Construction is one of the largest industries both in the United States and in the rest of the world. Safety, like in any workplace, is a core component of operating a profitable and sustainable work site in the realm of construction. If you are interested in learning a bit more about how to keep a construction site safe and operational, then remember to follow the top construction site safety tips in the industry.
Have Safe Elevators
Many of the top site safety tips fail to include specific details about transportation. This is perhaps most clear when you take a look at your worksite’s elevators. When you have to transport equipment and materials across multiple levels, the chances of errors and accidents increase. By securing your elevators and ensuring that they are safe for everyone involved, you can cut back on your potential risks.
In the realm of construction, there are plenty of high-quality elevator companies that can secure your site elevators and provide other forms of safety guidance. The scope of your elevator needs will adjust based on the size and scope of your project. Whether you’re building a major skyscraper, or erecting a multi-level family home, finding the right elevators for the job is key. Be sure to shop around and find a reputable company to provide you with your elevator needs at your site.
Have Regulations On Hand
One of the top site safety tips is to have regulations that prevent accidents and other mishaps. Life moves fast on a construction site, and this means that people can overlook sound practices in favor of speed. Regulations help to curb these types of errors, instead providing a bedrock of operations for everyone on the site. If you are struggling to come up with safety regulations, then it’s helpful to check out some other companies that work on similar projects.
You can also reference local regulations in your area to determine a model that can help you erect proper procedures. Most state, local, and federal governmental agencies have guidelines that can serve as a launchpad for your regulations. Referencing these entities and asking them questions is a great way to get started on your safety regulations when working in the construction industry.
Securing all forms of your equipment at your job site, even your technology, provides more productive working conditions for everyone on your crew. Make sure to provide workers with the tools they need to do their jobs accurately and safely. Whether this is new gloves or an intrinsically safe iPhone case, your workers deserve the best safety equipment that will help them perform without added worries.
Join a Union
Unions are a great way to offer some additional protection for you and the rest of your crew when setting up a construction site. Industrial construction unions offer many benefits and can make it much easier for your workforce to abide by all necessary site safety tips. Before going this route, however, it’s important to do your research and learn about the potential limitations that joining a union can bring about for your employees.
Unions come in all shapes and sizes. When it comes to construction unions, these organizations often outline their terms with clarity. This makes it easier for potential members to review all requirements as they try to figure out if the union will be a good fit for their workforce. It can be difficult to determine what risks and benefits you undertake in certain circumstances, so it’s always wise to consult with both your employees and the union representative to establish clear expectations.
When it comes to safety at your construction site, unions will assist you by offering best practices and guidelines. They also offer protection for accidents in most cases. If you happen to have an incident in the workplace, the union representative can step in to communicate with legal parties and other entities on your behalf. Of course, you will need to review union guidelines to ensure this kind of service is available to those working at your site.
Many workers love unions because of the rights they bring to them. This is particularly true in the world of construction. Unions represent their workforce by offering a range of rights and benefits. You can also apply these benefits to ensure that your construction site is as safe as possible for everyone involved.
Offer Restroom Services
When people think of site safety tips they rarely consider the human elements that go into a job site. When you have many people working long hours doing hard work, offering them proper restroom services is an absolute must. Sadly, many construction site managers fail to plan adequately for this. Offering portable restrooms and other viable options is a key component in ensuring both safety and productivity on your construction site, regardless of its size.
As the most popular option, a portapotty rental is a great, affordable way to make sure your workers have the facilities they need while working a construction job. Many rental companies will rent portapotties along with other forms of equipment that you need at a construction site. These bundled services often come at a more appealing price point when compared to the costs of renting out each item individually. Make sure to explore some different bundles so that you can provide adequate restroom access for every employee at your job site.
Have Safe Equipment
One of the top site safety tips is to have equipment that works as expected. Several workplace injuries and mishaps are the result of faulty equipment. Many equipment malfunctions are simply the result of poor research and preparation. Sure, knowing how to work a piece of equipment is necessary, but if your equipment fails employee acuity only goes so far. You can avoid a vast quantity of accidents at a construction site by performing routine safety checks on every piece of equipment.
Crane rental companies are quick to offer services that reduce your risk when renting out a piece of machinery. Most of the time, these companies are required to share recent safety inspection reports before renting out a crane or another piece of large machinery to be used on a construction site. You may have to request these reports as part of your discussion with a rental company, but it’s worth the hassle. Making sure that any rental equipment is safe will dramatically reduce your risk of workplace injury and other accidents.
