Ensuring the safety of workers and the public
Construction is one of the most dangerous sectors in the UK, but paying attention to health and safety can help to minimise the risks, making your site a safe and healthy place to work.
Construction is one of the most hazardous occupations in the UK, accounting for more worker deaths in 2014/15 than any other industry. The most common cause of death and injury is falling from a height, but construction sites can also pose many other dangers, including vehicles and moving objects, electric shocks, and contact with dangerous substances.
In addition to injury and accidents, construction workers are also at risk of health issues caused by, or exacerbated by, their work environment, such as back pain, cement burns or hearing problems.
Over 28 million working days are lost to work-related illness or injury in the UK every year, and failure to comply with health and safety regulations could result in hefty fines, or even a prison sentence in serious cases. So, as well as protecting your employees, ensuring that your construction site is a safe place to work is also in your business’ best interests.
Identifying potential hazards
To protect against hazards, you first need to understand the potential risks. As manager of the site, you should carry out a comprehensive risk assessment which takes stock of the health and safety risks to which your employees, and others, could be exposed. If your site employs more than five people, you will need to record your findings. Once the risks are identified you can then put in place measures to help mitigate them, such as implementing lone working policies or displaying signs that warn of potential hazards.
Storing materials
The law requires you to keep your construction site in good order and maintain a good standard of ‘housekeeping’ across the site – and this involves proper and adequate storage of all site materials. The aim of this regulation is to eliminate any hazards that could cause slips, trips or falls – one of the main causes of injury in the construction sector. It can also help to minimise the risks associated with hazardous or flammable substances. Communication and cooperation between all parties – client, contractors, suppliers, construction trades – is essential to ensuring safe and efficient storage of all site materials.
Personal protective equipment
To minimise the risk of injury, all workers on site should have adequate personal protective equipment (PPE). As a minimum, this should include protective footwear with steel toecaps, as well as some form of head protection in most instances. If there are vehicles or plant operating on site, high visibility clothing, such as a tabard should also be worn.
Staff engagement and training
Health and safety measures are only truly effective when workers are fully informed, engaged, and are aware of their obligations and how to achieve them. Consulting workers on health and safety measures is not only a legal requirement, but also an effective way of ensuring that employees are committed to on-site health and safety. Appropriate health and safety training is also important, including first aid training and training on the safe use of specific equipment.
Protecting the public
As well as protecting your workers, you are also legally required to ensure that you can carry out your work without putting members of the public at risk – for example, through falling objects, unauthorised access or potential fall hazards. It’s essential that an appropriate boundary is put in place to ensure that members of the public cannot gain access to the site and, if work is being carried out on public ground, any holes or trenches should have adequate covers or barriers to prevent falls. Signage is also important to warn people about potential hazards, such as entry and exit points for site vehicles.
Be prepared
Fail to prepare and prepare to fail, or so the saying goes. And this is particularly true when it comes to health and safety. It’s important to have an emergency plan in place so that, if the worst happens, you are prepared to deal with the situation quickly and effectively, so that its impact is minimised. Make sure everyone working on the site is aware of the steps they need to follow in an emergency situation.
Without due care and attention, construction can be a very dangerous industry to work in, so staying up to date with health and safety regulations is critical. Staff training, providing appropriate equipment, keeping your site in good condition and displaying appropriate signage, can help to cut the risks of incidents, making your site a responsible, happy and, above all, safe place to work.