Construction Work: Dangers and How to Avoid Them

Construction Work

Construction Work

If you’re working on a construction site, then you face a greater danger of suffering a workplace injury or illness than if you were working elsewhere. There are plenty of hazards to be found on a construction site. Many of them are only dangerous when workers lack experience; others are dangerous only when workers are overconfident and stuck in their ways.

As such, it’s vital that we take stock of safety concerns and how to address them, whether we’ve been on the job for forty years or just a day.

Induction

Before starting work on a site, making sure that you’re properly inducted is vital. This will make you aware of all of the hazards you might encounter while you’re working.

Wear PPE

Personal protective equipment comes in a range of forms – from goggles to hard-hats to protective gloves. Wearing it could make the difference!

Tidy

A tidy workspace is one where an accident is much less likely. Trip hazards underfoot can be particularly problematic. Make sure that you get into the habit of clearing your workspace before you finish for the day.

Follow Procedures

Site procedures are there for a reason. Following them will help you to avoid suffering an accident, or putting others at risk. Site safety procedures should be implemented following a thorough risk assessment.

Report

Site workers can play a hugely important role in identifying risk before it has a chance to inflict harm. If you spot a potential accident waiting to happen, therefore, you should make sure that it’s reported promptly and thoroughly. Sites should have a procedure in place for you to do this.

Use Correct Equipment

Particular jobs demand particular kinds of equipment. Improvising can play a role in keeping you productive, but it should never be done at the expense of safety. The safety concerns inherent in things like circular saws mean that adapting them poses a risk.

Act Safely

This might seem like a pretty broad instruction – but treating the site with respect will go a long way toward preventing accidents from occurring. Don’t do anything to put yourself or others at risk.

Communicate Clearly

Being able to communicate with others will help to avoid crossed wires, which in some instances can be deadly. If you’re working on the same area of the site at the same time from different angles, then you run the risk of causing a concern for one another. This applies especially to workers who can’t see one another.

Ask for Help

If you’re unsure of what to do next, then asking for help can be a simple way to address the issue. Don’t suffer in silence because you’re shy, or ashamed that you need help. Just raise the problem and get it addressed.

Never Work in Unsafe Areas

If you can perceive a hazard in a given workspace, then don’t accept the risk – even if it might appear small. If you take a small risk enough times, it becomes almost inevitable that it will one day hurt you.