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Construction Site Safety

Construction of any building involves massive undertakings by numerous labourers.  Normally, construction sites have hundreds of workers using heavy machineries and equipment. The building materials used in the construction, such as sand, cement, and stones, are bulky and voluminous. Construction is both daunting and strenuous, and it also involves a lot of risk. This is because accidents can occur unexpectedly in the construction sites. Such accidents may be fatal or cause disability to the victims. For this reason, precautionary measures to ensure that a site safety is provisioned should be employed.

In the past years, numerous workers have lost their lives as a result of falling off from ladders and scaffolds (Quinn 2006). To avoid such accidents, all labourers should be offered sufficient training on handling weights during construction. They should be taught how to formulate their weights and determine how much a scaffold or a ladder can hold. Also as a precaution, all ladders and scaffolds should be thoroughly inspected for any weakness before a construction shift commences. All builders should be aware of the dangers involved in walking on unsecured shingles and rooftops. Workers in a site should follow the OSHA rules during guard rails installation in a building site. A net should also be placed below the supports as a security in the event of a contingency.

Accidents in the work place can also occur as a result of exposure to dangerous chemicals. All toxic materials must be properly safeguarded during construction so as not to endanger the lives of workers. If poorly handled, they may also affect the lives of residents of a building upon completion. Builders who work across bridges and tunnels are highly exposed to lead. If no protective gear is used during these constructions, they may develop serious respiratory systems complications. Their lungs and eyes may also be affected. Prolonged exposure to lead or asbestos can cause cancer to the workers. For this reason, protective clothing must be worn at all times during constructions. The clothing may entail breathing masks, and protective gloves.

Other protective gear that should be used in these sites includes hard hats and vests with reflective strips. The hats protect major injuries on the heads from falling debris in the buildings under construction. Goggles are important for protecting the eyes from dust and debris. Signs are beneficial in a construction site. They tend to remind people to observe rules and regulations placed by management in a construction environment when entering the site. They make passers-by aware of the imminent danger that can arise while construction. This way, they can stay alert and cautious when walking besides a building site. This way, they reduce the chances of accidents which may cause serious injuries to people.

All in all, the fact prevails that building sites pose a lot of danger to constructionists. There are numerous measures that can be used to enhance safety in these places. All individuals should be conscious about their safety in the sites. This way, serious accidents may not occur to them.
Reference

James Rowland writes on topics keeping you safe from accidents at work.

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