How do you keep safety risks low on your construction sites?

Provision of authority with responsibilities to HSE staff. Choose competent workforce for each specific job. Establish training and improvement strategies

Ensuring safety on construction sites is akin to crafting a protective shield for the workforce. The safety plan, like a blueprint, sets the stage, defining roles and anticipating risks. Personal protective equipment becomes a tailored armor, safety training a guide through potential hazards, and emergency procedures a safety net. Inspections, like vigilant guardians, ensure ongoing safety. It's a construction ballet where every move is orchestrated for the well-being of those who bring structures to life.

If safety is integrated into all aspects of the project, safety should have already been considered in the bid, in establishing budget items, etc. Meeting with leadership to develop a site specific safety plan is key in the pre-construction phase including a basic 9 box risk assessment to help focus efforts on higher risk phases and activities. Ie. If we are building a multi story wood frame building, fire protection should be a critical item. And then listening to how safety related actions will be addressed on-site in a Stand-and-Deliver presentation by site leadership before construction even begins.

One easy way to get started is reviewing what the top 10 violations where in the past year according to OSHA. This information is available to anyone with an internet connection. Is not a big secret, you don't need any special "clearance" level. You just need to be willing to look for it. Once you have the list of this 10 items, go over it one by one and ask yourself: "how is my company doing in these items?". This will definitely give you a solid starting point. Take care of those 10 items and you'll already be ahead of the curve.

Step a step back every morning or before the shift starts, discuss the future work in front of you, point out risk and fall hazard. Safety training is mandatory at every job site. Educate everyone, if everyone looks out for each other, it will be safer.

In the symphony of construction safety, training is the conductor, harmonizing knowledge, skills, and attitude. Picture it as a dance where each worker, contractor, and subcontractor is choreographed to the rhythm of safety protocols. Hazard identification is the intricate ballet, first aid training the safety waltz, and monitoring the vigilant watchtower. Encouraging a positive safety culture is the melody, resonating through the workforce, creating a harmonious safety symphony on the construction stage.

Huh? I guess I was not aware that culture amongst staff included insuring employees knew what their rights were. I would suggest that building culture begins with hiring good solid employees, training begins upon hire and ensuring employees understand that (our) employer would never knowing place an employee in harms way, and if they ever felt like they were being asked (or told) to perform a hazardous task that they all have "stop work" authority to not perform that task. Rules and regulations are there for a reason, but the rules and regulations will never prevent every incident. Adults make 35,000 decision each day and sound, thought through decisions are critical on the job site.

Inspecting a construction site is akin to weaving a safety tapestry. The checklists, tools, and standards are the threads, meticulously traversing equipment, materials, and processes. Documentation becomes the archival ink, recording the evolving story of safety measures. Involving and soliciting feedback from staff adds the vibrant colors, transforming safety into a collective masterpiece. Analyzing trends and patterns is the melody, guiding construction teams in a harmonious dance towards an ever-safer project environment.

Maintaining construction equipment is like tending to the heartbeat of a project. Compliance with safety standards is the guiding rhythm, ensuring that every piece of machinery resonates with safety protocols. Preventive maintenance is the guardian, warding off potential breakdowns and ensuring a reliable performance dance. Documentation becomes the journal, chronicling the life of equipment and guiding future steps. Training staff is the knowledge transfer, ensuring that every team member becomes a steward of safety in the construction orchestra.

In the construction communication symphony, envision it as orchestrating a harmonious melody where signs, briefings, and radios blend seamlessly. Timely updates are the dynamic rhythm, ensuring that every stakeholder dances to the safety beat. Open communication is the collaborative chorus, where diverse voices contribute to a safety anthem. Active listening and appropriate responses become the responsive harmony, refining the construction communication symphony into a masterpiece of safety harmony.

Effectively communicating all the information before starting is a vital move in maintaining a safe site. From reviewing the work before starting to demonstrating proper tool use and also proper donning of the PPE needed for the task assists with keeping injuries down. With a good line of communication open with the workforce it helps identify issues before they become a problem.

Learning from incidents in construction is akin to crafting a safety tapestry. Picture it as a dynamic painting where reporting and investigation are the brushstrokes, revealing the intricate details of incidents. Root cause analysis becomes the palette, blending the colors of understanding through tools like the 5 whys or SWOT analysis. Corrective and preventive actions are the strokes of refinement, adjusting the canvas for a safer construction landscape. Monitoring and reviewing are the vigilant guardians, ensuring that the safety masterpiece evolves with every stroke, contributing to a collective safety gallery across the construction industry.

All good points. I would add that once the incident investigation is complete, take what was learned and sanitize the personal information, condense it to a readable paragraph (or two), and share it on other projects under your control. At some point in time every leader is going to be in a similar sitauation and can learn from others mistakes. If you don't share what was learned, nobody but the on-site leaders and staff benefit. We all make mistakes, but hopefully we dont repeat the same mistakes within the same organization.

Construction sites are dynamic in nature as the physical conditions can change within hours . Therefore those engaged in site works should be aware of the works planned and the new hazards and risks that result from the works carried out. This calls for experience in the particular activity as the hazards and risks will be known to the personnel and they will be able to ensure the right control measures are in place. Carrying formal and informal risk assessments regularly will go a long way to ensure safety at each step and should not be seen as a wasteful exercise. Engaging with the workforce and listening to the concerns raised by them will keep your site safe as those at the cutting edge are the ones exposed to the hazards most.

I 100% agree with all this as a General Superintendent !! Pre plan then work the plan. No half A$$ while doing site work. Have a healthy attitude that you people go home to their family every day.

To keep safety risks low on construction site, you can implement the following: 1. Have HSE Plan for the project 2. Carry out risk assessment for all tasks to be performed. 3. Carry out inductions and train workers on importance of good safe practices. 4. Ensure safe machines and tools are used for work. 5. Engage only competent workers 6. Provide adequate work PPE

For me, it starts with collaboration between top management and workers, from lowest grade to highest grade. Awareness is also key, to ensure that workers have a deeper understanding on why they need to see safety as part of their core responsibilities.

Leading with Ethical Health and Safety Everyone is responsible on keeping a Safe working environment at the workplace. Our role as an employee is to be complaint and be a good model to others. A culture that truly values ethical and safe behavior must be led by leaders committed to safety for its own sake. Being a responsible employee contributes a big role on keeping a safe and risk free working environment.