The need for safety is huge on a construction site. Whether the crew is building a house or a sky-rise building, the people and equipment moving around it make that area a high potential for injury. The some of the most common injuries are falling from heights, a scaffold collapse, electric shock, and failure to use proper personal protective equipment.

The failure to follow safety procedures, many times, is a prelude to accidents. The work area needs to keep clear from unused scrapes of wood, glass, metal, and vehicles. Wearing hard hats is construction industry standard.

When looking at a housing construction site it is best to remember that it’s a smaller rendition of larger construction units that are being built around the country. The first and most important thing to remember is that an organized site is a safe site. Put the wood in one spot, the roofing in another, the siding in anther, and other items as they are needed in other areas. Set up a dedicated area in which to cut wood, tile and anything else that is needed. Keep the pathways clear to and from these areas because tripping over things can cause a lot of accidents. A bruise or cut may be the least of a person’s worries after they trip and fall. Hitting their head can be a major medical incident and must be attended to immediately, so be sure to wear helmets when applicable.

The construction workers are to stay clean of the small front-end loaders when it’s working as well as any other construction equipment that is operating. All the overhead guards on the machinery are there so the operator will be protected against falling objects. Trucks are to be operated at a safe speed. All the loads on the trucks and other construction equipment are to be “safely arranged and fit within the rated capacity of whatever equipment the driver was operating. If any equipment is considered to be unsafe or defective then they should be removed from service. There is to be a separate area in which to charge the batteries for the equipment, and smoking not allowed in these areas.

Whenever a person cuts wood, installs siding, tile or anything else with a blade, they need to wear safety goggles because it can deflect small pieces of wood or metal, this leading to severe injury or even causing blindness. Safety with electricity and electrical cords is another matter with great concern. Never work on new and existing energized (hot) electrical circuits. Only work on them when all the power is shut off and the grounds are attached. Make sure all cords and cables are undamaged. Replace all frayed, damaged, or worn electrical cords or cables. All extension cords must have grounding prongs, so that you are protected against any electrical hazards. The heavy duty cable with three wires and a three-pronged plug ensure that the cable will take the right amount of electrical load. Not only is proper construction site safety critical to job safety, it’s also required by law, so be sure to plan accordingly.