Comprehensive employee training is also necessary to maintain safety in the workplace. If an employee hasn’t been trained on a specific piece of equipment, then they should never be allowed to operate that piece of equipment, no matter the circumstances. It’s a good idea to have an employee trainer on site to oversee operations, especially when dealing with particularly large or dangerous equipment.
Have Experts On Hand
In the same vein, having experts on hand is advisable for those aiming to uphold the top site safety tips. From crane operation to industrial welding, construction jobs often involve intense, focus-rich work with major risks. Experts on these subjects can not only oversee your project, but they can also provide much-needed support and instruction when you’re feeling too exposed during a job.
To locate experts, try speaking with other companies that perform similar jobs. You can also reach out to general construction contractors, as they generally maintain connections with experienced professionals in a given field. Expert knowledge is difficult to build up in the construction industry, so once you make these connections, it’s fruitful to do whatever is needed to nurture them. Having a few experts on your side will pay dividends in both your safety and your productivity on a construction site.
Don’t Rush Your Work
People of all practices know what happens when you try to go too fast at work. There’s a famous saying that comes from the Navy SEALs: ‘Slow is smooth, smooth is fast.’ This mantra has its place in the world of construction. Rather than trying to rush into a particular job, it’s better to aim for a smooth approach, which in turn leads to a faster outcome. When you try to go too fast, ironically, you end up going slower because you have to correct mistakes. This is a lesson that commercial roofing contractors of all stripes can stand to keep in mind at their next job.
When outlining your own set of site safety tips be sure to emphasize the importance of a slow, methodical approach. Dealing with heavy equipment and error-prone processes is difficult enough on its own. Prioritizing the right pace and workflow will not only keep your workers safe on the job, it will also help you to move along according to your schedule. Trying to rush into a job never has the outcome you desire. Instead, a slow, thoughtful approach is best.
Have Secure Windows
Some common areas present danger when working on a construction site. Large heights, slippery surfaces, and windows all present some common sources of accidents. As any hurricane window company will tell you, maintaining site safety tips is dependent on the safety of your windows as a whole.
Windows presents some potential dangers before they even reach the installation stage. Not only are windows fragile, but they can also cause accidents when they aren’t properly secured and handled. Taking the time to secure your windows both before and after installation will help you maintain your site safety standards. The right windows protect your job site from weather and insulate your sensitive materials as you continue to complete the job at hand.
Safely Move Equipment
Site safety tips are never complete without addressing transportation. Safely moving your people is crucial, but moving your equipment demands equal attention to safety and other details. Tow trucks can be a liability when not properly managed. Tackling potential threats in advance is a great way to reduce your transportation risk once your deadline is on the horizon.
The best way to move your equipment is to create a scheduled workflow for all of your materials before your job begins. Knowing how your equipment will make it into and out of your job site can prevent nearly infinite problems. This ensures the safety of your crew while also keeping everyone on track. Once a job begins, things can get hectic fast, so be sure to secure these details before you enter the whirlwind of a construction job site.
Listen to Experts
Whether you are looking at digging, site extractions, or welding, every aspect of construction requires detailed thought and inspection. Sometimes, when you lack the proper expertise to tackle a certain aspect of your worksite, you can run into problems that quickly pile on top of one another. When you’re not sure how to approach an issue at your construction site, you should always defer to experts.
Of course, communication is a crucial component of any successful job site. Knowing how to communicate with your contractors and experts will put you miles ahead of others who fail to engage in productive discussions. Having lots of specialists and experts to speak to during your job will not only eliminate potential mistakes, but it will also make sure you are as safe as possible.
Pre-planning phases often benefit from talks with experts. Having a strong roadmap for your project will stop problems before they arrive. Similarly, ongoing meetings as the project progresses are keys to success in the construction business. Finally, you should also work with experts after your project so that you minimize worries about reaching the necessary safety specifications for your job. With expert insights guiding your every move, you can avoid common issues in construction work.
Taking care of your construction site from a safety perspective is just part of the challenge. By sticking to the industry’s top safety practices, you can dramatically reduce your risk for injury, equipment problems, and other issues on your worksite. Follow these tips and implement them the next time you are setting up and operating a construction site.
