We work in industries with constant pressure. If it’s not the critical pressure of saving lives or fighting fires, it is the ‘time is money’ pressure of construction. There is a push to get these hard jobs done as quickly as possible, to save property, lives, or time. Now, some of those are of course more important than others, we can all say someone’s life is more precious than a piece of property, or a couple hours of work. But when it comes to construction, the emphasis construction safety and the pressure of the job can get mixed up.
Yet, when knuckle deep in those jobs, it can be hard to keep that in mind when the higher-ups are breathing down your neck, demanding faster results. They might pay lip service to the idea of construction safety, but it is up to you and the other folks on the ground to keep to that principle.
It can be tough. Here are some ways you can fight the good fight and promote an environment of construction safety mindedness at your job site.
Construction Safety- How You Can Maintain a Safe Job Site
Set Those Expectations
If you are the safety manager on site, or in any form of leadership it may fall on you to create that initial expectation of safety. If you’re just another set of hands on the job, you too can promote that safe environment. Check out OSHA 29 CFR 1926 as the baseline for your own safety requirements, but don’t rest there. Those words are good and all, but action always speaks louder.
Those principles need to be put to practice, built on and solidified into the foundations of your job site. Everyone can help create those expectations when they all follow the best practices for construction safety. Start each day with a talk on safety, run through the precautions to
Cultivate a Welcoming Environment
A recent survey found that 93% of employees reported that they were at risk for a safety issue and that that issue was not being discussed, and another almost half knew of an injury that happened because of that reluctance to discuss it.
Go figure, a work environment where people are afraid of discussing potential safety risks leads to injuries on the job site. Beat this risk by fostering an environment where those discussions can happen. If you took our previous note about having a daily safety meeting about what is expected coming up, you will already be well on your way. The crew will know safety is important and at the forefront of everyone’s minds, that their concerns won’t be met with derision.
Plan, Plan, Plan
A daily roundup, a welcoming, environment, and the right tools for the job can be the founding ideals for you construction safety revamp. Keep the work area staged safely and stocked with whatever tools and equipment are necessary. Ensure everyone knows how to operate whatever they will be operating, get rid of hazards, hurdles, or distractions, and supply the proper safety gear.
You already measure twice, cut once in your work. Apply that principle to the rest of the job and you will be creating a workplace that isn’t just safer for you, but for everyone involved.
Ready to get your job on the safe path? Ensure they have the proper gear, including BlackJack strap retention systems, and the right environment for safety first practices and you can help reduce those hazardous construction safety statistics. Our jobs are hard and often dangerous as is, there’s no reason we should allow a disregard for best safety practices to get in our way for doing the right job, the right way – the safe way. Get in touch or order your mounts today.