Construction sites pose numerous safety risks for workers. However, some are more prevalent than others. By recognizing the most common safety hazards on construction sites, you can better prepare for them and more effectively prevent accidents from occurring. As such, we have compiled a list of some of the most daunting safety risks that construction workers face on the job.
Heights
One of the largest hazards construction workers face is heights. Often, construction workers will have to work on tall buildings, roofs, bridges, and other projects that require them to scale up to high places. When navigating tall work areas, slips, trips, and equipment malfunctions can all lead to devastating falls from great heights. To prevent death and injuries from falls and improve the safety of your construction site, it’s essential to invest in quality construction hoists and industrial elevators as well as implement ample training.
Heavy Equipment
Most construction projects require the use of heavy equipment. While integral to the job, such equipment poses numerous safety threats. Common construction site accidents associated with heavy equipment include collisions, crush injuries, and rollovers. The key to preventing such accidents is thoroughly training all personnel on how to safely use all heavy equipment on a site before starting a project.
Moving Objects
Falling objects are also a large threat to the safety of construction workers. On a construction site, a wide variety of materials and equipment are being moved around at any given time. If someone loses their grip on a heavy item that they are carrying while working above another worker or if they don’t see another worker while moving a large load, that object could hit and injure or even kill them. As such, it’s important to be extremely mindful of one’s surroundings and maintain clear communication on a construction site to prevent accidents associated with moving objects.
Electricity
Another one of the most common safety hazards on construction sites is electricity. Often, construction workers will have to either work with or around electrical components on a job site such as exposed power lines, electrical wiring, generators, and power tools. As such, there is always a risk of accidental electrocution, which remains one of the top causes of fatalities in the industry.