Safety First in Construction

Safety is a serious matter in construction. The hazardous tasks taken on by construction workers to build, repair and maintain our buildings and physical infrastructure lend this group to incur the greatest number of fatal injuries in the private sector.  Accidents are not always avoidable, but some can be prevented.  To reduce injuries and fatalities it’s essential to why they happen and how to avoid them. Consider the following safety steps to better understand ways to avoid workplace accidents.

·         Know the risk- Training programs increase the awareness of the dangers present in various jobs, in addition to finding safe and productive ways to perform the task, minimizing the risk. Employers are responsible for ensuring there is adequate training.

·         Proper equipment is key- Not only is functioning construction equipment essential to performing a task safely, time needs to be dedicated to maintaining the equipment and training employees on its exact use.

·         Road safety-Many workplace injuries and deaths occur on the road. Make sure drivers are well-rested and avoid multi-tasking and distractions such as talking on a cell phone.

·         Safe physical behaviors- Encourage employees to begin the work day with stretches to prepare their bodies for the hard work ahead of them.  Then, make sure to teach safe lifting techniques to avoid back injuries, pulled muscles, and spinal injuries.  Provide training so tools are used ergonomically correct. Remind workers to avoid squatting or kneeling and provide a stable stool to avoid unnecessary strain.  Taking the time to stage materials in a logical way prevents injuries. Finally, remind employees the importance of adequate sleep and rest; being overtired creates undue risk.

Being proactive is the best way to avoid accidents at the workplace.  There is no place where safety is more important than in the field of construction work.

The Importance of Accident Investigation

Safety means accident prevention.  No where is this more important that in the construction industry.  An accident is an unplanned event due to the failure of people, equipment, supplies or surroundings. Accident investigation can help determine how and why the failure occured. What is learned from an accident investigation can help prevent future or even worse scenarios.  Training employees how to help with accident investigation will help the overall safety of a construction operation.

Why should accidents be investigated?

Prevention is a key reason to accident investigation, which leads to heightened safety. Investigating accidents should have an emphasis on determining the cause. Finding fault is not as beneficial as finding facts that can lead to actions.  This mentality will help illuminate prevention for the future.

Reasons to investigate a construction accident:

• Most importantly, determining the cause to prevent similar accidents in the future
• Fulfill any legal requirements
• Figure out the cost of an accident
• Determine compliance with applicable safety regulations
• Process workers’ compensation claims

Who should investigate the accident?

In an ideal situation, a person experienced in accident causation would investigate the accident.  He or she would benefit from having full knowledge of the work processes, procedures, persons, and environment of a particular situation.  It can be benefical to have the supervisor help with the investigation as well.  However, it’s important that supervisor shortcomings are not overlooked as part of the investigation.

Looking for the main cause.

When an accident occurs, it’s rarely due to a single event or cause. The investigator should equally look at how unsafe conditions and unsafe acts led to the accident.  Notice how a quick conclusion of worker carelessness as the cause of the accident overlooks other questions that include:

• Did the worker have the proper training? If no, why not?
• Was there a distraction? If yes, what was the distraction and why did it distract the worker?
• Were safety procedures being followed?  If no, why not?
• Were safety devices followed and in working order? If no, why not?

An investigation that asks these questions can allow for a more open inquiry to reveal circumstances that could be corrected.

What steps should be followed during an accident investigation?

The investigation should start as soon as possible so conditions can be observed immediately.  Starting immediately prevents a disturbance to evidence and witnesses. It is helpful to have an accident invesigation kit that could include, paper, pencil, camera, and tape measure.

Following these steps can make for an effective accident investigation process:

• Report the accident to the designated person
• Provide first aid and medical care to injured person(s) and prevent further injuries or damage
• Investigate the accident
• Identify the causes
• Report the findings
• Develop a plan for corrective action
• Implement the plan
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the corrective action
• Make changes for continuous improvement

ProActive Safety Services can provide expert consultation and services to help businesses establish or improve their own safety program. And, this can be done by integrating the client’s already existing program.  Through the accident reporting program, training can be provided to help create an effective accident investigation system.

