Construction is a vital industry for the development of any building project. It’s also an industry that comes with risks and hazards.
To reduce the risks faced by employees, it’s worth thinking carefully about the health and safety issues that construction work entails, along with the preventative steps to take.
Is everyone trained up? Are all risk assessments up to date? Here’s a look at what to look out for and why it’s important to be aware.
Major health and safety issues
Working at height and overseeing heavy loads makes construction work potentially dangerous. According to the Health and Safety Executive, there were 74,000 construction workers suffering from work-related ill health and 54% with musculoskeletal disorders between 2018 and 2021.
These stats hint at the number of workers who had to miss work days. Accidents are inevitable but the construction sector sees more working days lost each year due to work-related illnesses and injuries than other similar industries and has a fatal injury rate that’s around four times the all-industry rate.
But some things can be done to reduce the risk levels and protect workers. Employers in this sector are advised to take out specialist professional indemnity insurance for construction work. Fully trained staff, protective gear and regular assessments can also go a long way towards reducing the risk of injury on-site.
The risks
There are several health and safety issues to be aware of on a construction site. You must understand what to consider when looking at the risks:
- Heights
Constructing buildings means working at height. Therefore, there’s a risk of employees falling or being injured. Builders and other construction workers must know the risks and how to work safely when high up. Dedicated training can go a long way towards helping with this.
- Falls
With scaffolding and tools creating obstacles, there’s an increased chance of falls or trips. Ensuring workers know how to store tools away safely and including clear routes around the site will help reduce the chance of accidents happening.
- Moving machinery
Tools and machinery used in construction are high-powered and can do real damage if the operator isn’t properly trained. Investing in the right machinery for the job and ensuring workers know how to use it can be incredibly beneficial.
- Debris
Cutting tools and other similar equipment are used on-site, which can often lead to flying debris. Personal protective wear (PPE) such as hard hats, heavy-duty gloves, and steel toe-capped boots can all help keep workers safe.
By having these risks and solutions in mind, it’s possible to protect your team when they’re working on a construction job.