When it comes to working on a construction site, it is important that you always consider the health and safety of the site and do what you can to improve it. There are a lot of potential hazards on a construction site, so you do need to be constantly aware of what those hazards are and what you can do to ensure that people are kept out of danger. As the leader on the construction site, it is your duty to come up with a comprehensive safety plan, so that everyone understands what they need to do to uphold the health and safety standards. If you feel you need some guidance on this matter, we have put together this article which outlines a few different ways you can improve health and safety on your construction site.
Lead By Example
As the manager on-site, it is your duty to set the health and safety rules and then lead by example. Your team will be looking to you for guidance, so it is important that you set a good example for them by upholding all of the health and safety rules. Take the time to go around your construction site and make a note of all the potential hazards. Once you have done this, you can then start to build your health and safety strategy. Leading by example is the best way to show your team what needs to be done on the construction site. Your team will always be looking to you for guidance on all aspects, so make sure that you know everything about the health and safety policies and that you do everything you can to keep yourself and your team safe.
Have The Proper Paperwork Together
Another important aspect of ensuring safety on a construction site is having all the proper paperwork together. While organising paperwork is never the most fun task, it is essential for running a construction site, so you must make sure that you have everything together before you start getting down to work. Construction insurance is one main thing you will need when you are planning to work on a construction site as this will protect you and your team from any issues that may arise during or after the construction process. If you are unsure where to look for this sort of insurance, then perhaps check out Buildsafe, as they are a building warranty provider that makes taking out insurance quick and easy.
Ensure Proper Training Is Given
Ultimately, when it comes to improving health and safety on a construction site, it is the responsibility of everyone to uphold the safety rules. Ensuring everyone’s safety is a team effort, which is why it is so important that you provide everyone with adequate training. Once you have assessed all the potential hazards and you have established what safety procedures are needed, take the time to train everyone on what is required from them. Safety is important in every aspect of life, but particularly on a construction site. So, make sure that you do not rush the safety training and that everyone leaves the training knowing what they need to do. It could be helpful to get everyone to sign something saying that they have completed the training and they understand what it is they need to do. That way, you have some form of verification that the training has been given.
Regularly Monitor Safety Rules
Providing training and leading by example are both excellent ways to ensure the safety rules are upheld on your construction site. Another good way to improve the safety is to regularly monitor those rules and ensure that training is offered regularly. While you may already have an efficient set of rules, as you continue to work, you may find that those rules need adjusting. It could be that something has changed on your construction site, or it could be that one of your staff have noticed something isn’t quite working. Whatever the reason may be, it is important that you acknowledge when things need changing and that you do what you can to implement new policies. Keeping everything up to date will allow you to progress with your construction work, all while keeping everyone safe.
Hold Everyone Accountable
As mentioned previously, upholding the health and safety on a construction site is the responsibility of everyone. This, therefore, means that you must hold everyone accountable for their actions. Everyone is responsible for keeping themself and others safe, so you must ensure that people are held accountable when they do something wrong. Not only this, but people should feel free to hold others accountable if they see that one of their colleagues is doing something wrong. It should not just be up to you to pull people aside and remind them of the safety policies, everyone in the team knows the policies and should therefore feel comfortable talking to their colleagues about conforming to the safety rules. Creating a culture of teamwork within your company will always be beneficial to your work as it means everyone looks out for each other.
Access To Proper Safety Equipment
The next thing you need to do to improve the health and safety of your construction site is to ensure that you and your staff have access to proper safety equipment. Safety equipment is one of the most important things you need when working on a construction site as it helps to keep everyone out of danger. Simple things like hard hats and high vis jackets are essential when it comes to working on a construction site, so make sure that everyone can access this equipment. Not only does it need to be accessible, but you need to also make sure that the equipment provided is up to standard and that it passes all inspections. Faulty safety equipment is a leading cause of construction site accidents, so make sure you prevent that from happening by ensuring all your equipment is up to code.
