If someone gets injured on your construction site, whether they are supposed to be there or not, you could find yourself embroiled in a liability case.
Long before any construction project begins, managers should make sure every health and safety measure has been considered. Without following uniform safety protocols, workers could get injured or even worse, suffer fatal consequences.
A report by OSHA
(Occupational Safety and Health Administration) found on average, there were more than 100 construction work-related deaths a week in 2018. That’s more than 14 deaths every day. Hazards can include falls, exposure to dangerous substances, falling objects, dust inhalation and motor vehicle accidents.
In addition to worker injuries and fatalities, the public can be a safety concern. Construction sites are often located in busy areas, where there could be a lot of traffic. Innocent bystanders may be struck by falling objects when inadequate safety measures are in place.
Loss of Time and Money After an Accident
Any time there is an injury or death on a construction site, work stops to allow for investigations. Depending on the nature of the accident, those could be lengthy. If equipment gets damaged in the accident, that could affect budgets, as will worker’s compensation claims. Then there can be training costs associated with replacing injured workers.
Construction Safety Week 2020
Because construction sites are so dangerous, the industry sets aside a special week every year to refocus their efforts on minimizing and eliminating jobsite accidents. Safety Week
was launched in 2014 by a group of more than 40 national and global construction firms who formed the Construction Industry Safety Initiative (CISI) and the Incident and Injury Free (IIF) CEO Forum. It is an annual campaign designed to help strengthen the industry’s safety performance and culture by sharing tools, resources and best practices.
This year’s theme is “Built on Safety.” The event was originally set for May but was rescheduled for the week of September 14. Smaller training sessions and discussions will replace larger meetings and demonstrations. Daily topics include:
- Monday, Sept. 14: Built on Safety
- Tuesday, Sept. 15: Focus on the Fundamentals
- Wednesday, Sept. 16: COVID-19 Safety
- Thursday, Sept. 17: Mental Health Awareness
- Friday, Sept. 18: Thank You, Construction Workers
Create a Culture of Safety
Safety on construction sites is so crucial to protecting workers as well as the public, not to mention in keeping the job running on schedule. Remote video monitoring can be an effective tool in helping to maintain a safe environment.
By monitoring the project site, you can get a clearer picture of everything going on to help deter trespassers and identify potential safety hazards. Additionally, video footage can be used in worker’s compensation claims to help mitigate liability issues.
We hope you will join us in helping to build a safer industry. For more information about how you can help enhance the safety of your site and protect yourself from risk, contact us.
