Even if a construction project is completed successfully, the ability to do so safely is what matters most.
Having an effective construction safety plan in place will provide your staff with the path to ensure that everyone on the job site and the customer are safe and confident in your company’s abilities to avoid hazards and respond to emergencies.
According to the NIH, construction workers suffer 71 percent more injuries than workers in all other industries on average.
Construction might be riskier than other jobs, therefore organizations must establish thorough construction safety procedures and provide training for operating heavy equipment to ensure the protection of all staff.
What Is A Construction Safety Plan?
Creating a safety plan takes some time, but once it is completed, your team will have a solid strategy in place should any emergencies develop.
Simply following a set of instructions or a template can help you get things done more quickly. The following are some of the most frequently included provisions in safety documents.
Consider the following suggestions when finalizing your safety plan after adding these components.
1. Make sure the safety plan is comprehensive and realistic
Using a detailed outline will ensure that your construction safety plan is comprehensive, which means you won’t leave out any important details.
The same goes for making sure it’s realistic.
Don’t make claims about having zero accidents if it’s unlikely, especially when working on high-risk projects.
2. Remain flexible enough to accommodate new information and conditions
As you add more workers to the job site or broaden the project scope, there may be new hazards to consider in the building process.
In addition to this, if anything changes at all during construction no matter how small, you have to update your plan accordingly since these factors could affect worker safety.
A good safety plan is always changing.
3. Consider hazardous materials and chemicals during construction
Considering the materials being used in the project to decide who should have access to different areas.
For example, this can help you understand where hazards could arise.
It may be appropriate to limit access of certain workers to chemical storage areas while they are still in an early stage of development if mixing them creates a high risk of exposure or other dangerous conditions.
4. Ensure that all employees are aware of the safety plan and are willing to follow it
The success of your construction safety plan relies on each worker’s compliance with its elements.
Especially when it comes to knowing how to handle emergencies and what to do in case one arises.
They need training on proper equipment use, procedures for reporting safety concerns or accidents, and other important safety measures.
Additionally, if someone does not follow the rules outlined in your plan, they could be terminated from the job site.
5. Test your response to emergencies so you can create an effective accident prevention plan
Taking time at the beginning of a construction project to identify possible risks including evaluating past records of injuries on similar projects can help prevent something bad from happening to workers later during work hours.
It’s also vital that team members are prepared to handle emergencies should they arise before steps can be implemented toward preventing them entirely.
That means regularly testing all portable fire extinguishers by spraying them towards the grill area of an empty parking lot during specified times.
6. Make sure to communicate clearly with all parties involved
Having clear communication between the concerned parties is imperative in ensuring the safety of everyone on site.
After an incident occurs, you can use your plan to help determine what went wrong and how to prevent future accidents from occurring.
If health or worker’s compensation claims are filed, sharing your construction safety plan with insurance agencies may help them understand why certain procedures weren’t followed and whether or not someone was at fault for potential injuries.
7. Ensure that all information is up-to-date and anyone who needs it has access to it
You should keep a copy of your construction safety plan readily available onsite, such as on a mobile device or tablet that team members can reference if needed.
Put it in an easy-to-access location, such as attached to or near the whiteboard where daily schedules are written.
This will enable everyone on site to get the most up-to-date version of your plan if necessary without further delay.
8. When designing new buildings, be sure that all safety measures comply with local and national building codes
Before you can begin construction work, you’ll need to know what safety measures must be taken into account when working on a job of this size.
Building codes will dictate whether or not safety railings should be installed on stairways above three stories high.
Or how many exits there should be in different types of rooms for example commercial kitchens.
It’s important to note that there may be different building codes depending on where your project is located.
9. Consider including a detailed list of potential safety hazards in your plan
Whether you’re documenting what actions should be taken if another worker goes missing or if an electrical short occurs, it’s important to have clear instructions when it comes to dealing with hazardous conditions before they pose a threat.
You can then use these instructions as references during emergencies so everyone knows how to react appropriately based on the situation at hand.
Why you should get a custom construction site safety plan
One thing you have to remember is that not all construction sites are equal.
Some require a more detailed custom plan for the project. Even if you’re not looking to draw up a custom plan, it’s always beneficial to create one that can be modified or updated when necessary so everyone is on the same page.
If you are interested in having an effective safety plan for your construction project. Click here to learn more.
You’ll be given custom safety plans and toolbox talks to 100% modified to your project.