Useful Tips To Help You Stay Safe On A Construction Site
By: John Garcia | Date Posted: May 12, 2022
Table of Contents
Stay Safe On A Construction Site
If youâre visiting a construction site for any reason, you probably know that you need to take steps to ensure your safety. What you might not be so sure about is how you actually do that. The following will explore a few useful tips you can keep in mind while on a construction site to help ensure your safety and the safety of those around you.
Understand Every Site Is Different
First and foremost, you need to understand that construction sites can vary wildly. The type of equipment, toxins, hazards, and risks present at construction sites can also vary. This means that while the below can help you reduce risks while on a construction site, you should always consider a particular siteâs safety precautions in addition to standard advice.
If youâre researching this topic because harm has already occurred and you feel like there should have been steps taken to better prevent it, reach out to a construction accident lawyer to discuss legal standards for safety and negligence in your state. The rules vary from state to state about what preventative measures and safety precautions need to be in place.
Donât Go Alone
When visiting a construction site, youâre hopefully not going to encounter any dangers.
That said, if you harm yourself, you donât want to be alone. Visiting the site with someone can help ensure there is someone present to perform first aid or call emergency services if needed. In addition to this, visiting the site with someone else can provide you with a guide who can break down the appropriate steps for safety and let you know what is going on.
Think About Your Hearing
There are two opposing safety precautions when it comes to hearing. You will have to use your judgment to determine which one is most appropriate. The first is you donât want to be doing anything that obstructs your hearing. Do not allow headphones with music blaring. You want to be able to hear if someone shouts or a machine turns on. The second is that you want to protect your hearing from incredibly loud noises that can cause hearing damage or hearing loss. There are protective headphones that can help reduce the impact of loud noises on your ears.
Protect Your Vision
Itâs essential to take precautions to maintain safe and effective vision. Use sunglasses on sunny days and consider anti-fog options for glasses. Protective eyewear is crucial for tasks that may produce airborne materials. Hybrid glasses offer various combinations, including anti-fog and prescription options, ensuring clear vision and safety on-site.
Wear Steel-Toed Boots
Itâs pretty common for a construction site to refuse entry unless you have steel-toed boots. While this type of footwear can take a moment for you to adjust to it, given how heavy it is, it can save you a ton of pain and discomfort. When lifting and moving things, especially very heavy objects, the risks of harm to your feet increase. If something heavy drops and lands on your toes, youâll be incredibly glad you wore protective footwear.
Keep A Hard Hat On
A hard hat is basically a helmet you wear that protects your head should something fall on you. Of all the injuries you could sustain, head injuries are among the most serious. Head injuries have a higher chance of causing death than other injuries and also a higher chance of producing life-altering results. Even when it doesnât put your life at risk, damage to your head can alter your personality by making you more irritable or prone to severe anger or other mood swings. Head injuries also might leave you unable to complete mental tasks you could before or struggling with your ability to remember things.
Donât Walk Under When You Can Go Around
If you have the option to walk underneath work that is ongoing or around the work that is ongoing, you want to go around. Walking beneath construction work comes with the inherent risk that something will be dropped on you.
Donât Leave Spills Unattended
If you spill something, you might be tempted to run for the nearest mop, so you can clean it up promptly. Donât do this. Stay with the spill until someone passes by and ask them to fetch the mop or whatever cleaning supplies are needed. Leaving a spill unattended, even for a short time, can result in someone slipping and falling.
If You See Something, Say Something
If something looks like a problem, ask about it. Donât simply assume that everyone else notices the same things you do and so has approved anything that is going on. Itâs okay to ask questions. Itâs okay to say: hey, is that supposed to be like that?
Listen To Your Gut
One of the most important safety guidelines youâll find is this: if something feels unsafe, donât do it. You are legally allowed to refuse work that feels unsafe without fear of losing your job. Even if your visit to the construction site doesnât have you working, youâre still allowed to refuse any task that doesnât feel right or safe. Listen to your instincts in this regard and never ignore feelings of unsafety or uncertainty.
Stay Safe On A Construction Site
The list provides basic safety measures for a construction site, but itâs not exhaustive. Each equipment and construction type has unique risks and safety regulations. Guidelines at a site have undergone checks and mustnât be ignored as they enhance safety for everyone.
Thank you for reading!
