4 health and safety tips for the construction industry

Working in the construction industry comes with its fair share of risks and health hazards – maybe more so than in other industries.

Keeping your staff safe should be one of the main priorities for any manager however, reports show that there are still significant amounts of accidents and fatalities happening on construction sites that could be avoided.

Here are 4 top tips you can follow to create secure workplaces in the construction sector.

 Conduct regular risk assessments and equipment checks

Construction sites are hazardous places so before you commence any project, you should conduct a thorough risk assessment to identify anything that could potentially cause your worker’s harm.

Work with your employees to identify these hazards so they understand, accept and work to implement improvements to enhance their safety.

Don’t forget about the equipment your staff will be using too. You should conduct regular checks to make sure that they are fit for use and aren’t damaged or require maintenance.

 Provide your staff with the PPE they need to stay safe

Every worker on a construction site should be provided with the right personal protective equipment (PPE) to keep them safe while at work.

Depending on the type of work they’re doing, the equipment they need will change. From hard hats to goggles, PPE can significantly reduce the chance of accidents.

Involve your whole team when it comes to safety strategies

You can try as hard as you like to instill a positive health and safety culture on-site, but if you’re not involving everyone in this work you won’t be able to instill it in all your workers.

You workers are the people that are on the ground and carrying out many of the daily checks and safety strategies, so you want to give them a voice and have control over their own safety.

When you involve them, they’ll be more proactive at carrying out on-site risk assessments and safety protocols.

Don’t forget about mental health

Physical health and safety on-site are important, but you also shouldn’t forget about the mental health of the people who work for you.

Safety and mental health should be given equal priority so check in on how your staff are feeling, encourage them to take mental health days when they need it, do regular wellbeing surveys, and keep staff updated on support options that are available to them.