This article has been produced for proActive Safety Services by third party

Construction Fall Safety Plan

It is critical that all construction sites develop a fall protection safety plan. Fall safety plans should be discussed with an OSHA area officer prior to implementation. The purpose of a fall safety plan is to ensure that all employees have the knowledge to work safely on a construction site.

Falls are the leading cause of construction worker fatalities in the United States.  Each year over 100,000 workers are injured as a result of falls at construction sites. Given that falls are generally the result of a variety of factors complex factors, it is important to have a fall safety plan in place on every construction site. OSHA suggests that employers and employees consider the following on all construction sites:

• Select fall protection systems appropriate for given situations.
• Use proper construction and installation of safety systems.
• Supervise employees properly.
• Use safe work procedures.
• Train workers in the proper selection, use, and maintenance of all protection systems.

A fall safety plan is going to vary based on the type of fall protection necessary for a given job site. A good plan will address conventional protection as well as identify specific areas that will require special attention. The most effective plans are designed to ensure that employers and employees are able to recognize the specific fall hazards on a job site. Once hazards are recognized safest procedures should be implemented to ensure the prevention of falls from upper-levels, through holes or openings and in walking and working surfaces.

A good fall safety plan for any construction site should be designed to allow employers and employees to recognize the fall hazards on every job site.  The plan should establish specific procedures that are to be followed in order to prevent falls. Each employee should be trained and adhere to the fall plan. If the plan exposes anyone at the site to a greater hazard, the specific concerns should be addressed by the foreman or trained safety personnel to address the concerns before proceeding.

One of the best ways to prevent falls on a construction site is to limit access to hazardous locations. Clearly defined controlled access zones should be in place before any protection systems are implemented. Make sure all controlled access zones are in place before beginning of construction. For all controlled access zones there must be physical barriers to only allow authorized and fall prevention trained employee’s entrance.

A written fall protection work plan is critical for construction safety. A comprehensive plan should cover conventional construction sites as well as maintenance and repair work. A fall protection plan should also be established for any vehicles which elevate employees. It is important to realize that fall hazards vary depending on the work site. All fall hazards should be identified prior to work. Once hazards have been identified, a fall plan must describe methods that will be put in place to arrest the fall and restraints to prevent a person from falling. All construction safety plans should describe the procedures for assembly, maintenance, inspection, and disassembly of the protection systems to be used

Construction Safety Issues

The first steps to better safety on a construction site is understanding and eliminating the risks.  There are safety issues on any construction site.  Anyone involved in construction knows that a construction site is full of safety hazards.  Eliminating as many construction safety hazards as possible is a key to a better and safer working environment.  The first step to reducing construction accidents is to know and understand the major causes of construction accidents.

Falls are one of the major safety risks on most construction sites. Almost any construction involves employees climbing.  All construction sites must have a safety plan that contains specific provisions for fall risks. Falls from ladders, scaffolds, or unprotected sides are some of the major causes of injury on construction sites.  It is imperative that all construction sites have well thought out plans to prevent falls.

Electrical accidents are another leading cause of accidents on a construction site. Most construction equipment requires an electrical power source and construction workers must often work in close proximity to power lines. One of the easiest ways to prevent electrical accidents on a construction site is to make sure workers are wearing adequate protection to reduce the risk of electrical shock.  Occupational Safety and Health Administration has set out specific guidelines and requirements to help prevent the incidence of electrical accidents on a construction site.

Being struck by heavy equipment on a construction site is a common accident. Besides heavy equipment on a construction site, there are also risks associated with being struck by falling objects or debris. With the large amount of trucks, cranes, tractors, and forklifts on construction sites there are huge safety risks.  While hard-hats are mandatory on construction sites there are many other vulnerable parts to the human body that are at risk from contact with heavy equipment and falling objects.

It is important that construction safety guidelines and requirements are closely followed on any job site in order to minimize accident risk. A construction safety service company may be a good place to get safety training and guidance to help ensure a safe construction site.

Construction Safety Videos

Safety training is the most effective way to decrease injuries on a construction site. There are over 3 million non-fatal occupational injures across the nation each year according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Worker injuries cost businesses millions of dollars each year due to loss of productivity. Many businesses, especially construction businesses, are seeking cost effective ways to provide safety training for their employees. Fortunately, there are a variety of safety service companies that provide training videos that focus on safety and safety education in the workplace.

