If you have a construction company, it is impossible to eliminate all chances of an accident from ever occurring, but it is definitely possible to drastically reduce the chances and the frequency. Every registered construction company is already required to employ a number of safety measures by law, but it never hurts to double-check the safety and security measures in place every now and then.
Training
No sane worker ever wants to hurt himself or others at the site voluntarily, but there’s a risk of them doing so unwillingly if they are untrained. To avoid such accidents, make sure that the employees you hire for the job receive basic training, alongside specialized training for operating and handling the machines at the construction site. There should also be special emphasis on safety protocols and all of this should continue on a regular basis to keep their memories fresh. Be aware of the changes in the industry standard with regard to safety protocols and training, so that you can incorporate them into your company’s routine training system as well.
Buy Better Safety Equipment
If you are just starting out, invest in your safety equipment and make sure that they are from a reputed manufacturer. When lives depend on your decision, buying cheap safety equipment can be very costly. The harness is one of the most important safety equipment in the construction business, so upgrade to the Guardian Fall Protection Harness which is not only made with precision from the toughest and most durable materials but must also pass the quality checks of an independent third-party to further ensure quality.
Be Strict with Accountability
When you hold everyone involved with an accident accountable, and not just the managers and the foremen in charge, the workers will automatically become more careful about following safety protocols. As long as the training for ensuring safety is regular and updated, every employee at the workplace should not be making careless mistakes,to begin with. If carelessness is indeed the reason behind an accident, the repercussions need to be strictly employed in accordance with the company policies.
Encourage Your Employees to Speak Up
Every employee should have the power to stop an operation temporarily if he thinks that it’s unsafe due to some reason or the other. By giving this power in the hands of the employees, you encourage them to speak up when someone else is being careless and jeopardizing his own safety or that of the others. Reward such acts of courage with public validation and whatever else seems appropriate to the merit of the action.
Practice a Strict NoAlcohol/Drugs Policy
It doesn’t matter how experienced, trained and skilled a worker is, if he is inebriated on a construction site, the alcohol or drug will inevitably interfere with his fine motor skills and even judgment. On a good day, this will only lead to reduced work efficiency, and on a bad day, it will lead to accidents that could jeopardize the life of multiple workers at the site. Therefore, the no alcohol/drug policy at the construction site needs to be employed with the utmost strictness.
As a last tip, it is advised that you get liability insurance to protect your business and your employees if or when an accident does happen. It will take care of the injured employee’s treatment and compensation costs, along with protecting the owner against lawsuits for non-compliance.
