Clean Water Fund Expands
Construction Site Safety
Funding Help Available from USDA
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You want your project built according to plan, and you also want your employees to have a safe working environment. Proper equipment and training make it possible to have both.Construction sites are filled with potential hazards that can cause serious injury or even death. Each year more than 100 workers are killed and more than 20,000 are injured in highway and street construction alone. The hazards are the same for construction inspection personnel as for construction workers.
Hazards associated with construction sites are numerous and diverse: passing motorists, heavy equipment movements, falls, confined spaces, falling/flying objects, hazardous materials – the list goes on and on. Employers are legally required to provide employees with the tools and skills necessary to mitigate construction site hazards – and it’s also in their best interest. Injuries sustained on construction sites cost employers through lost time, workers’ compensation claims, Occupational Safety and Health Administration penalties, and lawsuits.
To make the workplace safe, employers are required to provide training and personal protective equipment (PPE). This equipment is designed to protect employees from serious injuries or illnesses resulting from contact with workplace hazards. Typical PPE required on a construction site includes safety glasses, hard hats, earplugs, high visibility vests, and safety shoes. Employers also must train their employees in the proper use of PPE and about hazards that may necessitate the use of PPE.
With today’s demanding schedules and the hazards associated with construction sites, it may be difficult for your municipality to send employees to sites for construction inspection. Ayres Associates can help by providing construction inspection personnel who are experienced in construction observation, have a solid understanding of the various aspects of the contract documents, and are trained in the hazards of construction sites.
