Construction Safety
When developing a construction project, most contractors promise high-end features, long-lasting materials, and energy efficiency. However, safety standards and expectations are something they often do not share with you as a deliverable. Your construction company must create a safe work site for their team as it can impact your construction project. In addition, your contractor should be able to provide you with a final build that is safe for you to use for years to come and meets all safety inspections. Both aspects can have an impact on the outcome of your construction project.
Let’s look at safety within the construction sector, both on the worksite and in your final build.
Who is Involved in Making Your Construction Project Safe?
When you are building a commercial building or a custom home, you have one point of contact for the construction project. This makes things simpler for you; however, you don’t often get a chance to be introduced to those involved in making your construction project safe.
In truth, it might be impossible to be aware of everyone who contributes to site safety, as everyone plays a part. However, we can look at some individuals who manage safety on the job site and within the final build.
The Construction Safety Manager acts as the safety representative and ensures everyone follows safety protocols on all job sites. They ensure our team is safe from day one; they conduct safety orientations and inform personnel regarding changes to safety regulations. Safety managers also help our crews remain focused on completing construction projects safely. Regularly, they will conduct site inspections and audits to identify any unsafe conditions and risks.
Of course, the Construction Safety Manager is just one member of the leadership team who contributes to regulating safety. All supervisors perform informal inspections whenever they are out on site. As well, formally documented inspections are completed regularly by supervisors.
Your construction team should stay updated on the Construction Safety Association's standards and implement them into their practice.
As we had mentioned before, it is everyone’s responsibility to maintain worksite safety. We rely on each other to follow the health and safety standards established. Even those sub-trades that come and go from the construction site.
Worksite Safety
We understand what kind of hazards workers are exposed to within the construction industry. Statistically, construction workers are more likely to be subject to injuries than those in other industries. And the most common forms of injury experienced on a job site include:
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Falls (from scaffolding, roofs or ladders)
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Being struck by an object
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Electrocution
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Being caught in or between objects
Ensuring that safety procedures are followed on any worksite is integral for keeping a team safe. With training and ongoing information, a construction team is better prepared to keep themselves and others safe.
Following safety expectations also helps to keep a project on schedule. As a result, there are no delays due to injuries, accidents or broken materials and pieces of equipment.
There are different variables at each construction site; various subcontractors are involved, and additional equipment is used. Team members may have never worked together and coordinated before - however, they need to be able to maintain the safety standards established by the site supervisors.
Some key ways construction members can keep themselves and others safe include:
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Inspect equipment and machinery to identify issues
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Use fall protection when working at heights
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Keep the area clean and free from tripping/slipping hazards
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Communicate
Now communication is key in every aspect of a construction project - including safety. Making it a practice to alert all those on a job site, including different trades, to potential hazards keeps everyone safe.
The construction team can also reinforce safety with proper tools and machinery, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and safety signage on a construction site.
How Safety Can Impact Your Project
Sometimes there is a disconnect formed between safety and you, the client. It is important for those investing in a build project to remain informed about safety expectations and execution. Poor working conditions and building execution can significantly impact your timeline and the final deliverable.
Accidents that cause injuries to individuals reduce the amount of time construction team members can work on-site - impacting your project’s productivity. As well, accidents that cause damage to materials or equipment can affect your timeline and the budget.
But it isn’t always an incident that can impede your project. For example, if your construction team can not pass the regularly scheduled safety inspections, your construction site could be shut down.
A construction company must also carry over safe practices from the construction process to your final build. The building itself must be safe to occupy, whether it is a commercial warehouse or custom home. They must be quality builds that meet all safety standards and inspections. Like you, we want you to be comfortable and enjoy your building for years to come.
Stretch Construction & Safety
Stretch Construction is committed to delivering safety in every commercial construction and custom home build project that we are a part of. Safety is integrated into every step of our build process.
We work at construction sites across Western Canada, especially in BC and Alberta. To meet the established safety standards and expectations, we remain up-to-date on safety regulations within these areas.
Stretch also only works with sub-trades with proven track records for maintaining safety standards and producing high-quality products; this means our commitment to you is translated to every level of the Stretch team.
So, from our project managers to the individual tradespeople, we have very high standards when it comes to safety.
Safety is the responsibility of every person who steps foot onto a construction site.
Contact our team today if you would like to learn more about Stretch’s commitment to safety and how it improves your construction project.
