Construction Sites – How To Eliminate Risks

Every year many construction site workers are killed or injured as a result of their work. Its easy for you and I to think that accidents will only happen to other people and wont affect us – but construction workers and their families continue to witness unnecessary pain, injuries and suffering within the construction industry.

Did you know the most common injuries on construction sites are:

  1. Falls from height
  2. Slips, trips and falls from the same height
  3. Struck by moving (including flying/falling) objects
  4. Injured while handling, lifting or carrying
  5. Contact with moving machinery
  6. Struck by moving vehicle

It is estimated that just under half of all the reportable non-fatal injuries to employees are actually reported, even less for the self-employed.

What can be done to eliminate the risks on a construction site?

Before work starts:

  • consider if there are any hazards you can avoid altogether (e.g. the need to paint at height can be eliminated if materials are brought to site ready-finished);
  • decide which risks need to be controlled;
  • consider the best ways of controlling them; and then
  • having decided what needs to be done, make sure it happens.

Check that:

  • everyone is properly trained and competent;
  • they have the equipment they need; and
  • agreed work methods are put into practice.

It is important that people (employees, contractors or visitors) are given information about the site hazards and the steps that have been taken to control the risks when they first come to site.

Health and Safety, and more specifically Construction Design and Management (CDM) Regulations is everyone’s responsibility.  However, it is the responsibility of the Principal Contractor to create a Construction Phase Health & Safety Plan, they must ensure that the on site workers are aware of the site hazards and fully trained with regards to health and safety on site.  Does your project need to be notified to the HSE? Read our recent blog post here:

When does CDM apply?

The HSE (Health and Safety Executive have recently been carrying out checks on small to medium sized construction sites. A number of fines have been handed out after workers have suffered injuries on site. You can read some of the HSE’s press releases here:

http://press.hse.gov.uk/release-type/press/

How can Safety Advisors help?

Safety Advisors are Health & Safety Consultants, we have a wealth of knowledge of not only health and safety, but also construction sites.

Safety Advisors can act as the Principal Designer for your project – in turn creating the Pre Construction information, as well as the Health & Safety file.

For more information on the services that we offer and how we can help you, call us on 01283 760802 or visit www.safetyadvisors.co.uk

 Sources: HSE (http://www.hse.gov.uk/pUbns/priced/hsg150.pdf)

HSE have recently released Health & Safety Law Pocket Cards, perfect for workers on site – check them out here: HSE POCKET CARDS

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