• LEGISLATION

Making a construction site safe

June, 2022

Working in the construction industry has historically been considered one of the most dangerous jobs. In 2019, the HSE released a report saying that the industry had the highest average number of deaths each year and was responsible for the second-highest number of deaths on the job.

A proper understanding of Health & Safety Regulations is required for any site operatives or visitors, but in this article we touch on basic common sense considerations and responsibilities, when it comes to making a construction site safe.

Communication

Strong communication between all team members is key to ensuring that all health and safety processes work well. If you can master it, you can make sure everyone is on the same page and reduce safety risks in the workplace.

Health and safety on construction sites in the UK is managed by clients, designers, and contractors. The Design and Management Regulations 2015 require that all parties involved in a construction project are responsible for managing health and safety risks. Each party has a duty of care that they must fulfil to ensure that people working on the project are kept safe from hazards. They must also follow all relevant health and safety legislation when doing so.

Clients: The client is responsible for ensuring that all relevant parties know their legal obligations under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. This includes ensuring that any risk assessments completed by designers or contractors are passed on to them on time.

Designers: Designers are responsible for undertaking risk assessments and providing advice on managing risks to the client. They also need to keep records of this information for three years after completion of work (or longer if required).

Contractors: Contractors need to make sure that they have suitable policies to manage health and safety risks at each stage of construction, including taking reasonable steps to protect workers from harm and ensuring that subcontractors comply with these policies.

Managers: Managers carry out day-to-day supervision of workers. They make sure that everyone understands their role and how it relates to other workers’ roles. Managers also implement policies and procedures to ensure that everyone is following regulations while they’re on site. It is also up to the manager to provide training for new employees so they know what to do in an emergency.

As an employer, you need to ensure that workers have the tools they need to report problems on the job site as soon as possible. If you do this, not only will your workers be able to take care of their own safety, but you will also be able to keep the problem from happening again.

Training

Training can cover very simple things, like how to use ladders safely and how to avoid getting hurt from falling. The most important thing is to make sure that everyone has had the right training, which will help lower the amount of danger on the premises.

Know the dangers

One of the most dangerous things on a construction site is a worker who does not know what is going on around them. If you are an employer with responsibilities, knowing about these risks can help you lower the risk.

Make sure the premises are safe

Making sure that tools are not left lying around, wires are not trailing across floors and the building and site itself are as safe as possible goes a long way to protecting your workers and any other visitors to the site. Mitigate slips and falls by putting down appropriate safety flooring and cleaning up any spillages as soon as they occur.

Even though it is the employer’s job to make sure that their workers are safe on the job, it is also the workers’ job to follow these suggestions. With the work of a whole team, it is possible to make a building site much safer to work on.

Working with Duraflor

As a company we work in conjunction with main contractors, flooring contractors and designers on major construction projects. We offer site visits and help with project planning. We are always mindful of all aspects of site pressures and do all we can to help you manage projects.

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