Safety Checklist For Construction

Construction workers are exposed to job hazards on a daily basis. It's important for companies to follow a safety checklist. Various types of injuries can result from improper safety on construction commercial and residential construction sites. Construction job-related accidents can be significantly reduced with the proper safety equipment and with safety checklists. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the fatality rate for construction-related injuries is one of the highest in industry.

Scaffolding Safety

Countless hours are spent on scaffolding and even more around this equipment. It is imperative to teach workers the proper safety. A construction safety team member should check to assure that scaffolding safety is being strictly followed. Workers should not walk through or under scaffolding.

A designated and trained person should inspect scaffolding before and after each shift. Accessories and ropes should be inspected and repaired as needed. Only approved supervisors should make adjustments or changes to the scaffolding. Not only should scaffolding be tightly planked, it needs to be mounted on a solid footing.

The material for the scaffolding should hold four times the maximum weight listed on the scaffolding. There needs to be a distance of 10 feet between the scaffolding and electrical hazards, including power lines. Guard rails, toeboards and midrails should be checked daily.

Falling Safety

According to OSHA, the number-one cause of fatalities in construction accidents is due to falls. Require workers to wear safety protection harnesses that will prevent a complete fall. Provide safety nets in areas where there is a long drop. Safety lines should be chalked out in high areas to keep workers aware of edges where they can plummet in a fall.

Head injuries from falls can be very severe. Require employees to wear the proper safety hats, particularly when working on scaffolding, high areas or ladders. A trained team safety member should inspects safety hats prior to each shift to assure employees have hats that are in good condition for maximum protection.

Ladder Safety

A trained safety team member should inspect all ladders, prior to their use during each work shift. Any ladders with damage should be immediately red-tagged for repairs and removed from the work area. The trained safety team member should inspect that the ladder is properly positioned and sturdy before anyone is allowed to climb it.

Teach workers how to calculate the load that will be placed on the ladder. The weight of the items and the actual weight of the worker should be added together. Read the ladder label to find out the maximum load capacity. Never go on a ladder with a load heavier than the load recommendation on the ladder.

Teach workers to identify which type of ladder is used for the different construction tasks. Using the wrong type of ladder can result in falls and injuries. Workers should never walk under, around or near ladders that are in use.

Forklift Safety

Forklifts are a big part of the construction work life. A trained safety team member should supervise and assure that safety standards are being followed when forklifts are used on the construction site. Under no circumstance allow a minor to operate or even be near a forklift.

Require all forklift drivers to be forklift driver certified. Provide stiff penalties for workers caught stunt-driving, racing or horse playing while on or around the forklifts. The maximum speed to drive a forklift is 5 mph.

The trained team safety member should inspect forklifts at the beginning and end of each shift. Forklifts should have a working rollover protective structure. All lights should work. The audio signal for backing up should be loud and operational. Any and all forklifts that don't have the meet the safety checklist should be immediately removed from the work area and visibly tagged for repair.

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