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Top 10 Essential Construction Safety Items

Top 10 Essential Construction Safety ItemsPhoto by Badal Gyawali

Originally Posted On: https://www.upsidedownsupply.com/blog/top-10-essential-construction-safety-items.html

Top 10 Essential Construction Safety Items

If you’re anticipating a busy building, renovation, and restoration season, then you might wonder what construction safety gear you’ll need. Worksite safety is a broad category, but it doesn’t have to be complicated!

This article will go over the top construction safety items that you can use to keep yourself, and your workers protected. Read on to explore these safety items in order to protect yourself today.

1. Work Gloves

Use heavy-duty work gloves when you’re on the job since this will help you avoid injuries to your hands. Coated gloves can provide protection from chemicals and minor cuts and abrasions, often while providing a decent grip, depending on the coating material. Cut resistant gloves can protect you while fabricating or handling sharp materials like glass and sheet metal. There are also impact resistant gloves for protection while using dangerous machinery, as well as leather gloves for a well rounded protection while doing general work on the job site. You’ll want to make sure that your workers are outfitted with hand protection that is appropriate for their specific role on the job.

2. Eye and Face Protection

Whenever there’s the potential that something can fall into your eyes, you’ll want to wear construction safety glasses. This can include different jobs such as working with concrete, welding, sanding, cutting, or working with different chemicals.

Make sure that the face and eye protection that you choose fits well on your face. Make sure that they’re not too tight where they cause discomfort, or too loose where they can fall off.

3. Mobile Fall Protection

In 2019, Osha found that 20% of worker fatalities were construction-related. Construction companies need to have fall protection systems for their employees who are working at heights, to prevent any fall-related injuries and deaths.

Before beginning work, check each piece of equipment. This will ensure that everything is in working condition, and isn’t damaged. If there are any damages, it can cause a fall hazard.

Many fall protection systems contain a lifeline or lanyard that clips onto a safety net, a sturdy surface, or guardrails. These fall protection supplies can save your life.

4. Head Protection

Hard hats vary depending on the type of work, and the location of the job site. A basic hard hat will do the job for most construction jobs.

You might need specialized protection in certain cases. This can include head protection that can protect the wearer from electrical shocks.

Inspect each hard hat to make sure that they’re in good condition. They need to be replaced right away when they absorb a heavy blow. Even if you don’t see any damage at the present time.

5. Foot Protection

Since you’re on your feet for several hours, you’ll need proper footwear. At the least, you’ll need steel-toed boots that are slip-resistant. They prevent falls and make sure that your toes won’t get crushed.

You can also consider metatarsal protection which will prevent injuries that can occur higher on your feet. Choose puncture-resistant soles to keep your workers’ feet safe.

6. Clothing

Make sure that the clothing your workers choose fits them properly in order to avoid accidents. Choose FR (flame retardant) and Hi-Vis (high visibility) clothing to protect them from hazardous environments.

7. Hearing Protection

Since construction locations tend to be noisy, you’ll want to give your workers proper equipment to protect their ears. Not doing so can lead to hearing loss over time.

Keep in mind that plain cotton or earphones won’t do the job. They need hearing protection PPE.

8. Respiratory Protection

It’s vital to have a respirator nearby in order to keep your lungs, throat, and nose clear from different debris and dust. There are different respirators that you can take a look at depending on the project.

9. First Aid Kit

Have first aid kits handy on the job that can treat an adequate number of people for your project. You can find plenty that are compact enough to be stored in a small office or van, and can treat up to 25 people.

10. Perimeter Protection

Use perimeter protections for OSHA requirements to keep everyone at your worksite safe. They’re easily stackable and can be removed fast. You can use them on rooftops or other workplaces.

Prevention

While construction safety gear is important, construction site safety is just as vital as well. At the end of the day, human error and bad luck can cause unexpected workplace accidents.

Conduct team safety meetings to ensure that your entire team is on the same page. If you’re in a high-risk zone, consider having these meetings daily.

Make sure that your workers are trained, and understand the skills necessary to prevent accidents in the workplace. Educate them on the importance of wearing their safety gear, as well as preventing workplace accidents.

Awareness

Before a worker steps onto a worksite, they need to know all of the possible hazards. Along with this, they need to stay alert at all times of potential hazards in order to minimize risks. This includes anyone who steps on the worksite at any time.

Supervision

Construction managers need to ensure and enforce all safety practices at all times. They need to keep track of where their various workers are completing jobs and correct anyone who isn’t using the proper safety measures necessary.

Documentation

There needs to be proper documentation of everything that’ll be at the job site. Managers and other workers need to show their certification prior to beginning work.

Technology for Safety

Consider your budget and determine what technology will improve safety in the workplace. A computer vision system that uses machine learning might be an option. They work by checking an area for flag problems or safety hazards, in order to avoid accidents.

OSHA Compliance

Make sure that the safety precautions you teach, and gear you hand out will be OSHA compliant. If you don’t meet OSHA requirements, you might face large fines.

Keeping Others Safe

It’s not just your workers that you need to keep safe during a construction project, but the public as well. Consider having evacuation drills to make sure that there’s a safe exit for everyone involved in an emergency. Take a look at IoT sensors which will tell safety personnel if there are any falls.

This machine will help your workers get to the accident quicker and help out. This can help limit or reduce injuries due to accidents. These devices also give your workers an option to push a button in order to let others know about any unsafe working conditions.

Construction Safety Plan

The most common workplace injuries include contact with equipment and objects, and bodily reactions to falls, slips, and trips. In order to prevent this, have a construction site safety plan in place to protect yourself, others, and your business.

This should be a written document that has a process for identifying health and physical hazards that can harm workers. It needs to include recordkeeping, hazard identification, a policy or goals statement, a lift of responsible people, employee training and communication, and emergency and accident response. It also needs to include safe practices and hazard controls.

Employer Responsibility

Depending on the situation, employers are sometimes responsible for offering their employees the proper protection to keep them safe while working. All employees must be aware of how to wear or use the items correctly, and all gear must be properly maintained.

Examples of proper gear include:

  • Hearing protection
  • Hard hats
  • Eye protection
  • Appropriate gloves
  • Rubber boots
  • Fall arrest restraints and systems
  • Goggles
  • And many more

All equipment and substances need to be properly operated and maintained as well. Reduce risks by ensuring that first aid, lockers, and PPE are being used.

You’ll need to also make sure that all necessary certifications or licenses are met as well. If an unqualified worker is using machinery, that can lead to a risk to others. The requirements for different licenses will depend on the height of the working conditions, and the types of machines being used.

The Top Construction Safety Items

Now that you’ve explored these top construction safety items, you should have a better idea of what to expect to purchase. Are you ready to make sure your company is compliant with safety, and reduce the risk of serious injuries?

Check out our different safety equipment today. Our safety equipment is made with the safety of your team in mind.

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