Safety on construction sites should be among your top priorities as a property manager. These sites are prone to serious accidents and crimes with equipment theft being one the top reasons that are causing costly business disruptions and delays. Failure to control worksite hazards can even lead to worker and even civilian death if trespassers enter your property due to inadequate security measures.
Here are 7 construction site safety tips and precautions to help you keep your construction site free from hazards and crimes and prevent project delays.
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#1. Adequate Employee Training
Training your employees on workplace safety through OSHA-compliant construction training programs is the first step in preventing unforeseen accidents. In fact, employee training on job-specific safety concerns is required by OSHA.
The training will equip your workers with the knowledge and skills they need to effectively identify and handle various hazards in the worksite. They will also learn the best safety practices specific to construction sites to avoid putting themselves and other people in danger while doing their jobs.
These include:
- Proper lifting techniques
- Electric safety
- Fall safety
- PPE selection and usage
- Hazardous materials handling
- First aid procedures
- Emergency procedures
Equipment operators should also be trained on the proper use of the equipment that they are going to operate (e.g. cranes and forklifts). Not all construction equipment is the same and only operators trained in the use of a certain equipment should be allowed to operate it.
Also Read: 11 Benefits of Mobile Patrol Security: Reasons Why You Need It
#2. Choose the Right Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
Selecting the right PPE is crucial for construction site workers to safeguard them from potential safety hazards that could cause injury or even death. Providing adequate PPE to your workers is another OSHA requirement that you should comply with to avoid fines. Some common examples of construction PPE include:
- Hard hards
- Earplugs
- Safety goggles
- Gloves
- Reflective clothing
In addition, consider the following when choosing the right PPE:
- The types of hazards in the worksite
- How long the exposure will be
- How severe potential injuries are
- How compatible the PPE is with other protective gear that your workers will be using
Also Read: 9 Things to Consider When Conducting a Mobile Patrol to Optimize Your Security Strategies
#3. Perform Checks Before Operating Machinery/Equipment & Ensure Regular Maintenance
Visual checks and testing are crucial before using heavy equipment to ensure that they are safe to use to avoid malfunctions that could lead to worker accidents. Performing regular maintenance activities is even better to make sure that all of your equipment is working properly and up to date.
#4. Install Sufficient Accident Prevention Signs & Equipment
Falls are among the top construction site accidents which is why you should implement strict safety measures to minimize fall hazards. Ensure adequate protection such as safety nets, guardrails, safety harnesses, and others when working at heights. You should also secure your site with fences and install enough warning signs to warn employees of fall hazards, electrical hazards, and other harmful situations or equipment.
Also Read: Static Security vs. Mobile Patrols: What Are Their Key Differences?
#5. Establish Procedures for Reporting Unsafe Conditions, Accidents, & Other Incidents
Early detection and control of hazards in construction sites is essential in the proactive prevention of workplace accidents. This helps in preventing liabilities and costly OSHA citations along with financial damages caused by unlawful activities on your property.
Moreover, monitoring unsafe conditions, accidents, injuries, and near-misses in construction sites is important in taking immediate action to address the problem. This is why you should also train and encourage your workers to report incidents and concerns including faulty equipment to initiate prompt response.
Also Read: 9 Security Issues in the Hospitality Industry & How to Deal With Them
#6. Maintain Clear & Constant Communication
Constant communication between the workers will keep each of them updated on the activities on your site and ensure that they are aware of each other. This will prevent your workers from putting other employees in danger due to a lack of communication while performing their tasks. It is also better if your employees carry a communication device with them to keep them informed and promote proper coordination in case of accidents and emergencies.
Best Tip: Strengthen security on your construction site to ensure that safety protocols are being followed while preventing crimes.
A comprehensive security plan can help you monitor every movement on your property and mitigate potential damages. This can be done through surveillance cameras paired with on-site mobile patrol security guards to give your site a strong security presence.
Aside from preventing equipment theft, vandalism, and trespassing on your property, security patrol guards can greatly help in implementing construction site safety protocols.
Mobile patrol guards are the ideal security solutions for construction sites that need visible presence and active monitoring 24/7. They can cover large areas within a short time to give you site-wide security at more cost-effective rates than traditional security guards. Security companies also provide risk assessments to tailor security strategies to your site’s specific needs.
Also Read: 13 Factors to Consider When Choosing a Mobile Patrol Security Service
More importantly, mobile patroller duties include:
- Spotting potential hazards and early signs of security breaches on your site
- Controlling unauthorized access to your property
- Creating detailed documentation of identified risks and incidents
- Reporting to you so hazards can be handled as soon as possible
- Responding promptly to alarms and emergencies
Moreover, surveillance cameras will make emergency response procedures faster. Security footage from them can also help in investigating incidents especially when it comes to determining who will be held liable in case of accidents.
Also Read: How Mobile Patrol Security Can Proactively Deter Crimes on Your Property
Other Things to Know About Safety on Construction Sites
Other Construction Site Safety Precautions that Employers & Employees Should Follow
- Keep your site organized and tidy to avoid creating fall, trip, or slip hazards. Get rid of debris and clutter regularly.
- Store flammables and combustibles properly.
- Use spotters when operating heavy equipment to avoid blind spots.
- Choose the right equipment and tools for various construction tasks.
- Avoid overcrowding work areas, especially when operating heavy equipment.
- Do not tamper with machinery and remove machine guards, scaffold ties, and guard rails when not authorized.
- Conduct regular meetings regarding safety to keep workers updated with the latest safety procedures.
- Create an emergency response plan including first aid measures, escape routes, and fire response procedures.
Also Read: 7 Advantages of Hiring Construction Site Mobile Patrol Security Guards
Why is construction site security and safety important?
There are many benefits of security on construction sites with the prevention of significant financial damage being among the key ones. Ensuring safety and security on your worksite will:
- Boost employee morale by making workers feel happy and safe
- Prevent productivity loss caused by employee accidents and even deaths
- Prevent theft, vandalism, trespassing, and break-ins
- Prevent liabilities due to negligence (i.e. not securing your site properly to avoid trespassers)
- Prevent costly OSHA violations and lawsuits
- Prevent project delays and financial damage
Moreover, OSHA construction standards require you to create a safe and healthy workplace for your employees to avoid accidents and fatalities. Otherwise, you will be faced with serious fines that could lead to rising insurance premiums, damaged reputation, and business losses.
Also Read: 11 Benefits of Hotel Security: Why Is It Important for Your Business?
FAQs
Among the top construction site safety measures include:
– Providing employee training
– Using adequate PPE
– Performing equipment checks before operation
– Installing enough fall protection equipment
– Maintaining constant communication between employees
– Strengthening security on your site through 24/7 mobile security guards
Some of the major safety concerns on construction sites that you need to address are lack of fall protection, lack of training, inadequate or wrong PPE, improper scaffolding and equipment use, and poor hazard communication. Most of these issues can be prevented through employee training.
Having the right PPE and wearing enough to promote worker safety in construction sites can significantly help in reducing accidents and fatalities. Aside from this, fall protection equipment, fire safety equipment, respiratory protection, ladders, scaffolding, and other hazard control devices are also essential.
Conclusion
Construction site safety is important in avoiding disruptions in your processes caused by criminal activities, accidents, injuries, and other complications. As a construction site manager, employer, or business owner, it is your job to ensure the safety and security of your site. This will not only protect your workers but also your business from the costly consequences of unsecured and unsafe worksites.
You can trust Scout Security’s years of experience in providing customized security solutions to the construction industry in the Denver metro and Colorado Springs areas. We offer mobile patrol security services, CCTV surveillance, and others. Contact us now!
