Utilizing The Safety Gears To Promote Construction Safety

Construction sites are the pivotal industries that have been surrounded by many bricks, bolts, and each type of machinery. These sites are at a certain amount of high risk as they require workers to do dangerous tasks. Bureau of Labor Statistics has shown that construction sites are experiencing severe injuries and deaths among workers, around 100,600 nonfatal injuries have taken place in 2021. 

Thus, preventing and predicting this hazardous situation is an essential job to be done by the industry’s employees and employers. One method of prioritizing workplace safety is the appropriate use of safety measures, safety gear, and personal protective equipment.  Thus, the safety gears serve as a cornerstone of safety measures in workplaces and enhance the workers security.

The life-Saving Importance of Safety Gear in Construction Workplaces

The national safety focuses from May 1 to 5 2021 on the reasons for falls in construction sites to prevent them from happening. It was observed that deaths occur in nearly 1 in 5 construction sites. The main causes of these deaths are due to falls, slips, or stuck in between the objects. Construction sites showed 46.2% of death rates due to falls, slips, and others.

However, these risks can be reduced with the effective use of personal protective equipment. These safety gears are for the workers to minimize the chances of getting injured by encountering hazards.

Hard Hat: Shielding from the Falling Objects:

Wearing the hard hats can reduce the chance of getting injured by falling debris which can cause serious head injuries and might end up increasing fatalities. As per the data from the OSHA (Occupational Health Administration) hard hats are deliberately protecting the head from severe injuries.

The Danger of Dust Particles:

The dust particles in construction sites aren’t just a nuisance, they can cause serious health and medical conditions. Safety gear like respirators protects the workers from the harm of dust particles that might cause lung damage and even cancer. Research has found that the dust particles in construction sites are causing lung cancer widely. 

The dust particles and poisonous air can enter the lungs of the workers that may harm their lungs and cause illness and severe medical conditions. Safety gears like masks and other oxygen pumps during working in suffocated and closed areas are essential to safeguard workers from harm.

Hearing Damages:

Noise pollution at construction sites is found to be the major issue faced by the workers. As it causes hearing damage, exposure to loud noises can lead to tinnitus and also disturbs the ability to concentrate. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health has found that over 22 million people are suffering from hazardous noise pollution in construction industries. Thus wearing safety gear might mitigate the risk of any loud noises.

Safety Gears for Fall Protection:

Construction sites are struggling with the deaths and injuries due to falls, and slips. Safety gear like safety boots can reduce the risk of slipping and provide traction. These injuries can be broken backbones or sprains, According to BLS 25% of reported cases are observed that have experienced injuries from slips and falls.

Occupational Safety and Health Administration indicated the fatal four hazards, falls, struck by, caught in between, and electrocution. Falls are the major cause of injuries and deaths among them. Thus to overcome these incidents the workers are required to use the safety gears and fall protection system.

• The guardrail system contains top rails, and mid rails to give the physical barrier while falling from the edges.
• Safety nets are highly used to catch the workers who are falling. These safety nets are strong enough to not break while catching human weight.
• The personal fall arrest system includes connecting devices that prevent the workers from hitting the ground while falling.

Shield Yourself from the Electrical Threats:

Electrical hazards are also another common source of workplace injuries. These electronic devices and machinery are dangerous threats and hinder the culture of safety in construction sites. Personal protective equipment is the safety gear that is essential to safeguard the workers and the workplace’s reputation from such hazardous situations.

• The electrical hazards can be caused by the 345,000 volts overhead power lines, a this is the main source of electrocution and burns.
• The damaged wires are another cause of electrocution and other electrical hazards in construction sites. To overcome this issue workers can follow lock out and tag out (LOTO) as it prevents the unnecessary flow of energy.
• Another electrical hazard can be caused due to the exposed electrical parts.These parts are not maintained appropriately and cause the electric short circuits.

rubber-soled boots and insulated gloves are the main safety gear that are compulsory to be considered. Other than that arc flash suit is another safety gear that is made up of flame-resistant material that provides paramount protection from heat and electrocution. Moreover, leather-protected gear includes leather aprons, sleeves, and chaps. However, the use of safety gear can be learned by considering the training programs to use them effectively.

Eye Protocols with Safety Gear:

Construction site workers are involved in activities that are filled with vehicles, machinery, air pollution, and dust particles. These substances are harmful and some of them are even poisonous and may end up damaging the eyes and visibility as well. Several thousands of people are getting blind and injuries to the eyes that may have been encountered with the right use of safety gear. OSHA has emphasized and trained the workers to use the safety gear effectively, especially in the chemical, radiological, and mechanical irritants areas.

The eye protective sunglasses and masks are the safety gear protecting the eyes and the face. Eye protective goggles are the foremost and necessary choice to protect the eyes of the workers. They are manufactured and designed in a way to encounter any dangerous hazardous particles. Moreover, these goggles aren’t hindering the visibility, making it more comfortable to see in the areas where light rays are harmful.

Build a Safer Workplace With Safety Gear:

Notably, in order to mitigate electrical hazards, fall hazards, chemical substances damages, hearing issues, and eye and face injuries, following the officially established standards by the safety agencies like OSHA is necessary. The training and knowledge to use safety gear are pivotal in order to use them effectively and proficiently. Unhealthy and unsafe workplaces can burn the bridges toward a successful future and also cause life-threatening miseries. Hence, utilizing the safety gears is important to foster a culture of safety.