The construction industry presents a number of safety concerns and everyday hazards on the worksite. Additionally, in the warm summer months, many hazards can be exacerbated by excessive heat and moisture.
By nature, the industry necessitates handling and maneuvering heavy materials and machinery, heights and tight spaces, as well as electricity and heat concerns. The employer must provide and require proper training, personal protective equipment, health and safety plans and protocols, as well as job safety reviews both before any job tasks begin and throughout the active workday. On the worker’s end, it’s important to understand the risks, qualifications, safety policies and tools involved in any job.
Occupational Safety and Health Administration delineates construction accidents into the top four categories and causes of fatalities in the workplace: falls, struck by objects, electrocutions and caught in/between. In 2019, more than 5,300 workers were fatally injured on the site. With proper care and maintenance, employers, contractors and jobsite managers can mitigate these risks and prevent serious on-the-job injuries.
The summer months come with intense heat and sweltering work conditions, which can lead to heat stress, stroke and other injuries from fainting, falling and weakness. The largest danger is present in the beginning days of working in the heat as the body has not had enough time to acclimate and build a heat tolerance. During this time particularly, it is crucial for workers to have access to plentiful water, rest and shade. Further, both employers and employees have a responsibility to monitor each other and themselves for signs of illness and heat-related fatigue to avoid incidents of the fatal four injuries.
Heat can also make the physical components of the worksite more dangerous, with construction materials becoming hot to the touch and the heat worsening electricity/spark-related incidents. Additionally, handheld tools and surfaces can become slippery with increased sweating and humidity.
While the construction industry has a multitude of potential hazards for workers, especially in the hot summer months, many can be mitigated with the implementation of proper training, safety measures, policies and the use of PPE.
When it comes to avoiding accidental injuries on the construction site, all parties must be aware of changing situations and weather, express when the proper training or safety precautions are not being met, and consistently monitor all aspects of the job at hand to avoid injuries and keep all members of the worksite safe.
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