6 Safety Tips to Follow When Working at a Construction Site

Construction is one of the riskiest occupations in the United States. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFIO) report, more construction workers died in 2015 than any other occupation. There are steps construction workers and employers can take, however, to protect against injury.

#1) Use 3 Points of Contact on Ladders

When climbing ladders, construction workers should maintain three points of contact at all times. This means they should have two feet and one hand or two hands and one foot on the ladder at all times. Of course, this rule isn't limited strictly to construction workers; it applies to workers in all industries.

#2) Increase Visibility Around Heavy Machinery

Not surprisingly, a common cause of worker injury in the construction industry is getting hit or stuck between heavy machinery. Thankfully, incidents such as these are easily prevented by maintaining a high level of visibility. Workers should be required to wear reflective vests, for instance, when working around tractors and excavators.

#3) Beware of Heat Exhaustion

Each year, hundreds of construction workers in the United States suffer from heat exhaustion and other related illness. When the temperatures begin to rise, it poses a serious risk to workers' health. To protect against such injury, workers should be encouraged to drink plenty of water throughout the day, take regular breaks, and cool off in the shade when possible.

#4) Wear Personal Protective Equipment

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires employers to provide all employees and workers with the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE). For construction workers, this may include hard hats, steel-toed boots, gloves, impact-resistant eyewear, noise-cancelling headphones and other items.

#5) Watch for Overhead Hazards

Some hazards in the construction industry come from above. When construction workers are on a roof, for instance, they may encounter live power lines, which pose a serious risk if touched. Workers should identify all overhead hazards, including power lines, before working on or in a new area.

#6) Beware of Fatigue

In addition to heat exhaustion, another common hazard faced by construction workers is fatigue. When workers become fatigued, their reaction times increase and they become more likely to make mistakes. In turn, this increases the risk of injury, either to themselves or others. Employers should encourage workers to use a buddy system where two workers watch each other for signs of fatigue.