Two tips for preventing injuries on a construction site

A construction site can be quite a hazardous environment to work in. Here are two things that can be done to prevent injuries from occurring on a building site:

Be extremely careful when transporting heavy building materials

Construction projects often require workers to handle and transport heavy building materials, such as concrete slabs, for example. The process of manually carrying or using equipment to transport these materials can endanger both the individual performing the work and those around them.

If for instance, a forklift is used to transport a stack of concrete slabs from one part of a construction site to another, there is a chance that one or more of the slabs could fall off the forks, onto a nearby labourer. Being struck by such a heavy, large item could leave a person with serious injuries.

As such, it is critical for site employees who have been tasked with moving heavy building materials to take certain precautions. For example, when using heavy construction equipment to move materials, they should check that the equipment itself is in good condition and that the load is securely fastened before they start operating the vehicle.

When they need to manually move heavy materials, they should make sure that they employ safe lifting techniques when picking up the load (such as, for example, bending their knees) so that they don't strain their back, neck or shoulder muscles.

They should also avoid carrying too many heavy items at once so that they do not end up dropping these items onto their feet at any point (this type of impact could fracture or even crush both of their feet).

Wear the appropriate safety gear

Wearing the right type of safety gear can significantly reduce a construction worker's chances of being injured during the course of their workday on a building site.

A hard hat, for example, can protect the wearer from a skull fracture if a heavy object is dropped onto their head.

Likewise, wearing safety goggles can prevent a person from sustaining an eye injury, if a shard of broken glass becomes airborne or if the paint or solvents they are using splatter onto their face.

Similarly, wearing fall protection (i.e., a harness) when standing in the boom of a scissor lift or other elevated work platform can reduce an individual's risk of falling and hurting themselves if they trip or if the equipment itself becomes unstable.


Share