Safety Articles

In 2018 alone, more than 21% of all fatalities in the US occurred within the construction industry. Not surprisingly, construction is one of the most dangerous industries for people to work in when it comes to injuries and the risk of death.

This is an important fact that more employers need to tackle head on – and one of the first places to start is with your management team and how they are communicating with their crews. Unfortunately, safety committee meetings often fail to adequately address these issues.

So, if you’re looking for insight on how to run a quality and effective construction safety meeting, our team has provided a few tips that are on the top of our list. Check them out below. 

1. Show Commitment

Many employees feel that safety committee meetings are just a way for employers to save face or ensure basic compliance. When companies show true commitment to safety for both compliance and selfless reasons, employees might engage more in the process.

2. Create a Designated Time

Construction is a busy industry that requires hands-on work. Because of this, safety committee meetings often get pushed to the back burner and resurface when everything else gets taken care of.

To show that it is a priority, set a specific time for these meetings and stick to that schedule.

3. Make It Interactive

Construction is a serious industry, but there are times when employers can inject some topics of general interest into the experience. This is one of them. Employers can use specific themes for the meeting, such as sports or culture.

Elect leadership positions in the committee annually and give everyone the opportunity to participate in some way.

4. Take Suggestions

Workers are in the best position to make suggestions on issues they want to tackle in the meetings and solutions they think might work. Workers can also vote on the themes you use, refreshments used for the meeting, when it takes place and several other factors.

Why leave everything up to the elected leaders alone when they can get free help?

5. Bring in the Experts

There are many occupational safety experts who are only too willing to speak with workers and further educate them on how to stay safe. Invite them to the safety meetings to add more credence to the discussions. They are also often in the best position to answer questions both employers and employees might have.

6. Ensure Followup

Do your safety committee meetings achieve all you set out to do by the end of them? There’s really no way to know without following up on the meeting. Many people joke about follow up meetings for regular meetings, but there is no need for this- especially when it comes to safety. Send out an email or allow people to submit anonymous survey responses.

One Step Further 

Safety on the job requires a team effort. At Construction Safety Experts, we are committed to contributing to these team efforts. Contact us today for information on our free safety talks or to tap into other existing resources we have available – call (866) 463-0669 or visit safety-xperts.com today! 

With construction ranking as one of the most dangerous professions, safety should rank high on the minds of those in the industry.

Many of the most important safety practices for construction workers come easily to those who have received a proper education on the subject, but for those who haven’t had that opportunity, here are 5 tips to keep construction sites as safe as possible.

1. Utilize a Safety Checklist

The first step in ensuring construction site safety is taking stock of all the components. This kind of checklist will draw attention to items of importance – from equipment and electrical elements, to hazard communication.

Knowing all of the components involved in a project allows workers to be conscious of how to work on the site, while keeping aware of any potential risks. A checklist helps to ensure a smooth and safe project goes underway every step of the way.

2. Follow a Lockout/Tagout System

Those who have worked in construction for any length of time are likely very familiar with lockout/tagout. This system requires that equipment or machinery be properly disabled while maintenance occurs.

Following this kind of procedure ensures workplace safety in a number of ways, particularly in terms of electrical work. It is vital as electrocution is a common culprit for construction injury and even death.

3. Check Scaffolding

Scaffolding is one of the most common hazards on construction sites, due largely to the fact it is so commonly used and it can so easily be installed or maintained improperly if workers are not properly trained.

Equipment can shift, crack or be altered in an unsafe way during use, resulting in compromised safety. Scaffolding should be regularly inspected for any components that may have been compromised during the course of the job.

4. Wearing Proper Personal Protective Equipment

This may seem like a no brainer, but many workers will skip on wearing proper personal protective equipment for the sake of comfort, convenience or a simple lack of time and this can be a dangerous game of cutting corners.

The hazards are different on every site, so discretion and wherewithal are necessary. The need for everything from safety glasses and steel-toed boots, to hard hats, should be respected and followed in order to ensure workers’ safety.

5. Only Operate Machinery if Properly Licensed

Most people who have spent a good portion of their careers in construction understand the importance of only operating equipment if they have received the proper training.

The issue with taking on a piece of machinery when not trained is that a worker can make a mistake without having any idea that they are even making it, resulting in disaster.

For more info about the construction safety training that Construction Safety Experts offer, check out our list of safety training and risk management services.

It is impossible to encompass every important safety consideration in a short space, so suffice it to say that proper education for all workers is the most effective precaution possible.

Let Construction Safety Experts help ensure that your workers receive the proper training, contact us today or call (866) 463-0669.

Heavy equipment operator training is a must for any workplace that uses heavy equipment. Offering training on the right topics and at the right levels is crucial to making sure your employees are equipped to do their jobs safely. Unfortunately, there is some jargon used when describing heavy equipment training that might make it difficult for you to determine which type of training is right for you or your workers. Read on to learn about five terms you may encounter when researching this type of training.

5 Heavy Equipment Operator Training Terms You Should Know

• Heavy Equipment: Heavy equipment is a broad term for many different types of machines that are used in construction, mining, and industrial workplaces. Therefore, heavy equipment training involves training in safely operating cranes, drills, pumps, compressors, bulldozers, front end loaders, backhoes, graders, and other large and potentially dangerous pieces of equipment.
• Heavy Equipment Operator: A heavy equipment operator is an employee who operates heavy equipment. This employee must have the training and certification necessary to operate such machinery safely. Heavy equipment operator training provides the skills your heavy equipment operators need to ensure your workplace is safe and productive.
• OSHA 10 and OSHA 30: Construction Safety Experts offers an OSHA training course that covers a variety of workplace safety topics, including training in heavy equipment operation. OSHA 10 and OSHA 30 are a part of this program. These two seminars are designed to provide an overview of the topics most important to workplace safety. OSHA 10 is a ten hour seminar most appropriate for entry level employees, while OSHA 30 is a more in-depth program that gives managers and supervisors a deeper understanding of safety topics.
• MSHA Training: Heavy equipment operators working in mining environments require special training to fully understand the intricacies of safe operation in their workplace. MSHA training ensures that heavy equipment operators in mining environments meet the educational requirements set out by the United State’s Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration. This training covers part 46 & 48 of MSHA’s requirements for surface training, as well as hazard awareness training, new miner training, annual refresher training, and more.
• AISC Certification: AISC Certification is a program run by the American Institute of Steel Construction. Businesses who are AISC certified have passed a rigorous initial evaluation that proved their steel fabrication and erection process meets the AISC’s standards. Well-trained heavy equipment operators are an important part of meeting these standards.

Great heavy equipment operator training is vital to creating a great workplace. By being familiar with the training resources available to you and your workforce, you can ensure your site or workspace is safe for everyone involved.