When you think of a construction worker’s daily uniform, you think of safety glasses, gloves, and the classic hard hat. Although these items may simply appear to be just part of their outfit, they are essential to site safety.
Safety gear is crucial to any construction site. Every year, major accidents occur in the construction industry, and many times it’s due to lack of proper protective gear. The purpose of employees wearing protective equipment is to reduce their exposure to hazards on the job, and it’s crucial that this gear is being worn at all times. It’s also important that safety personnel are on-site to enforce safety requirements, and that all workers have the proper training before stepping foot on site.
Common Personal Protective Equipment
In the construction industry, workers can be exposed to various risks.
- Head Protection– Hard hats are necessary on construction sites. They are designed to protect against flying or falling objects that can harm the worker. Hard hats should always be well-fitted.
- Eye & Face Protection– Safety goggles, spectacles and full-face shields all protect against particles or debris from getting into workers’ eyes. These are crucial on all job sites, especially when working in areas having to deal with hazardous materials.
- Hand & Skin Protection– Each year nearly 150,000 hand injuries are reported on construction sites. Using gloves will help avoid hazards when working with dangerous materials.
- Hearing Protection– Earplugs and earmuffs are common tools to protect against loud noises on-site. While earmuffs help more with reducing high-frequency noise, earplugs work best for reducing low-frequency noise.
Using and wearing protective equipment properly is crucial when it comes to avoiding unnecessary injury in the workplace. Choosing not to wear these items can be dangerous.
Enforcing Safety on Your Job Site
Construction safety should be the main priority for employers on all job sites. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires that employers protect employees from workplace hazards that can cause injury or illness.
Employer obligations include:
- Performing a “hazard assessment” of the workplace to identify and control physical and health hazards.
- Identifying, providing, and maintaining the appropriate personal protective gear for employees.
- Training employees in the use and care of their gear, while periodically reviewing, updating and evaluating the equipment.
It’s important to practice regulated site safety procedures. If you need to hire safety personnel on your site, Certified Site Safety offers NYC DOB, Licensed Site Safety Managers
All employers on construction sites and throughout NYC are required to have their workers be fully trained and certified to work. Certified Site Safety provides site safety training classes for construction workers to earn their certifications. These courses include OSHA training and DOB Training.
Understanding why protective gear needs to be worn at all times is important to avoid worker injuries, company fine and legal issues. Certified Site Safety offers services to make sure that you are up-to-date in regards to personal protective gear, and construction site safety. We can also provide qualified site safety managers to oversee and maintain site safety. To learn more about the services we provide, feel free to give us a call at 914-437-5454.
