The construction industry is full of risk. Construction workers carry extremely heavy items and climb many stories, on a daily basis. Careful training and proper lifting equipment reduces worker risk and increases safety on the construction job. Additionally, fall protection courses ensure that workers are informed and prepared for any risky situation. Fall protection courses offer the following benefits to construction companies.
Increase in safety knowledge
Many work related accidents are due to poor training or a lack of safety regulations. Although OSHA has set minimum safety regulations for every construction job and equipment, many construction workers are not aware of these safety protocols. Requiring safety courses of all new construction workers can ensure that all workers are well informed and up to date on safety regulations. For example, OSHA requires that fall protection be provided at elevations of four feet in general industry workplaces, five feet in shipyards, six feet in the construction industry, and eight feet in long shoring operations. Required class attendance improves the usefulness of these OSHA safety guidelines.
Decrease in on site accidents
Workers who are six feet or more above lower levels are at risk for serious injury or death if they should fall. To protect these workers, employers must provide fall protection and the right equipment for the job, including the right kinds of ladders, scaffolds, safety gear, and lifting equipment. The right type of equipment is especially important for larger and heavier construction equipment pieces, such as the crane service. On the job training of both construction laborers and employers directly decreases on site accident occurrences.
Decrease in insurance premiums
Employers are requires in many states to carry insurance coverages on all of their employees. These rates can be extremely high, especially when it comes to dangerous job sites. Employers can sometimes receive insurance premium discounts when they require thorough safety courses and fall protection systems. Because these courses improve safety and reduce the likeliness of accidents, the insurance carries less risk. This reduced risk can translate to reduced insurance prices, allowing the employer to profit more from each construction job.
Better care of expensive equipment
One of the biggest costs associated with construction jobs are the price of the equipment. The equipment that is needed for large jobs is very large and very heavy. They can cost upwards of thousands of dollars. When employees are not properly trained on these pieces of construction equipment, not only is their safety at risk, but the condition of the equipment is also at risk. Constant improper usage of equipment, like lifting equipment, will wear on the machines and cause them to break down much sooner. New worker training can teach laborers proper operating techniques.
Improve laborer leadership
Each construction job is usually led by an experienced project leader. This project leader sets the pace and safety of the entire project. If they are not well informed on equipment usage and safety protocols, this will affect the safety of the entire job. Project leaders can actually benefit from repeat classes. They should be updated regularly on constantly changing safety regulations. Although worker injuries and illnesses are currently down, from 10.9 incidents per 100 workers in 1972 to 3.4 per 100 in 2011, these numbers could be further reduced with regular manager training. Training courses should include proper lifting equipment use, fall arrest training, and updated OSHA regulations. Even OSHA uses a three step process to prevent dangerous falls and save lives. The steps are to plan, provide, and train.
Construction industry workers take on a lot of risk. They handle heavy equipment, climb tall buildings, and go deep into the land. To protect construction laborers, OHSA has set minimum safety standards for all types of jobs. Safety classes for new laborers and regular safety classes for project leaders can reduce on site injuries and accidents. Construction companies can provide a safer work environment for their laborers, and in turn, increase their overall profits.