Despite tremendous progress in safety equipment and training as well as secure job sites, construction workers remain at a higher risk of injury. According to OSHA, about 20% of worker fatalities in the private industry in 2019 were in construction.
Accidents on construction sites occur due to a variety of reasons— most of which can be prevented. Understanding the root causes of site accidents is the first step to eliminating hazardous injuries to workers.
Some of the common causes of construction site accidents include:
- Not following safety instructions: In order to ensure a safe working environment, workers need to follow safety instructions at all times. It is important to provide workers proper training to use the field equipment. Also, encourage workers to follow safety regulations by implementing strict monitoring policies to track non-compliance.
- Failure to spot hazardous cues: A large number of accidents occur due to malfunctioning machinery. To prevent such incidents, general contractors and site managers should remain vigilant and carry out regular site inspections and flag any potential problems.
- Frequent maintenance errors: It is common to have machine malfunctions when service guidelines are not implemented correctly. Poorly serviced machinery negatively impacts productivity but is a major source of accidents at the job site. It is critical to control maintenance errors by enforcing manufacturers recommendations and procedures for safe equipment utilization.
4 Ways to Implement Security with a Tracking Software at a Construction Jobsite
Minimize chances of fatalities at a jobsite by implementing a safety management program. A robust construction safety compliance policy not only reduces health risks for workers but also leads to improvements in quality of work and productivity.
Here are 5 ways construction companies can maintain a secure jobsite – and how a tracking software can help:
1. Run regular maintenance schedules
A construction jobsite includes heavy equipment like cranes, excavators and bulldozers that need to be kept in top notch condition for uninterrupted workflows. Poorly serviced machinery is more likely to break down and cause unpredictable delays and accidents. One way to prevent machinery downtime is to inspect it before use. Check for any signs for wear and tear and if there is any damage, send it into maintenance immediately.
In order to eliminate last minute field downtimes, site managers can automate preventive maintenance. This also ensures that no malfunctioned machinery is sent out to the jobsite.
A tracking system enables you to schedule preventive and recurring services and send out alerts for a streamlined maintenance routine. This improves reliability and extends equipment life cycle with lower chances of site accidents.
Read more: 5 Ways Asset Tracking Software for Construction Can Help You Get Ahead of CompetitionÂ
2. Integrate compliance checklists
Construction safety compliance checklists are designed to educate workers on how to utilize equipment in the correct manner. Similar inspection checklists can be used to assess a machine or a jobsite for potential risk factors. Doing this as a preventive method helps construction workers avoid any mishaps on the jobsite and report hazards in a timely manner.Â
Construction workers spend the majority of their time working on jobsites. An effective way to ensure workers follow through the construction safety compliance checklists is to add them to a centralized tracking platform that can be easily accessed on site from any device
3. Use certified safety gear
The use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is extremely important when it comes to the construction industry. PPE is safety gear designed to minimize exposure to hazards at the jobsite. Some examples of PPE include gloves, safety glasses, hearing and head protection. Since PPE is subject to extensive use, it is critical to maintain it in the appropriate manner. Apart from implementing a strict PPE policy, site managers should ensure that the safety gear is readily available for all workers.
Safety gear is mostly used on the jobsite where there is a high risk of misplacement if items are not tracked properly. In order to avoid theft of expensive PPE, site managers can use tracking software to design a check-in and checkout system to keep a record of custodianship. With a robust accountability system in place, it becomes easy to track where and how the safety gear is being used. With documented utilization, site managers can then request for repair and replacement to meet safety compliance requirements for PPE.
4. Implement safety training programs
The Occupational and Health Safety Act lists training as part of its 4 pillars and has developed comprehensive courses for the safety of construction workers on the field. Once an employee completes a specific training, they receive a construction safety certification.Â
It is important that your company puts a structured plan in place to ensure that all employees receive the required training. As part of the construction safety compliance program, only trained users should be allowed to operate specific equipment. Untrained employees using machines without supervision can end up putting themselves and others at risk.
With a large number of workers changing shifts everyday, it becomes challenging to keep track of who is working with what equipment. To ensure there are trained employees present on the jobsite at all times, site managers can define custom roles and teams according to safety certifications.
For instance, team A can be trained in heavy machinery usage policies and team B can receive hazard communication training. When sending out employees for a project, site managers can include staff from both teams so that proper guidelines can be followed. To formally divide teams and roles, managers can set custom users in a tracking system with controlled equipment permissions.
Read more: Improve Construction Project Performance by Running 3 Actionable Asset Tracking ReportsÂ
Once you have an effective construction safety compliance program in place, make sure it is being followed and implemented. An equipment tracking software provides a centralized platform to document all guidelines and regulations imposed for different equipment and maintenance events. Site managers can update and record every service ticket and inspection checklist and such information can be used to prepare and refine safety compliance documentation.
About EZOfficeInventory
EZOfficeInventory is a leading asset tracking software. It allows you to track, maintain, and report on inventory from anywhere, at any time.