For most construction worksites safety training is required and necessary. One effective way to deliver safety training is to provide employees with safety videos. Training videos provide effective safety training. Safety videos are easy to comprehend, can visually show proper safety procedures, and are available in multiple languages. Good safety training helps reduce the number of injuries and deaths on a job site. Safety videos are an effective way to lower property damage, limit legal liability, and increase productivity. Construction training and safety videos are an effective and cheap way to provide quality safety education to workers.

There are a variety of safety videos available that specifically deal with workplace safety for construction workers. These videos adhere to OSHA standards in practices and deal with the various safety concerns that are often present on a construction site. Training videos that focus on preventing slips and falls and correcting fall hazards are extremely effective. Other videos reinforce general safe practices on a construction site.  These safety videos are good at identifying many of the various hazards that are present on a construction site that may be taken for granted. Other videos focus on using aerial lifts and how best to reduce accidents caused by poor aerial lift techniques, which is one of OSHA’s top violations on construction sites. The videos cover proper use of body harnesses, equipment inspection and best lift practices. Even simple equipment training such as ladder safety videos can be very effective at lowering the incidence of accidents. Safety videos that focus on ladder safety are very effective at showing proper ladder placement and common unsafe uses of ladders on construction sites.

A great way to emphasize safe working conditions and satisfy OSHA regulation for safety education is to utilize safety videos in a training program. Videos are effective way show common hazards and to develop a good safe working culture on a job site.  Because of the many hazards that are associated with working on a construction site there are a large variety of construction safety videos available. These videos can be used for initial training and also to reinforce good safe practices on the job site.  Workplace injuries carry huge personal and financial costs for construction companies and there are a variety of resources available to ensure proper safety training and reinforcement.

One of the best ways to implement a comprehensive safety training program is to contact a safety consultant company. These companies specialize in the best ways to develop a safe work culture on a construction site and identify easy cost effective ways to satisfy OSHA regulations.

Construction Safety Training

Construction safety training is cheap compared to the cost of injuries, damaged equipment, and decreased productivity. How do contractors efficiently and effectively train work crews? The first step is to identify what type of training employees need and then evaluate what to invest in.  It is important to research what types of training options are available, evaluate availability, and make sure the training falls within the budget. Often the hardest part of construction safety training is to figure out how best to integrate the training into the day to day operation of the job site without cutting back on productivity.

There are a number of effective ways to train construction crews for safety and efficiency while they are on the job site. Well trained workers mean less chance of accidents and more efficient performance from the crew. Several companies now offer onsite safety and equipment training in order to ensure employees are technically efficient before setting foot on a job site.  For example, Caterpillar has developed a certifying leaning center in Mesa, Arizona which provides operators with operational and safety training via either instructors or web-based courses. As with many safety and equipment programs these courses offer pre- and post-testing to measure how much learning has taken place to help ensure that when someone gets certified that they have met all of the necessary criteria for operation and safety.

Contractors that have good safety programs and are aggressive about implementing their programs have good safety records and higher productivity. Simply creating a safety program does not guarantee a safer job site or better trained workers. It is important to have a process in place that is designed to ensure safety outcomes – a program that is tied to increased performance.  Just because a safety program is in place does not mean that there will be a significant decrease in accidents or broken equipment. With an increased emphasis on safety for construction sites it is now possible for even small contractors who might not have a huge safety budget to use online software, videos, or other internet support systems to train employees. These new safety and instructional tools are ideal to help improve safety records and decrease accidents on the job site.

Construction Safety: Pre-Task Planning

Involving construction workers in the safety training process has become a new trend.  The success of doing so has been invaluable.  One way to involve construction workers is through pre-task planning.  Just as the name implies, pre-task planning are mini-meetings held prior to performing a specific task.

Research has shown that projects employing pre-task planning throughout the entire construction process are having better safety ratings.  See how to make your construction site safer by implementing pre-task planning meetings.

It used to be widely accepted that construction was a dangerous job.  Accidents and injury were just part of the job description.  Luckily this mentality has changed.  Starting in the 1990s, innovative safety programs and trainings were introduced.  These programs included: including worker observation programs, worker safety perception surveys, root cause analyses of near misses, pre-task planning, and a host of other techniques. Many believe that of these, the most significant method for improving safety was pre-task planning.

