Safety Articles

In every construction project, safety is paramount. Meetings discussing precautionary measures and accident prevention policies can play an important role in keeping workers safe. Here are some key topics to address in meetings.

OSHA Rules

The first safety meeting on a project should include a thorough primer on applicable OSHA regulations. It is advisable to revisit the topic of compliance at subsequent meetings. It is a good practice to include practical on-the-job examples of what people need to do to comply with regulatory safety standards when carrying out certain tasks.

Electrical Safety

Workers need to be able to recognize electrical hazards on a jobsite. Generators used to power equipment and the possibility of coming into contact with live lines could present a risk of catastrophic or fatal injury. During meetings, it may make sense to do a walkthrough of a site to identify specific hazards and give workers explicit instructions on how to avoid injuries.

Personal Protective Equipment

Contracting companies have to establish internal policies about the use of personal protective equipment. Workers should not need to make on-the-spot decisions about whether they need to use a particular item of PPE for a specific task. Instead, company policies mandating the use of PPE for completing various duties or walking through designated areas should eliminate decision-making concerning safety gear.

Beyond simply creating PPE policies, it is vital that contracting companies implement protocols for enforcing them. Project managers and foremen need to lead by example and use appropriate equipment consistently. These team leaders need to intervene when they observe that workers are not following mandates.

First-Aid Resources

Everyone on a site has to know where emergency first aid equipment is located. It is also advisable to go over what items a kit includes. A project manager should assign responsibility to a senior staff member for ensuring that kits are in correct locations and contain all essential items.

Situational Awareness

When talking to workers about safety, it is crucial to review the potential dangers of distraction on a jobsite. Workers have to be alert to their surroundings when they are in an area where heavy equipment is in use and structures in progress are unstable. Talk to workers about the possible ramifications of seemingly harmless horseplay in addition to the safety risks of cellphones on an active site.

Fall Prevention

Completing any type of work at a height puts workers at risk of falling. Even highly experienced workers are vulnerable to this especially common occupational injury. Make sure that your meeting topic includes scaffolding safety basics.

Show your workers that their safety is your priority by providing comprehensive training in project meetings. Get in touch with the safety professionals at Construction Safety Experts online or by calling us at (919) 463-0669, for help creating a training initiative that effectively mitigates risk and empowers workers to be more vigilant about their own safety.

Construction work is inherently hazardous, and accidents occur in and around sites all the time. To minimize the number of injuries, state and federal governments have introduced safety guidelines.

However, accidents happen, and once the injured person has been treated, an investigation is conducted in an effort to prevent future injuries.

Here is an overview of what to expect when a site accident investigation is needed. 

Steps in the Investigation Process

The first step in the investigation is to secure the area and call the designated investigator. What follows next is:

• If the injured person is able, speak with him or her, as well as any potential witnesses.
• Use notes, photos, videos or some combination of each to document the scene.
• Create your report, listing the determining cause.
• Make recommendations for preventive measures.

Once the report is complete and recommendations are put into action, the final step is to follow up and ensure they remain in action.

Things You Will Find in the Investigation Report

First, anyone involved in the accident, including witnesses, and the investigation team will be named. The investigator is typically the supervisor on duty at the time of the accident, but safety experts may be called in as well.

Second, every object on the scene is thoroughly investigated and included. This means any equipment or piece of property within the near vicinity of the accident is evaluated and documented in detail.

The pertinent information to collect is situational and therefore, varies; however, here are a few characteristics about the accident you may find:

• Details about the injury, including where the body was injured and to what severity.
• Details about the actions that led to the accident.
• A narrative of the accident compiled from witness testimony.
• Timestamps, including the worker’s shift information and whether or not he or she was supervised at the time.
• A description of the worker, physical and tenure in the company.

Attention to detail is crucial during documentation and will be reflected in the final report.

The Final Steps

The last phase of an accident investigation is determining the cause and documenting corrective actions. Causal factors are meant to be thorough and descriptive. If the employee did not follow safety procedures, the report should detail why not.

