Working on a construction site comes with its associated risks. The physical danger associated with construction work can put employees and the public in significant danger. On-site risk management is an essential part of running a construction site.
Everything from PPE, health and safety training and welfare facilities needs to get addressed. Therefore, before running a construction site, it’s important to be aware of the risks and find appropriate ways to manage them. Therefore, here are some ways you can manage risk on a construction site.
Personal protective equipment (PPE)
Each employee should get given the appropriate standard whilst working on a construction site. As well as general protection, they should also have access to job-specific PPE if they’re working with dangerous tools or substances.
Examples of PPE for a construction site –
All of these and more get specially designed to protect employees whilst doing their job. You must ensure your employees wear the appropriate PPE as it significantly reduces the risk of injury and even fatality.
Correct equipment
Before allowing your employees to use a piece of equipment on-site, it needs to pass safety regulations. Allowing your employees to work with unsafe equipment can put them at significant risk of harm.
What’s more, there are pieces of equipment designed to ensure the machine handler and others around them stay safe. For example, tool lanyards stop machinery from falling too far from the handler. Therefore, if this got used in a high place, anyone who stood in proximity will come to no harm, consequently reducing any risk.
Welfare facilities
Whilst on-site risks must get managed, employees’ welfare is just as important. Welfare facilities such as toilets, hot and cold water, recreational areas, food, and drink storage are all important. Providing employees with these basic welfare facilities ensures their physical and mental wellbeing is looked after correctly. Therefore, minimising the risk of harm on and off-site.
Training
Working in construction means many health and safety regulations must get passed before work can commence. Health and Safety England highlight their regulations for construction work clearly on their website. However, you must outline your on-site protocol to your employees before they begin work. Doing this will minimise the risk of anyone acting untoward on-site and putting others in danger.
