Construction accidents can be prevented by implementing a number of safety measures, including:
Worker training
Proper site management
Providing appropriate safety means and equipment
Equipment maintenance
For each type of accident common on construction sites, there are specific ways to train workers, manage sites, and ensure the correct equipment is available and used.
We will review some of these methods here.
Common construction accidents can be prevented
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that falls and electrical shocks represent the most common construction accidents.
For each type of accident, on-site workers and supervisors must implement a variety of important preventative measures.
How can construction accidents be prevented during falls?
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports that approximately 30% of deaths in the construction industry are due to falls, these accidents are the number one cause of death in the industry.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that businesses take the following measures to protect their workplaces from falls from heights:
Make sure workers have the proper safety equipment they need to work at heights.
Before you begin any task, plan ahead for safety protocols.
Ensure that workers receive appropriate training on the use of all construction equipment in general and safety equipment in particular.
So that work can be carried out safely on scaffolds, ladders, decks and throughout the construction job site.
OSHA considers falls to be a significant hazard in the construction industry.
The agency also has a fall protection standard. According to OSHA, construction contractors and workers avoid potentially dangerous falls by using ladders and scaffolds safely.
Caulking floor openings and marking opening covers, protecting the site perimeter, and using appropriate fall arrest equipment.
How does a fall happen?
In their analysis of work-related accidents, the BLS identifies a wide range of types of falls that occur in the construction industry, which include falls:
Through openings or existing surfaces
Of stacked or stacked materials
From surfaces
From the stairs
Of scaffolding
Down a flight of stairs or steps
Of structural steel, such as a building beam
to lower levels
Of fixed vehicles
From collapse of equipment or structures
From the sidewalk, floor or ground level
How can construction accidents be prevented?
Striking accidents occur on construction sites in a number of ways, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and workers can be injured by:
Falling objects
Flying objects
Rolling objects
Oscillating objects
Cranes, trucks and other heavy equipment and vehicles are common sources of accidents.
Tools and particles may fly or fall, injuring workers, and walls may fall during construction, injuring nearby workers on site.
Here are some ways OSHA suggests avoiding collisions on the construction site:
Wear your seat belt.
Inspect vehicles before shifts.
Use a reverse alarm when backing up.
Avoid driving in unsafely constructed areas.
Certification of all forklift operators.
In traffic, use flags, banners and barricades, in addition to wearing orange vests.
Inspect cranes, hoists and tools before using them.
Use guardrails on scaffolds, as well as barriers, toe boards and debris nets.
Training workers on how to operate electrical tools safely
Safe tools to prevent them from falling.
Maintain compressed air at 30 psi when using it for cleaning.
Use hard hats, face shields, goggles, safety glasses, and other protective equipment.
Never operate under suspended loads.
Instructions that include these suggestions will help achieve proper construction crew training, enhance safety and reduce accidents.
Preventing construction accidents
People involved in accidents distinguish themselves by the cause of injury, in the event of an accident, the impact of the body causes injury to the victim.
On the other hand, in the event of an accident between two accidents, the victim suffers an injury as a result of being crushed between objects.
Examples of these types of accidents include:
The worker is caught or pulled into machinery or equipment.
Trench or cave wall excavation.
The worker is crushed between moving, sliding or rolling objects, such as a semi-truck and a wall.
Follow OSHA requirements for having a trained, competent person on site during excavation to inspect the work site, identify hazards, and take any required action.
Only use properly guarded machines and know how to detect unsafe machine conditions.
Train workers on tagging/lockout procedures (lowering bulldozer blades, blocking vehicle wheels, shutting down vehicles before repair).
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