Pre-task planning are meetings that are held just before the work is performed.  It is like mini-training.  Depending on the day, job site and tasks at hand will determine the amount of pre-task planning meetings you have.  At times, you may just have 1 a day.  Other days you may have 4 or 5. Typically, these meetings are held at the crew level, usually by a foreman of the group.  Although, a lead person or crew member with more experience may be the best facilitator.  Initially, the meeting is to review the work plan.  The crew discusses the work to be done.  This is done so that all workers have the same expectation of how the task will be accomplished.  Knowing how the work will be distributed amongst the crew is another component of a pre-task planning meeting.

Once the general work plan has been discussed, the safety and health aspects are addressed.  It is vital to identify the hazards that will likely be encountered.  Workers should ask: “How might someone be injured with the planned procedure?” When answering this question, one should think about materials being used, tools and equipment, knowledge of the crew, location, conditions, and group dynamics.

After the potential hazards are identified, attempts are made to modify the work plan to eliminate the hazards.  Changing the basic approach, rearranging the sequence of events, or using different tools may all be ways to alleviate the potential danger. Not all hazards can be eliminated.  Safeguards need to be introduced to help.  Potential safeguards include: using guardrails or wearing personal protective equipment. By having crew members carefully consider the work procedure, it then becomes easier to be more aware of potential pitfalls.  Once the hazards are known, it is easier to address them.

Once the plan is agreed upon the task is performed.  When a new task surfaces, it will be necessary for the group to reconvene to do another pre-task planning meeting. A construction crew might have a single pre-task planning meeting in a work day or the crew might have several pre-task planning meetings in a single day.

Construction can be a dangerous business.  It is important that safety measures are taken and that trainings occur regularly to keep a crew informed.  Using pre-task planning more than perhaps any other approach, brings the workers into the decision-making process that directly impacts their own safety performances.  And this makes the construction site a much safer place.

Carbon Monoxide is Deadly for Construction Workers

Breathing in harmful chemicals poses a serious risk for construction workers.  To increase their safety, it’s important to provide training on how to lessen their risk of exposure to dangerous chemicals.  Exposure to carbon monoxide is especially dangerous because it doesn’t have a taste or smell and it can’t be seen.  Worse yet, it can kill within a few minutes.  Learn about the dangers of carbon monoxide poisoning and protect the safety of your construction workers.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is the leading cause of accidental death in the U.S. Early symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning include headaches, nausea, and fatigue.  These are often mistaken for the flu, because the deadly gas goes undetected in a home. However, prolonged exposure can lead to brain damage and even death.

You can provide a training to increase awareness on carbon monoxide poisoning by showing OSHA’s Portable Gas-Powered Equipment video.  In this video construction workers are working to frame and finish a basement renovation project.  A gasoline-powered wet saw is being used.  The mistake the workers are making is that there is no fresh air coming into the basement.  So, the workers are breathing in the exhaust from the wet concrete saw.  The exhaust from the saw contains carbon monoxide.  After three hours of being exposed without proper ventilation, the individuals die.  It’s important to stress the workers didn’t see, taste or smell the exhaust, so they had no idea they were in any danger!

OSHA has clear information which indicates any fuel-powered tool could potentially cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Portable generators, space heaters, like salamanders, trowels and pumps can all give off carbon monoxide and lead to poisoning. How do you prevent this gas from poisoning construction workers?  Hydraulic or pneumatic tools do not produce carbon monoxide.  Regardless, whenever indoor construction is taking place, it is critical that proper ventilation is established.

Take time to provide training for your construction crew on the dangers of carbon monoxide.  Like many accidents in construction, prevention is key.  Help your construction crew build in systems so that carbon monoxide poisoning is avoided!

Recognizing and Disciplining Construction Work Behavior

Construction work is serious work. Safety has to be a top priority.  And, providing trainings to help maintain construction safety is key.  One training program uses the psychological theory that behavior is based on consequences.  Quite simply, safe actions are reinforced through effective feedback so the action is repeated in the future.  Unsafe actions are immediately corrected through feedback.  As safe actions are continually recognized overall safety performance can increase.  Conversely, unsafe actions that are corrected, theoretically will be less likely to reoccur.  Learn more about how to implement a safety recognition and disciplinary action program for your construction team.

