Safety has always been a priority at work, especially within naturally unsafe areas such as railways, power plants or construction sites, among others. The importance of a good safety system cannot be underestimated and compromised. The safety measures may be different when working on a generator or when working at heights, but the idea is just the same: preserve life and property.
When working in highly unsafe environments such as construction sites for tall buildings, huge amounts of safety measures should be kept. How to manage work at high floor levels is a fundamental question. Other questions may be “What equipment to use?” or “How to train the employees?” Listed below are the items that need to be reflected on to keep everyone safe while working on high areas:
Train the employees
Due to deadlines incorporated in our work completion, sometimes there are parts of the process that are not accomplished. Well, training the workers should not be one of those. There is a need to properly train the employees before the start of every job, even the simplest ones around. Safety orientations and complete and clear explanations of the work hazards are a must. Every day at work should start with a safety meeting attended by every single worker on duty. Safety meetings encompass all that is needed to be known by the employees, from the unsafe conditions, unsafe acts and the proper response in case an incident or accident occurs. Most importantly, safety meetings focus on preventing these accidents to happen.
Get the right tools and equipment
In keeping everyone safe while working at heights, the company also needs to look into the equipment provided to its workers. Harnesses should be checked before use. A good harness has a strong anchor. The weight that it can hold should also be clearly explained to the workers in order to avoid overexerting the harness which could eventually end up badly. Platforms created for the workers to step on should also be sturdy and strong. Weight limits must be communicated and clarified at all times. Lastly, if the inevitable happens and a worker falls from a height, there should be fall arrest nets installed. Having a secure netting underneath the high workplace is a must, not only for saving pedestrians underneath the construction but also to save anyone who falls while at work.
Be mindful of ladders and staircases
Everyone on the work site should be aware that there should be three points of contact while descending or ascending stairways or ladders. By three points of contact, that means one hand and two feet are placed on the ladder. In case of supplies and tools being carried, the use of rope can be the choice of transport instead of the workers bringing them by hand. Just be sure that the tools and supplies are securely knotted. In using ladders, it would also help if the top and bottom parts are tied to a sturdy material such as a concrete post. Any defect in the ladders should be promptly corrected or, better yet, replaced.
Personal Protective Paraphernalia
All people on site should, of course, be provided with proper and complete personal protective paraphernalia such as hard hats, safety shoes, and reflectorized clothing. These should be based on accepted standards and must be worn at all times while at the construction site.
Safety is crucial to all of us because our instinct is to preserve ourselves and keep away from things that might threaten our existence. Through proper planning and correct implementation, a lot of lives can be saved from unfortunate events, not only in the workplace but also in our everyday lives.