If he or she was following the procedure, what element of it contributed to the accident? This evaluation leads to corrective action, which can entail anything from new training methods to the elimination of the procedure entirely. Every corrective measure should have a supervisor assigned to ensure its implementation.

Keep an investigation kit on-site at all times, and include everything you might need in the event of an accident.

Want To Ensure A Safe Work Site? Hire The Experts. 

When it comes to workplace safety – especially on a construction site, it’s best to not take any chances. Hiring a safety expert consulting company will get you and your team to where they need to be.

For more information on best practices to keep your team safe on the site, contact Construction Safety Experts online, or call us directly at (919) 463-0669 today! 

For outdoor workers in the construction industry, the warm months can be the most challenging times of the year. High temperatures and increased humidity can make the environment unbearable if an employee is not hydrated or protected from the sun.

Heat exhaustion is one of the most common medical conditions for supervisors and workers on a construction crew, and prevention is the best weapon you can have against it. However, that’s not always possible. Here are some tips for both recognizing and preventing heat exhaustion.

The Types of Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion is caused by lack of water and salt in the body and occurs when people are heavily sweating in conditions of extreme heat, without adequate fluid and salt replacement. Heat exhaustion covers a broad range of medical conditions, but the three most common are:

• Heat Cramps: After prolonged exposure to the heat and sun, you can develop excruciating pain in your legs, arms or lower back. Heat cramps are muscle spasms that can last for several minutes if you’re not immediately hydrated and allowed to rest. 
• Heat Rash: An irritating rash can develop when your skin’s sweat ducts become clogged and trap perspiration under your sin. Heat rash can cause an itching or stinging sensation and red bumps to form.
• Heatstroke: The most severe and deadly type of heat exhaustion is heatstroke. It occurs more often to workers exposed to the sun for long periods without rest. Symptoms include a fever over 104°F, a lack of sweat and hot, dry skin. Heatstroke can cause organ failure or death if you’re unable to get cool and seek shelter.

The Signs of Heat Exhaustion

Heat exhaustion is a terrifying condition that affects thousands of outdoor workers every year, but it’s preventable. Workers and supervisors should be on the lookout for any of these signs of exhaustion:

• Headache
• Cramps
• Nausea
• Reduced blood pressure
• Excessive sweating
• Weak pulse
• Moist, cool skin
• Fatigue

Some workers may not feel symptoms for several hours, while others may exhibit signs all at once in a brief period.

The Treatment for Heat Exhaustion

If you notice signs of exhaustion from a coworker, OSHA recommends that you should immediately move them to an air-conditioned room or sheltered area, and try cooling techniques. Give them cool drinking water, loosen their clothing and lay them down with their legs elevated. Ice and fans can help cool them off quickly if they’re available. Place ice or cold packs on their head, armpits, groin, neck and head. If symptoms do not improve after 60 minutes, call a doctor for professional treatment.

Contact the Safety Experts

When you need premium construction safety training and consulting, you can rely on the expertise of Construction Safety Experts. We offer basic and advanced safety services customized to meet your company’s specific safety needs. Our experienced safety professionals will evaluate your current safety program and provide consultation to enable your organization to achieve the next level of safety.

Contact us online, or call our team directly at (919) 463-0669 today!

Preparing for an OSHA visit is one of the most important and stressful events for any business. Companies often scramble to get information together at the last minute, which never works out well. Additionally, a surprise visit may result in citations for not having essential policies and procedures in place.  

You can reduce stress on everyone by doing some pre-planning and regularly monitoring your company’s OSHA guidelines. These are some simple yet important steps to follow to ensure you are ready when a compliance officer appears at your workplace.

1. Assign a Greeter

Always have a point person (and some backups) who knows OSHA standards in detail and can answer safety program questions on the spot. This individual will be the contact person who introduces the investigator to other company employees as requested.

2. Develop a Comprehensive Safety Program That Meets Requirements

All companies need an effective OSHA approved safety compliance program. These are the key areas that need to be covered:

• Management oversight and compliance
• Worker participation goals
• Hazard identification and assessment tools
• Hazard prevention and control procedures
• Education and training modules
• Program evaluation methods and improvement objectives
• Communication practices for multi-employer worksites

These core elements are used to track progress and make safety program adjustments.

