On a construction site, safety is paramount. Here are some tips for promoting a safe work culture and safe behaviors so that you can prevent accidents.
Construction sites are rife with hazards, from massive machinery to live wires. If you’re overseeing a group of workers on one of these sites, you want to keep them safe. But creating a safety culture and ensuring safe work behaviors is easier said than done. Here are four methods you can use to help you promote safety on a construction site.
Train Your Employees
By far, the easiest way to promote safety on a construction site is to train your employees. After all, they won’t know what your expectations are if you don’t tell them. Teach your employees how to handle tools, how to troubleshoot machines, what kind of PPE to wear, what to do in the event of an emergency, and so on. You should do this one-on-one with every new worker and have a group safety training refresher at least once per year.
Start a Safety Incentive Program
Starting a safety incentive program can encourage safe, responsible behavior. Reward your employees for following proper safety protocols, such as wearing their PPE and reporting job site hazards. For example, you can give out gift cards to individual workers who consistently exhibit safe behavior or throw a small party for the whole group.
Enforce Your Policies
Having a written policy is a great start, but if you don’t enforce that policy, your employees may start to dismiss it. Hold your team accountable if safety standards start to slip; this way, they know they can’t get away with poor practices.
Host Toolbox Talks
A “toolbox talk” is a casual group talk about safety issues. Hosting them frequently allows you to reiterate your policy and let your employees freely ask questions or talk about their safety concerns. When your whole team is open and works together like this, promptly and correctly addressing problems becomes easier.
Use Smart Technology
Let’s be honest: humans aren’t perfect. For this reason, we recommend using smart technology on-site. This helps prevent accidents in the first place. It also allows you to track accidents when they occur and see where your training and safety policies need improvement.
By promoting a work safety culture, you can keep your employees healthy and safe. Use the tips and tricks here to work your way to a safer construction site.