Keeping your team safe at work is more than good practice. It’s also the law. Where no safety plan in the world can prevent 100% of accidents, too many organization’s safety practices fail to go far enough. They even miss out on the basics., like communicating hazards and fall protection.
Construction was accountable for 20.7% of worker fatalities in 2017, which demonstrates serious room for improvement not only among the Fatal Four (falls, electrocutions, caught-in/between, struck by object), but in safety generally.
Are your construction workers at risk from hidden dangers? Maybe.
What Hidden Dangers Threaten Workers?
All construction workers know about the hazards caused by noise, working at heights, and slips, trips, and falls. These come up over and over again in OSHA training.
Construction sites focus on meeting OSHA safety requirements, but some dangers may fall through the cracks or may be unique to your site. Some of these threats include:
- Falling debris
- Sun and heat
- Vibration of tools (causing Blue Finger/Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome)
- Airborne materials
- Power lines and cables
- Violating access restrictions
In many instances, these threats are avoidable. Yet, electrocutions and being struck by objects are not only causes of fatalities but some of the most common causes of workplace injuries and deaths.
Construction Hazards Threaten All Workers, But They Don’t Have To
So many of the threats that face construction workers and those who support them can be mitigated and prevented through two core principles: regular health and safety training and the use of proper protective equipment (PPE).
The impact of safety training and interventions for workers is undeniable, and a huge amount of scientific literature supports the need for not only comprehensive but regular training. These studies also include the importance of training irregular or temp workers as part of your cohort, particularly as these workers are most at risk for injury or death on construction sites.
One study even found that not only did training improve safety culture on site, but the participants supported the mandatory training. They said not only did they feel safer at work, but they also so a positive change in their working environment.
Are Your Staff Safe on Your Site?
Keeping your staff safe is your number one job on any construction site. If you can do that, then productivity will follow. Yet, the construction industry still suffers from an unfortunate number of workplace deaths.
Training is one of the most important ways to protect every worker on-site, from your foreman to someone who is filling in for a week or a month. It’s a little thing that goes a long way towards improving culture and preventing accidents.
Do you have questions about hiring and handling temp construction workers?
Energi Personnel is a leader in construction support staffing in Midland, Texas. Staff your site with knowledgable workers, contact us today.
