3 Things You Can Do to Maximise Construction Safety

When it comes to running a construction site, it’s important to keep safety in mind, especially when it comes to having roof access. Accidents can happen at any given point and as a site manager, you need to make sure that you take all precautions. You have the responsibility to keep your staff and contractors safe when working on rooftops.

You may need to make a checklist of what you need to do, such as getting a roof access hatch, a roof ladder, roof anchor points, harnesses and hard hats. Here’s a handy guideline to help you remember the important elements.

What Can You Do to Make Keep Your Staff Safe?

Covering all your bases won’t be difficult as there are many resources to use when it comes to roof safety. There is, of course, PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) which includes a variety of safety attire.

PPE Breakdown

  • Depending on what the job is, it’s always important to protect your eyes. Any form of eye damage can be long term. Eye protection is vital when dealing with chemicals, lasers and debris.
  • When it comes to working on a construction site, face protection is essential. Not only will a face shield add extra protection to your eyes, but it will also make sure that your skin doesn’t get harmed.
  • Body protection is of course a non-negotiable in some scenarios. Chemical burns, debris and many other elements can damage the skin so wear what will keep arms, legs and your torso safe.
  • We use our hands for almost everything and so they need to be covered and protected. This applies especially when working on a construction site where different tools are used that could damage the hands.
  • Respiratory protection is often only needed when the person has been advised to use one after having a medical evaluationdone. A respiratory mask is also usually needed when dealing with gas. 
  •        Construction sites can be noisy and considering your eardrums are extremely sensitive, reusable earbuds are key.
  •   Confined spaces are common on construction sites and put simply is an enclosed or partially enclosed space. Commonly confined spaces are shafts, pipes, ducts, tunnels, and trenches. They are dangerous and require confined space equipment for safe work.

Roof Access

Roof Access Hatches

Now that we’ve gone through the attire that you should implement, you can look into a roof access hatch. This is to make sure that whoever ends up working at an extreme height can access the roof safely.

A roof access hatch incorporates a ladder that leads up to a hatch opening from the inside, onto the roof. This is so no one has to climb onto the roof from the outside, which carries a higher risk of falling. Having a roof access hatch makes sure that everyone can feel secure and safe and that some accidents are prevented.

Roof Ladders

If getting a roof access hatch is something you can’t do then roof ladders can be the alternative. With the possibility of falls and slips, a roof ladder has been designed with power grip rungs that are comfortable as well as slip resistant. The ladder has a metal rail structure that goes all the way around it to protect you from all around and will support you if you should trip.

Roof access hatches and roof ladders both offer roof access while keeping everyone safe. This provides more confidence in workers, leading to better productivity and workmanship.

Know the Law

Knowing the law is vital. Having all the right information means you can take the necessary steps to make sure you don’t miss anything when it comes to safety. The legislation gives you guidelines so you can make sure you play your part in protecting yourself as well as your staff.

It’s scary to think that the fall from height statistics between 2015 and 2019 in Australia reflects122 deaths while there is a 48% fatality from falls from 4 meters or less. Because of that in November 2019 in the Victorian Parliament, a new bill was passed. This bill can lead to fines for employers and organisations responsible for workplace deaths. The business itself can get a fine of billions of dollars while the person that had been the supervisor can be imprisoned.

It’s safe to say you want to make sure that you do whatever you can to make sure that nothing goes wrong on your watch.

Final Thoughts

It’s easy to put your staff in hard hats while telling them to be careful onsite. However, this doesn’t assure you that no one will get hurt, because let’s be honest, accidents can happen at any given time. You’ll want to make sure you minimise risk as much as possible.

It would be in everyone’s best interest to look at all safety measures you currently have. What do you need to do to enhance the workplace environment? With the assistance of items like an anchor point and a roof access hatch Melbourne construction site managers—and their teams—can rest easy! Let’s keep everyone safe.

Christophe Rude
Christophe Rude
Articles: 15880

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