INVESTING IN SAFETY

Purchasing the right type of safety equipment is the best investment you can make. Your personal safety depends on being properly protected, and so does the safety of others around you. That includes employees, coworkers and anyone who visits your construction site.

You might be building a massive housing project, or you might be doing a small home renovation. No matter what type of job you are undertaking, there are plenty of hazards- and the potential for injuries. The first step in protecting yourself and other workers is to recognize dangerous situations and do everything you can to minimize or eliminate them. The next step is to ensure all necessary safety equipment is in place and that everyone knows how to use it properly.

THE MAIN CONSTRUCTION HAZARDS AND PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

All construction sites come with their own sets of hazards, but there are common hazards that can be found at many work sites. They include:

• Falls from heights
• Vision impairment
• Respiration problems
• Collisions and accidents
• General safety concerns
• Do-it-yourself safety hazards
• Marking Tape
• Safety Tape
• Sound protection

1. FALLS

One of the biggest causes of serious construction site injuries is falling from high heights. The best way you can prevent falls is by having safeguards in place. Since that is not always possible, though, every worker who is at risk of a fall needs to wear a fall arrest apparatus like a self-retracting lifeline and full-body harness.

You also need to make sure everyone is trained in how to wear their fall arrest gear correctly. They should understand how to fit it to themselves and how to properly secure it to the anchor point.

The correct ladders should also be used and ladders should never be positioned on uneven ground or other unstable surfaces. Even when harnesses are utilized, incorrect ladder usage can result in injury if they become unstable.

2. VISION IMPAIRMENT

Eye protection is another major injury preventer. Your eyes are exposed to many hazards around a construction project. Flying debris is only one form of potential eye damage. You might also be exposed to dust, caustic materials, liquid chemicals, harmful gases and sharp objects.