Working on an unsafe job site can lower employee morale and drive up costs. Ensuring the safety of the workers should be top priority for construction company owners.
How safe is your New York City construction worksite? If it’s lacking in any way, the following tips may make it safer:
Advance planning
Long before the first worker shows up to break ground, extensive planning should be undertaken to delineate the tasks that will take place on the job site. Safety personnel should identify and address any potential safety hazards by implementing preventative measures. Project managers must communicate safety regulations and emergency protocols to the workers, as well as make sure they are appropriately trained and given the right tools and safety equipment.
Many construction workers are seriously injured and killed in falls from heights, so this is an ongoing area of concern on construction cites all over the five boroughs. There should be no open, unmarked holes and scaffolds must be erected and dissembled according to strict protocols.
Risk management
Research conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) determined that the highest number of construction site deaths happen from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and peak around 12 p.m. Also, three-quarters of fatal accidents occur in the four-day span from Monday to Thursday.
Contractors can use this information to their benefits by scheduling safety meetings at noon in the early part of the week. That means all the workers should have safety on their minds during the most dangerous parts of the work week.
The workers can contribute to the overall culture of safety by reporting security and safety breaches they observe or to which they are made aware.
Did you suffer an on-the-job injury at your New York City construction site? You may need to look into filing for workers’ compensation benefits to recoup some of your losses.