A lot of research has taken place to identify how accidents occur, in the past it has been described using a domino metaphor.  Many factors can lead to accidents.  If the factors happen continuously, one pushing into another, an accident results.  And accidents can vary in severity, from damaged materials and equipment, to serious injury or loss of life.  Using the domino metaphor, by putting a break in the chain of events, or factors that lead up to accident, results in accident prevention.

Many feel that avoiding unsafe behaviors and reinforcing safe behaviors are the most direct means to preventing accidents.  The basis of this idea rests in a common psychological theory.  The theory posits that consequences direct behavior.  The consequences are feedback related the behavior.  Good behavior in this industry is safe behavior.  And, good behavior should be recognized on the spot, as well at meetings and other appropriate opportunities.  Bad or unsafe behavior needs to corrected immediately.  And, it should be done in a supportive, non-embarrassing manner.  The critical ingredient to this theory working is that the consequences, or feedback, have to be immediate.

Previous studies have found that safety recognition has become a best practice in the construction industry, especially when reaching for the zero injury objectives.  While informal, immediate feedback is powerful.  Accident reduction becomes even more sustained when a formal safety plan has been put into place.  Factors that aid a formal safety plan include: frequency of safety incentive, safety incentives for the foremen and using safety incentive plans where a zero injury objective was in pursuit. When putting in place a safety recognition program, consider other factors that have led to success.  Other factors that contributed to an effective program happened when the owner provided more funds than the amount set aside to achieve safety.  Also, when the owner participated in the recognition program performance was better.

Past research points out that safety recognition and disciplinary programs are effective. However, research doesn’t clearly lay out how to develop and implement a program geared towards safety recognition and discipline.  Below are a few best practices to consider when designing a safety recognition and disciplinary program.

• The program should be a reflection of the safety philosophy of the project / company.
• Some feel monetary rewards make an effective program, while others feel investing money into safety programs and training is more worthwhile.
• In the later, immediate and sincere feedback reinforcing and recognizing the safe behavior is crucial.  A small reward such as baseball cap, coupon or gift certificate would be acceptable.
• Consider recognizing safety performances, attendance and/or crew performances.

Make sure safety is the top priority of your construction project.  Using a safety recognition and disciplinary program can act as training to help your construction employees achieve zero injury status.

Importance Of A Drug-Free Workplace

 

 

Safety in the workplace means there is no room for drug abuse.  However, drug abuse is a serious problem that affects the productivity of American businesses.  It is estimated that a hundred billion dollars a year is lost because of insurance claims, paid sick leave, theft and accidents due to drug use.

One way to reduce drug use losses is to implement a drug-testing system. Nowhere is drug testing more important than in the construction industry.  It is a safety service that can dramatically lower drug related losses because it helps eliminate the hiring of those who participate in drug use. 

A study from Cornell done in 2000 found that construction companies that tested workers and job applicants had a 51% reduction in injury rates within 2 years of starting the drug-testing program.  The reduction in accidents results in substantial savings on workers’ compensation premiums. 

Not only are there health and financial benefits, but implementing a drug-testing program can make for a better work environment for employees.  Employers and employees share similar goals.  In particular, both parties want the business to succeed.  In order to do so there has to be productive employees.  If a business decides not to drug test, there could be a greater chance of hiring a person who can’t find employment because of substance abuse.

 

Why is drug testing a good idea?

•  Drug users are three times more likely to call in sick.
•  Even though drug users are absent more often, they are four times more likely to cause accidents on the job. 

 

What are the different types of drug screening?

•  Random drug testing
•  Reasonable suspicion drug testing
•  Annual drug testing
•  After treatment drug testing

 

What are the different kinds of drug tests available?

• Urine—considered the staple because of ease in administration and quick results
• Saliva
• Hair—most accurate but sample needs to be sent to a lab

 

By using drug testing, employers are more likely to hire a productive team.  The benefits of a productive workforce far outweigh the costs of drug-testing.  Safety and productivity can be achieved creating the kind of environment in which people want to work.  Consider adding drug testing to your safety services. Then enjoy a high level of safety, productivity and morale that benefits both employer and employees.