The Importance of Safety Measures in Construction Work
Heat-related issues like sunburn and dehydration threaten your efficiency and your employees’ health. While the effects won’t immediately sideline your workers, you’ll experience a loss of productivity and a decline in morale.
Hot summer days also lead to fatigue, which in turn leads to mistakes that can be a severe safety hazard on your job site. Additionally, your employees are more prone to heat exhaustion, which sets in once the internal body temperature reaches 104 degrees Fahrenheit. This can be deadly without proper treatment, so keep your eye out for some common symptoms, such as:
- Excessive sweating
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Clammy skin
- Headaches
If your employees exhibit any of these symptoms, have them take a break in a cooler area and make sure they drink water.
Your company’s reputation ultimately depends on the final results your team produces. When your employees are subjected to heat-related illnesses, the entire timeline is thrown off track, putting your project in jeopardy.
Your employees are your best asset. When you prioritize employee safety, your workers will realize you value their hard work. Consider implementing a few summer construction safety tips to ensure your employees’ well-being even on the hottest days.
Helpful Construction Site Safety Tips
Take a look at these five summer construction safety tips to keep your employees and your project timelines protected.
Avoid the Hottest Hours
Starting your projects earlier in the morning might not be the most popular option, but it’s better than working in 100-degree heat, and your employees will come to appreciate it.
One of the best construction safety tips is to minimize sun exposure during the hottest hours of the day, usually between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Consider using this time slot to schedule indoor meetings, lunch breaks, or jobs that don’t require team members to work outdoors.
If you have a time-sensitive project, it might not be feasible to stop working during these hours. In these circumstances, try to keep your workers in the shade or indoors as much as possible.
Keep Workers Hydrated
Dehydration on the job site can be prevented by providing plenty of water for your workers throughout the day. Be sure to use ice, as colder water helps regulate body temperature.
On days that are 103 degrees or higher, you’re legally required to provide water per OSHA guidelines. As a general construction safety tip, set time aside for additional water breaks on days 90 degrees or higher. If it’s not a safety issue, encourage your workers to bring their own water supply.
Plan for Contingencies
While summer is the most popular construction season, it also presents a fair share of extreme weather situations. An effective construction safety tip is to educate your employees on how to stay sheltered during inclement weather. Hold emergency drills and keep workers in the loop about impending storms. It’s also beneficial to designate a liaison who will oversee emergency communications when weather disrupts your operations.
Always Use Protective Gear
During hot days, your employees might be tempted to remove their construction safety helmets to cool off. This is a huge OSHA violation and extremely dangerous to everyone on the project site. Remind your employees to keep their protective equipment on no matter how hot it gets. While the temperature might be uncomfortable, it pales in comparison to the discomfort of head injuries.
Work With Professionals
Whether you’re a project manager, stakeholder, or construction supervisor, you need to partner with a commercial construction company that’s transparent about its safety policies.
During the vetting process, see how they implement construction site safety procedures into their daily routine. Sharing a common goal of employee safety provides more protection during the hot and busy summer months
