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How To Ensure That A Construction Site Is Completely Safe

We all want to ensure that our construction site is safe for our workers. Building a site that is safe and protective of employees takes a lot of planning and preparation, and there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. What you’ll need to do will depend on the size of your project, the type of work being performed, materials being used, and so forth. Read on to find out what you can do to make sure your construction site stays safe!

Secure The Perimeter Of The Site

The perimeter of your construction site is the first line of defense against non-employees entering a hazardous environment. If you’ve already determined where the boundaries for your project will be, then it’s time to build a fence around them. You can hire professionals to do this or you can purchase or rent materials yourself. You can even buy temporary fencing to protect the construction site during the initial stages. The point is that you want to ensure that no one can wander onto your lot unless they are someone who has been legally granted entry. 

If non-employees do somehow enter your construction site, it’s up to you to keep them out. For example, if a friend or family member insists on visiting, then you should ask them to wait outside the fence. If they refuse, you can call local law enforcement for assistance.

Proper Protective Equipment for Employees

No matter how well you prepare your construction site, there will always be accidents because employees are fallible. This means that no matter what safety precautions you take, people could still get hurt if they aren’t careful or aware of their surroundings. To keep your employees safe, you should make sure that they wear proper protective equipment (PPE) at all times. This includes steel-toe boots, hard hats, and safety goggles. Whenever possible, they should also wear protective vests and other pieces of clothing that will protect them from falls or objects. 

You can also make it a rule that people storing materials on site must store them in a way that makes them easy to retrieve but difficult for non-employees to reach. Likewise, you can ask workers carrying material or large tools to walk behind others so as not to shift their center of gravity unexpectedly.

Prevent Hazardous Items

In addition, make sure all employees know not to bring dangerous items onto the construction site. And if they do find dangerous items (such as thumbtacks or broken glass), make sure they report them immediately! Moreover, instruct everyone to empty their pockets before they get on the lot so that you can better secure them against these items. If possible, develop a system in which workers go through a check-in procedure at the gate every morning. Doing so will help keep outsiders off your construction site.

Protect Against Weather And Natural Disasters

If there are weather-related dangers that could affect your project, then you’re going to need to take extra steps for protection. For example, if you’re working outdoors and it’s wintertime, then this means that cold winds are an issue. To protect your employees from wind chills, make sure everyone wears gloves or mittens when outside during inclement weather. Likewise, if there are floods or hurricanes forecasted for your area, then you should consider this for your construction site. 

If flooding is a concern, then make sure that there are barriers to prevent water from getting onto the site, such as sandbags or large rocks. Hurricanes can destroy buildings and block off access to the sites; it’s up to you to either find ways around these problems or simply relocate.

Protect Against Accidents

Accidents happen on every project, and they’re bad news because they could cause damage and injuries (even death) without any warning. If possible, try to use equipment and tools that have been previously inspected by engineers to avoid accidents with those objects in the future. However, no matter what type of equipment is being used, workers must know how to operate them safely. If you have any concerns about the tools or equipment being used, then take it up with your employer to see if the matter can be rectified. You will also want to make sure that the site is as clutter-free as possible, as this can become a trip hazard if it’s not properly cleared away regularly. Hiring a dumpster from a roll off rental company local to you for the duration of your project can be a really smart idea, as this way there will be a clear place for people to put waste and it will encourage everyone to keep the site as tidy as possible. 

There are a lot of things that you can do to make sure your site is safe for your employees. This might include having a plan in case of an emergency, ensuring that workers don’t bring hazardous materials onto the job site, and planning out proper protective equipment for all employees. In addition, if there are natural disasters or weather-related accidents in your area, then be prepared for them with safety precautions.