Managing Site Risks with the Right Safety Products
Managing risks in the workplace is a challenge at the best of times, but it is even more difficult without a system in place that can help employers and managers make safety assessments and take action quickly and efficiently.
Unfortunately, accidents are all too common on construction sites, and they can have serious consequences for both workers and employers who may be considered liable if they haven’t taken sufficient site safety measures.
The potential risk
The construction industry has one of the highest fatality rates of any industry in Australia. According to SafeWork Australia, there have been 435 construction industry deaths between 2003 and 2014.
Every construction site has a huge number of potential hazards contained within, and these can cause all sorts of accidents that can result in anything from a minor injury to a fatality. Because of this, the construction industry has tight regulations around health and safety in the workplace, and employers who are found without adequate safety measures in place to protect workers can be heavily penalised.
The importance of risk assessment
Understanding the risks is the first step to preventing them, and it’s a good idea for employers to conduct regular checks on site so they can adapt their risk management plan to the changing environment. Marking out hazards, controlling traffic and cordoning off potentially hazardous areas are common safety measures that should be implemented on any site.
The right safety supplies make up a significant part of any well thought-out risk management plan. The demand for high quality, effective safety supplies is high, especially with the current construction boom. It’s a good idea for any supplier to stock a comprehensive range of safety supplies for their customers so they have everything on hand to protect workers from the most common site hazards.
While the specific risks vary depending on the exact nature of the construction work, some of the main general site risks include:
- Slips, trips and falls: At any given time, there are a huge number of hazards waiting to trip up the unwary on a construction site. From spills on the ground to uneven terrain, any safety conscious site manager needs to take steps to reduce the likelihood of slips, trips and falls on a site. Clear signage and marking of hazards is a legal requirement in many cases.
- Open pits, deep excavations: Deep excavations can lead to a number of safety concerns, including the possibility that someone will fall into the pit, or that a worker will become trapped by a collapse. The area surrounding a deep excavation should be clearly marked and delineated to reduce the chances of a person falling in or becoming injured accidentally.
- Traffic accidents: The average construction site is a busy place and there are often multiple vehicles driving in different directions, not to mention public road and pedestrian traffic. If traffic guidance measures are not in place, this can lead to a very dangerous environment for both construction workers and the general public. Traffic cones and bollards are an essential part of traffic control and guidance.
Many of the accidents that take place on or around a construction site are preventable, and the right safety products combined with a comprehensive system of risk management are the best defences against injuries on a worksite. It’s important that all employees are trained and certified appropriately, and that safety training continues on an ongoing basis.
How we can help
Employers understand that making workers aware of the hazards on site and having the right site safety supplies is essential.
At CCI Supplies, we have a number of site safety supplies available that can help protect construction workers while they are on site. Our range includes barrier mesh, safety tapes, reflective flagging, bollards and traffic cones. If you supply the construction industry, talk to us about how we can help you stock what you need, without needing to source products from multiple suppliers.
