If you are a construction worker, you will encounter certain hazards and risks to your safety every day. Therefore, it is important that you are proactive in your approach to safety. Your employer has the legal duty to provide the appropriate protective equipment when you are working, and you should also receive full training in workplace safety before you start working.
While no workplace is 100% safe all of the time, there are always ways that workers can improve their safety and decrease their chances of being involved in a workplace accident. The following are some things that you can do to be as safe as possible.
Always wear your personal protective equipment
Your personal protective equipment may have been provided to you, but if you are not choosing to wear it, it will not help! Even if you think that equipment such as a hi-viz jacket or hard hat is not necessary for the job you are performing, you should still wear it just in case.
Remember that inductions are legal requirements on all construction sites
Never start working if your employer has not given you an induction. Inductions are a legal requirement of every construction site you work on. Inductions enable you to have a good understanding of the job being done so that you can perform your job in the safest possible way.
Keep the site tidy
Leaving equipment on the floor or simply not discarding waste properly can cause slips and falls, which on a construction site could prove to be fatal. Therefore, it’s always good practice to maintain a clean and tidy site that is as safe as possible.
If in doubt, refuse to work
If you are ever asked to perform a job that you believe is unsafe, you have the right to refuse to work until the situation is made safe. For example, if you are asked to work for height but you are not provided with suitable guard rails or fall prevention equipment, you should not work until you have these.
Construction sites can be very dangerous when the correct precautions are not taken. If you have been involved in an accident on a construction site, make sure that you take swift action to gain the compensation that you deserve.