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The focus on workplace safety is critical. Employers at construction sites and in manufacturing especially know how injuries can not only affect project timelines, it can impact their credibility and compliance with regulations. When these companies take the time to ensure that their workplaces are safer, it results in fewer accidents, happier employees, and so much more. Let’s explore the top ways these manufacturing, construction, and other labor intensive industries are prioritizing safety.
Rest and Recovery Time for Construction Workers
Most construction workers know that the hours are long and the work conditions can be extreme when they sign up for the job. While it’s normal to work in hot or very cold conditions, good employers know that there is a limit to how hard they can push their employees and subcontractors in these harsh temperatures. Rest and recovery are necessary for construction crews.
When people are well rested, they are less likely to make costly mistakes, they are more likely to follow safety rules, and they are less likely to experience fatigue related injuries. Construction workers need days off, they need sufficient breaks throughout the day, and they need to be able to sit down if the temperatures at their worksite become overwhelming.
Implement Critical Training Standards Like OSHA 10
Knowledge is where good workplace safety starts. Construction companies know that using OSHA 10 training and other safety courses can make a huge difference in workplace safety. Employees who finish this course will gain not only a valuable certificate, they will also learn about different workplace hazards and how to approach them in a safer way. This can include wearing hard hats and the right shoes on the job as well as what to do with hazardous materials.
When everyone on the worksite understands these basic principles, it makes it safer for anyone who comes into that worksite. Employers who leverage this training may experience fewer accidents in the workplace, less legal challenges, and perhaps even a reduction in insurance costs. Plus, OSHA 10 training is also available online and even in multiple languages.
Using PPE on the Job
Many people know about PPE in healthcare settings, but often forget that manufacturing and construction sites also have their own need for personal protective equipment. Of course, hard hats, safety glasses, work gloves, and even steel toe boots are necessary in these industrial settings, however, there are even more options available for PPE at work.
These protective devices can be as simple as noise canceling headphones to protect hearing or as advanced as vests that monitor your biometrics to ensure you are not overheating on the job. These devices are often equipped with sensors that the wearer and managers. This can mean that people can be asked to sit down, grab some water, and rest before their condition becomes dangerous. PPE helps workers feel confident that they have the gear they need to work as safely as possible.
Increasing Ergonomic Spaces
People who work in industries where there are a lot of repetitive motion tasks need ergonomic workstations. Without them, people may experience musculoskeletal pain and injuries from poor posture while doing their work. These injuries are likely to happen whether there is a lot of heavy lifting, or simply standing at a subpar workstation for hours on end. Having tools to improve ergonomics can make a significant difference.
Learning how to move effectively without injury is an important skill that employers can teach their staff. They can also offer workstations that adjust to each individual’s needs. Plus, providing equipment that helps assist employees when they need to lift heavy items, can further improve the ergonomics on construction sites and in manufacturing plants. All of these things work together to decrease strain on the back and other joints, and to reduce the likelihood of injuries.
Technology in Industrial Settings
More and more companies are adopting technology to further improve safety at work. For construction, manufacturing, and other industrial settings, this is good news. From AI and machine learning applications that can spot hazards more quickly to wearable devices that track location and biometrics, these technologies are making work safer than ever before.
Worksites can now use drones to do some inspections and can even implement robotic technology for spaces that are too dangerous for people. With these advancements, a culture of safety is becoming the norm. As worksites implement better rest for construction workers, ensure everyone is up to date on their OSHA 10 training, and using the right PPE, construction and manufacturing industries are becoming safer and more efficient.
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