Some employment industries are more risky than others. Although these certain fields can be more dangerous, the work still needs to get done. The construction industry is one of these fields. Construction workers are tasked with creating brand new structures, as well as remodeling and renovating poorly built and dangerous structures. They may be required to work on shaky sub floors or many stories high. With a field that is so high in danger, it is necessary to have some safety precautions set. This helps a business reduce liability and the amount of accidents and injuries it?s employees sustain.
Fall protection system A carefully laid out fall protection system is needed in any type of job that requires the employees to go many stories up in the air. The specific fall protection system will likely depend on how high the project is, how dangerous the height is, and the exterior conditions. For example, if construction contractors are installing windows in a high rise, 25 stories up, they might need a safety net, just in case.
In the same situation, they may also be attached to strong safety ropes. These safety ropes are attached to the building. This way, if the contractor were to fall, they would be caught by the marine rope or lifting chains, suffering at most from a broken nose or teeth. Although this may sound painful, it is ideal when compared with a fall from 25 stories up. Fall protection courses can also help with understanding necessary safety precautions.
Pay attention to equipment load limits Many construction equipment serve a valuable and convenient purpose. Some of them may even make specific jobs safer for employees. However, you should never exceed a piece of equipment?s recommended weight bearing. Lifting chains, for example, should only lift and hold onto weights that are set in the manual. Using lifting chains on higher weights decreases the success of the crane service and makes it harder to ensure proper fall protection.
Follow OHSA limitations OHSA is responsible for setting safety standards for many employment industries, including the construction field. They have specifically tested out weight limits and have come up with set standards of minimum and maximum weight restrictions. For example, OHSA requires that fall protection be provided at elevations of four feet in general industry workplaces, five feet in shipyards, six feet in the construction industry, and eight feet in longshoring operations. Read and remember the OHSA handbook for the specific field of construction that you work in.
Provide your employees with the right equipment When an employee gets injured on the job, the company is liable for damages. This could result hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution. It is the businesses duty to provide its employees with the necessary safety trainings and equipment. Workers who are six feet or more above lower levels are at risk for serious injury or death if they should fall. To protect these workers, employers must provide fall protection and the right equipment for the job, including the right kind of ladders, scaffolds, hook rigging, and safety gear.
Understand the risks and how to prevent them The best way to prevent injuries on the job is to understand the risks. Although most construction companies provide their employees with trainings, it is the contractor?s duty to take these courses seriously and to learn from them. Some services, such as crane service, should never be allowed without the completion of the courses. It can also be helpful to understand the different types of fall prevention systems. Fall arrest is of two major types, general fall arrest, such as nets, and personal fall arrest, such as lifelines.
Many do not realize how risky and dangerous the construction industry can be. Construction workers often trek up many floors, or work in dangerous working conditions. As a construction business owner, it is still important to provide your employees with a safe and low risk environment, which requires the purchase of safety equipment that has been tested and inspected, such as high quality lifting chains.