We all know that the construction site is one of the high-risk workplaces. OHSA records one in every 10 construction workers is injured annually. Meanwhile, one in five worker deaths annually is in the construction industry. But as the years go by and as technology and procedures improve, these numbers are slowly being diminished. Deaths are prevented and accidents are lessened.
There are a lot of safety requirements being asked by the state or the city council before they give a permit to construct. Laws were put into place to ensure the safety of everyone involved in the construction, most especially the laborers. It is essential to follow these rules and guidelines to maximize the safety of construction workers, it is essential to follow these rules, guidelines and regulations are enforced.
Importance of Safety in Construction
Accidents in construction can lead to a range of troubles. Like we mentioned, it can be a minor injury or a lifelong impairment. Sometimes, it even leads to death. The greatest fatality is always related to working on high levels like roofs, overhead cranes, or those assigned on the detailing the walls.
On the ground, it’s also not so safe. People down below can be hit by falling objects and even if hard hats can reduce the risk of death, some of them end up being paralyzed forever.
Another risk exists around heavy equipment and tools. Excavators may put the life of the operator in danger, most especially when he doesn’t really have the right amount of knowledge to handle such equipment.
These damages can grow at a greater scale when the construction is done in the public areas. This time, there will be more victims involving motorists and pedestrians.
For these reasons, safety practices and rules must always exist on-site and followed strictly by workers. Each worker on the site should be properly trained and equipped with modern safety equipment. Otherwise, there will be tons of losses involving paying for medications and hospitalizations. Most of the lawsuits are to follow any accident.
Software on Construction Safety
It may be odd to look at software as a tool to ensure safety on a construction site. However, this technology can organize tasks and other elements in the workplace, making it safer than a site that doesn’t employ any software at all.
In fact, construction project management software are now able to set new rules and safety standards that make on-site safety rate higher. Fatalities are lessened as more agile organizations embrace the use of software in their projects. With their sites becoming safer, their work quality and productivity becomes higher, hence giving them a competitive edge over the others.
So if you are not yet using any of the best construction project management software in your business, it’s now the time to start. Improve construction safety with checklists and risk assessments provided by software. Manage safety processes with more accuracy so very little to no accidents may happen. This way, you can minimize claims and costs related to accidents and fatalities.
Here are other ways a construction project management software can make the site a safer workplace:
1. Transparency in all processes
Almost every construction project is now using a kind of software to manage the site. It provides transparency on how the project is progressing so project leaders are able to determine which levels currently have high-risk factors. This way, they can take early action to avert potential problems before they occur. Doing so saves the business some money from claims and recovery costs and time from the delays that accidents may cause.
2. Tracks workplace incidents
It can’t be avoided. With so many moving parts and high-level work areas, accidents are really bound to happen no matter how many safety tools you employ on the site. It is then vital that you record incidents immediately. Pay attention to how you can help them recover so that worse effects of the accident will be prevented. This will also help you avoid lawsuits from alleged negligence. The incident records you keep with your construction project management software will also help you make your risk planning on your next project more efficient.
3. Allows team mobility
A good construction software should be accessible via phone or tablets. This will make it easier for all team members, no matter where they are working on the site, to access information. This makes sure that they are constantly informed about the areas on the site with high risks so they can brace themselves and avoid getting into accidents.
4. Easy access to forms
There are so many forms to fill out in construction. Workers are not exempted as they need to report daily the progress of their tasks. Forms for safety protocols are also saved on software, helping workers be reminded of the rules they need to follow to keep them away from accidents. It is then vital your members can access these forms on the spot. Keep important documents saved on a public folder so they can review them instantly when they forget something. This also prevents them from having to wander around just to take a look at a document needed in their current task.
5. Mobile signatures
Along with filling out forms, there are many times too when signatures should be collected. To make the documents valid and legal, owners require everyone to attach a signature on their daily worksheets. With an easy access to the files through their forms, members should also be able to sign these documents wherever they are. Carrying pen and paper on high-risk sites where equipment can feed on what you are holding will just contribute to the existence of accidents.
6. Ability to record voice to text
AI (artificial intelligence) technology is now being equipped on all smartphones. This allows people to browse through their phones without even typing a command. This hands-free feature is greatly helpful on a construction site so capitalize on this feature and integrate it with your software. This way, any member involved in an accident where they can’t move can report their accident in real-time and can be found and attended to immediately.
7. Records staff training and certifications
It is very important in the construction industry to have all members go through safety training and certification. This helps them become aware of all possible risks found on the site and how they should act if they ever find themselves in the middle of an accident.
Leverage your software’s cloud storage and place all certifications in one folder where you can track who among your members has not yet complied with the safety trainings you required. Use your software, too, to notify everyone when there’s a new safety certification required by the owner or the city/state council.
These are just some of the features in a construction project management software that will help you heighten safety in your business. You can talk to construction software developers like Pro Crew Schedule about the features that will meet your needs.
Other Ways to Ensure Safety On-Site
The traditional ways of making your construction site safer should not be neglected. Alongside employing software for safety measures, you should also consider improving or leveraging the following:
1. Safety Equipment
The pieces of safety equipment are being improved year after year. Thanks to technology, the old hard hats are now made with stronger materials that are hard to break and added with accessories so they stay in place. It won’t make your members resistant from injuries when a big object falls on them, but it can at least decrease the effects of head injuries that can put them into a vegetative state.
The quality of the equipment used is an important consideration. It is your responsibility to ensure that your members are safe, so do not hesitate to invest in high-quality safety equipment. Consequently, this will lead to your project success as you minimize the chances of delays and cost overruns.
Install platforms and handrails; be sure that the harness you use can handle heavy loads, make sure to use steady scaffolds, and always have signages placed on the worksite.
2. Advanced Technology
Advanced technology can also be utilized to promote safety. AR, VR, AI, robots, drones, and other automation techs have greatly enhanced safety on the site. Rather than walking through dangerous, unfinished areas of a job site, these techs can be used to track progress, along with your construction management software.
Construction workers can also be equipped with safety monitors and alert systems that will alert site supervisors or foremen if an accident occurs.
3. Safety trainings
As already mentioned, safety training is a vital part of ensuring safety on site. It is also important that employees are well aware of all hazards and what you can do for prevention and first aid.
Construction workers must be trained on the latest safety rules and regulations. Through training, they can better protect themselves from any kind of risk. Remember that your members can hold you responsible if any safety codes are violated. So be sure to do your part in instilling a safer environment on the site.
Key Takeaway
The construction site poses an inherent danger to anyone working on the field. It is then crucial for all parties to take safety seriously. Use the latest safety equipment as they are designed to handle any new risks found on the site. They are equipped with better functionality to increase safety compared with the older equipment that existed for years.
Survey the market to see safer and more advanced options. Don’t forget to use a construction project management software. It would be unwise to ignore these tools. Finally, training and educating your members must be among your first priorities before starting your project to avoid the hassles of going through accident management and even lawsuits.
1 thought on “All The Ways You Can Ensure Safety In Construction”
Thanks for your recommendations, particularly about using voice-to-text as a safety feature for crews. I’d never thought about how that could be helpful for a contractor trying to keep their team safe. I’ll have to keep some of these ideas in mind the next time I work on a big project in my own home.