The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) puts the annual injuries rate at construction sites higher than any other occupation.  People who work at construction sites are surrounded by heavy machinery and at times are required to work with power tools and lift heavy loads. If anything goes wrong in this environment sometimes severe injuries may occur.

Leading construction site hazards

Although construction sites run under strict regulations, human errors and mechanical failure present safety risks. Below are examples:

  1. Collapsing Trenches

Unstable ground and substandard materials cause buildings to tumble. Moreover, trenches can collapse and trap workers underneath, injure, or kill them.

Solutions:

  • Wear protective gear at all times.
  • Only use designated paths to enter and exit trenches and set up walkways within them. Also, trenches shouldn’t be more than 25 feet wide.
  • Re-evaluate the trench’s safety and structural resilience after heavy rain, excavation, or surface vibration.

 

  1. Falling

Falls account for the majority of worksite injuries. Many injuries occur on uneven surfaces due to incorrect use of protective gear or human error.

There are more than 24,500 injuries and approximately 35 deaths from ladder fall. Such occur when:

  • A ladder is not used properly
  • The wrong ladder type is used for a particular task
  • Structurally weak ladder with missing and broken parts, steps or cleats, bent frame, or has parts that should have been replaced
  • A ladder carrying a more massive load/ people than it should
  • Wet floor or contaminants that increase the risk of slips

Failsafe methods such as guardrails, safety nets, fall arrest systems, restraint systems, and covers reduce injuries and fatalities.

Solutions:

  • Use protective measures such as safety nets or body harnesses
  • Install aerial lifts or elevated platforms while working on high surfaces
  • Place warning lines or toeboards when work is to be done on walls and edges of tall buildings
  • Don’t leave holes on floors open

 

  1. Scaffolding

Scaffolds are temporary elevated platforms that are built around tall buildings. As these structures are built off the ground, a fall would be very disastrous.

Solutions:

  • Test all scaffolds for their ability to hold their own weight and of the workers before use.
  • A scaffold should be erected, dismantled, or changed under strict supervision.
  • Any part of the scaffold that is worn out should be replaced as soon as possible to avert accidents.
  • Only recommended material should be used to create the scaffolding platform – scaffold plank grade materials or its equal.
  • Any loose parts and riggings that are suspended from the scaffold must be inspected at the start and end of each shift every day as these may tamper with structural stability if connections are loose.

 

  1. Moving Objects

The dynamics of a construction site are never permanent – plans and building tools are changed each day. These bring about new hazards each day from heavy lifting and moving machines, digging and excavations in different places, and varying terrain.

Solutions:

Keeping workers safe is critical. Precautions include:

  • Be aware of changes in the environment, more so moving objects.
  • Standing away from heavy machines, especially if they don’t have lights or beepers.
  • Put on the right protective work attire, such as helmets and reflective jackets.

 

  1. Slips and Trips

People trip and fall all the time. While this comes about with the opportunity to have a good laugh, a bump in the wrong place is catastrophic. In construction sites, uneven terrain, wet floors, and sprawling building material are a common hazard.

Thousands of construction workers get injured each year after a trip or slip, and most of these cases are avoidable by managing the workspace and passageways.

Those in charge of the control site must be at the forefront of protecting other workers’ safety. All hazards should be documented and reported to keep a safe construction site.

Common triggers of slips and trips, and how to avert them include:

  • Uneven surfaces – to bypass uneven ground, better walkways should be erected, and all nooks and crannies well-lit to avoid trips.
  • Obstacles – the rule of thumb of every construction site is proper handling and storage of work tools. If tools are kept in their designated areas, the risk of tripping is reduced.
  • Trailing cables – unless there is proper cord management, opt for wireless tools.
  • Wet or slippery surfaces – Place stones in muddy places, and if ice forms on the surface, add some grit to it. Remember to include a warning in wet areas and have workers wear shoes with a firm grip.
  1. Excessive noise

Many tools used in construction sites rumble, screech, buzz, and roar. Extended exposure to loud noise damages your ears and can lead to permanent hearing loss. Both a loud explosion and repeated exposure to loud noise have the same harmful effect on the ears.

Solutions:

  • Wear protective gear over your ears to dampen much noise. However, best avoid the source of loud noise as high decibels damage even if for a few seconds.

 

  1. Airborne & Material exposure

Countless toxins in workplaces can severely damage your respiratory system. For instance, Lead, Chromium, Asbestos, and Cadmium can cause fires, chemical burns, and countless respiratory disorders.

Solutions:

  • Keep a record of all chemicals in the facility
  • Share with workers this information and what to do in case of exposure
  • Workers should be given protective gear to be used at all times in the construction site
  • Factory recommendations should be followed in handling dangerous chemicals
  • Store all chemicals in a safe spot to avoid on-site exposure

 

Conclusion

The main point in this is to train workers on how to guard their health at all times. Thousands of construction site injuries are avoidable if rules and regulations are followed to the latter. But where human error and failing machines trump, it is better to be prepared with the right precautions than to be caught off-guard. For example, wearing protective gear to protect vital areas should be mandatory to eliminate disability or death risk.