Construction Workplace Health & Safety

According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), a division of the United States Department of Labor, about 6.5 million people work at 252,000 construction sites each day in the United States. There are more fatal injuries in the construction industry than any other industry. According to the University of Texas Arlington, accidents do not just happen, they are caused. Following safety guidelines can protect workers, equipment, and save lives.

Purpose

• The most common and dangerous safety hazards for construction workers include falling from a great height, trench or scaffold collapse, electric shock, failure to properly use safety equipment, and repetitive motion injuries. Safety rules, guidelines, and precautions exist to prevent and deter these hazards.

Function

• In order to comply with proper health and safety guidelines in the construction industry, different measures are taken in different situations. For example, works wear protective clothing like hardhats and electric resistant gloves. Flags, cones, and barriers are set up around work areas to alert other workers of operating machinery, maintenance work, or servicing. Danger, warning, and caution signs also provide extra visual aid.

Benefits

• The benefits of construction workplace health and safety are numerous. Properly using tools, machines, and vehicles can save fingers, limbs and lives. Using a hardhat can prevent head injuries. Wearing fall restraints and fall harnesses can prevent falling injuries. Adhering to health and safety guidelines can also save the lives of fellow workers and minimizes the damage to work equipment.

Equipment Safety

• Scaffolds allow workers to work above ground level. According to OSHA, scaffolds should be strong and rigid enough to carry its own weight and four times its maximum load capacity. Similarly, ladders should only carry its intended weight as instructed by the manufacturer. Even large equipment like a crane has a maximum load capacity that should not be exceeded. All equipment should be inspected before use. Equipment meant to raise a worker to a sufficient height should always be clear of power lines and electrical wiring. This prevents workers from accidentally touching live electrical lines.

Types

• Personal protective equipment (PPE) refers to equipment worn by workers to protect them from hazards. For example, safety glasses, face shields, eye and face protectors protect the face when welding. Construction boots tend to be steel-toed, slip resistant, and puncture resistant to protect the feet. Different gloves are used depending on the work. For example, electrical or insulated gloves are used for electrical work, but heavy duty rubber gloves are used for masonry. Hardhats are designed to protect the head from falling objects but are also insulated to protect the worker from accidentally bumping his head into an electrical line.