feet are always vulnerable to crush damage, electrocution, and cut/slash damage, the employer should be extra vigilant about providing every worker with protective work shoes in the right size.
As for what kind of protection these shoes should provide, the following are the usual standards, but they may vary depending on the kind of work each worker in question is supposed to do. Nevertheless, the following protective features are common in high-quality work shoes.
- Hi-Viz detail reflects light even in dark environments.
- Steel capped toes for maximum protection against crushing damage.
- Anti-slip features reduce the chances of workers falling from an elevated platform.
- Antistatic features reduce the chances of accidentally setting fire to explosive/flammable materials.
- Heat resistance protects the construction workers’ feet from direct and indirect heat.
- Electrical insulation to prevent accidental, on-site electrocution.
- Sufficient padding and shock absorbing sole to reduce the harm from falls, vibrations, and foreign object impacts.
Workwear Provided Should be in Sync with Present Weather Conditions
If it is freezing outside, all site employees should have access to jackets, padded trousers, headcovers, and gloves to keep themselves warm. If there is reflective ice, then they should have access to polarized sunglasses. An employer should always keep their site workers as protected from external conditions as possible.
If you are wondering about work googles, soldering masks, and heat gloves, then the answer is yes, the employer must also provide them to their employees, as needed. However, these are specialty PPE, so they are not exactly universal workwear. To save expenses, companies usually adopt an “as needed” approach to them. They must be provided, but only when needed.