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In February this year, the death of a construction worker rocked news outlets across the world, as work was being completed on a Qatar World Cup soccer stadium. While safety standards at these sites are assumed to be of high standards, there are a number of things that went wrong. Discover which safety precautions might have prevented this accident, and others like it.
It’s Not Enough To Just Ensure Fall Prevention
Construction sites are usually linked to heights and whether the project is a few feet off the ground or a massive skyscraper, it’s important that fall prevention measures are put in place. Falls account for up to 40% of fatalities on construction sites and there is equal pressure on the construction business owner and the staff to ensure proper training is done to prevent falls. Whether this is using the right equipment when scaling great heights or creating safe landing zones will depend on the nature of the site.
Workers Need To Be Fully Aware Of Electricity And Equipment
Electricity is a necessity on construction sites as most of the equipment and machinery rely on it. Electrical outlets, therefore, have to be secure and any wiring and cables need to be clearly marked and secured. Equipment is another part of a construction job site that needs to be in good working order and regularly maintained to ensure that it performs when it needs to. Faulty equipment is a major cause of construction accidents and shouldn’t be neglected. For the team working on the Qatar construction site, legal inquiries and reams of paperwork ensued and safety standards were found severely lacking.
Incentives To Promote Site Safety
Construction workers are known to create some of the strongest, safest buildings thanks to strict regulations, however, while this takes place the site safety might not be up to standard. By appointing a few members per team to take safety measures seriously and incentivizing safe sites, it will spur workers on to work in a safe construction business environment. Workers should also be empowered to report inferior equipment and sub-standard work conditions without fear of losing their jobs or facing victimization.
Creating Legislation For Job Site Safety
In places like NYC, where there have been many work-related accidents, the city has taken steps to create laws that would make job sites safer. The city is in the process of phasing in Local Law 196 that requires construction employees in certain positions to have a minimum of 10 hours of safety training. This type of legislation could be implemented in other metro areas and cities that are have dealt with construction job related accidents. Of course, certain companies may have to figure out who will pay for the costs of training. But, the employers should be looking at this as an investment in the long term well being of their employees and their safety.
When it comes to construction, site safety is something every worker is responsible for. If everyone takes the time to improve the area around them, injuries and fatalities will decrease and site safety ratings will improve.
