Construction Site Health and Safety You Need To Know

Health and Safety On Site

Construction site health and safety is a very serious matter. When you consider injuries in the workplace you also need to consider how they can be prevented. Simple prevention methods can be put in place like correct training for managers and vehicle maintenance to reduce overall injuries.

Ensure All MEWPs Meet Health and Safety Standards

Here at Powered Access Solutions we specialise in boom lift hire and training. Advantages to hiring a boom lift over purchasing one is that you can choose your duration, you know that the vehicle has been properly maintained reducing workplace injuries and you don’t need to find storage for it after the project has been completed.

We give companies the option to have specialised boom lift training to ensure the health and safety criteria has been met when working with mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs). The reason that we offer specialist training is because HSE deem working at height so dangerous that “if the work can be carried out in a way that avoids having someone working at height then this must be done”. Find more about the health and safety laws of MEWPs.

Boom equipment is the only way to provide a safe work platform for short term work that is at height. All equipment should be regularly maintained and should be operated by a competent person who has adequate strength and stability. Our boom lifts are exemplars when considering MEWPs to hire.

Top Health and Safety Issues on a Site

Although the list of health and safety risks in the workplace is never ending, we want to ensure that you know the main risks constructions site workers face when they go to work every day.

Beware of Moving Vehicles

A typical construction site is constantly changing and developing. Construction workers with different skill sets occupy the site and mix in with the moving vehicles that surround them. Moving vehicles can cause substantial injuries on the site and this is a health and safety risk that can be avoided. A good supervisor should be responsible for the planning of executing of health and safety around the site to ensure that no one is hurt by moving vehicles and that all suitable equipment it worn to minimize any injury that might occur.

Slips,Trips and Falls

Slips,trips and falls are the one of the most common injuries found in all workplaces. These injuries happen more on construction sites due to the diverse range of activities that goes on, on a day-to-day basis. Due to the high amount of holes in the ground and cables around in the rooms, not all cases can be avoided. But the amount of slips,trips and falls in the workplace can be reduced by increasing communication and giving supervisors and managers better health and safety training overall.

‘Vibration White Finger’

Vibration White Finger (VWF) is an injury picked up working in an industrial setting that is caused by excessive and prolonged use of vibrating tools and products found commonly in the workplace. This condition can be prevented by proper health and safety, yet a medical research council estimate 301,000 cases of VWF. Simple prevention methods like introducing anti-vibration gloves into the workplace and having the right tools for each job can massively reduce VWF cases. The fact that overall 301,000 cases have been found that have resulted in VWF shows that health and safety hasn’t been executed properly.