3. Conduct Regular Audits and Utilize Proper Record Keeping

Clear and concise record keeping is a hallmark of a well-organized safety program. Conduct regular program audits to identify issues and rectify these problems promptly. Keeping paperwork in order makes OSHA inspections a much easier process.

4. Conduct Regular Employee Safety Training

Safety training and ongoing reviews are essential to keep workers informed of practices and changes in policies and procedures. Allow time to answer employee questions. Investigators may ask employees about procedures and compliance documentation. Make certain that employees are ready for these interactions. 

5. Keep Documentation Accessible for Review

Keep documentation logs in easily accessible places. The greeter should know where all of the documentation is located. Multiple employees should be apprised of the locations of Safety Data Sheets and other pertinent records, so they know how to address investigator questions.  

6. Plan Direct Routes for OSHA Safety Inspections

If a compliance officer wants to visit a particular area of a worksite, use a direct route. It is better to avoid winding an investigator through additional workplace areas that could expose you to safety citations.

Ensure You’re Ready With Leading Professionals 

Construction Safety Experts is your team for professional project safety consulting and training. We’ve been in business since 1996, developing and implementing safety cultures in various organizations. We offer basic and advanced safety services customized to meet your company’s specific safety needs. Our experienced safety professionals will evaluate your current safety program and provide consultation to enable your organization to achieve the next level of safety. 

Contact us online or call our team directly at (919) 463-0669, to help you get ready and stay ready for OSHA compliance visits, today! 

Safety training may not always capture your workers’ attention like it should. Nevertheless, it’s critical that safety training is effective and resonates with employees. 

As a manager, it is your responsibility to ensure this happens. It’s not always an easy task making sure your employees are staying engaged and up-to-date with safety procedures. That’s why we recommend taking on different approaches. 

Running out of ideas to create engagement? No problem. Our team of safety experts put together a list of things you can do to make your training sessions more engaging for your workers.

1. Use Visual Aids

Everyone has a slightly different working style, and some people work best with visual aids. Using charts or pictures, and even bringing equipment into a training event can help your team absorb information better.

2. Make the Training a Dialog

Inviting participation is an excellent way to keep people tuned in. Ask people why something presents a safety concern or what would be a good way to make something safer.

3. Give People the Opportunity to Ask Questions

One of the best ways to include key information is to give everyone the chance to ask questions. One person may have a really good question that will give everyone a better understanding of a training topic. Also, questions can clarify some of the more difficult subject matters that you’re covering, and assure that everyone is on the same page.

4. Deter Distractions

Ask everyone to silence their phones. Delegate responsibility to one person for responding to jobsite emergencies and let everyone else give the training their undivided attention.

5. Provide a Break Time

It can be difficult to pay attention to even the most engrossing subject matter for hours on end. Schedule a break every 90 minutes or so, so that people can regroup and give a training session the attention that it deserves.

6. Use Practical On-the-Job Scenarios

Talking about accident prevention in abstract terms may simply not register well with a lot of your team members. Talk to your team about specific tasks or even specific projects. Substantive examples will help them visualize what you’re trying to convey and put it into practice later. 

7. Reinforce the Importance of Safety Training Topics in Your Regular Meetings

Your workers will value knowing that their safety is more important to you than anything else happening on a jobsite. Safety training shouldn’t be a sporadic type of meeting or something that people get oriented to during their on-boarding. Instead, safety training works best as a regular feature of your staff meetings. Even just reviewing topics that you’ve already covered in a brief synopsis at job meetings will help make the material stick.

Hire A Safety Training Company 

Construction Safety Experts can help your company make training sessions more engaging and productive. Workers will be well-equipped to apply what they’ve learned in their day-to-day job duties. Contact us today for information on our safety talks or to tap into other existing resources we have available – call (919) 463-0669 or visit safety-xperts.com today!