Did you know that more than 180 million people work in the construction industry around the world?
Safety on the jobsite is always the number one priority. According to OSHA (The Occupational Safety & Health Administration), one in ten of those 180 million construction workers sustain an injury every year. The hundreds of regulations put into place by OSHA are there in order to minimize and eliminate these workplace injuries.
In Michigan, we have MiOSHA, an even stronger set of regulations than the U.S. requires when it comes to safe work practices. This is so that employees can go home everyday in the same or better condition than they showed up in.
Not only is it important to keep the workers safe, but it is important to make sure the public is protected from construction activities as well. Redirecting pedestrian traffic, having proper signage, and security is critical in order to make sure the general public is protected from any dangers around a construction site.
Signage & Barricading:
Having the proper signage and barricades is essential when it comes to construction site safety. In order to keep not only the workers safe, but the public safe as well, signs like the 'Job Site Standards' sign (middle photo above) are posted at the entrance of a construction project. This lets workers and visitors know what is expected before they enter the construction zone.
Fencing & barricades around electrical equipment, holes, roof edges & even the entire construction site keep workers & the public from getting injured by accidently backing into, falling off of or tripping over anything while they are onsite.
The photos above are great examples of work safety practices done correctly out at the Elk Rapids High School Project.
Pictured in the photo on the left is an elevator pit. There are railings around the entirety of the pit at the proper heights & caps on the steel bars that are sticking out of the concrete.
In the middle photo you can see that the contractors are wearing all of their PPE (Personal Protective Equipment). On construction sites we require everyone to wear a hardhat, Hi-Vis clothing, & work boots at all times.
The photo on the right exhibits jobsite fencing & a secured entry point. The pipes in the photo are tied together to ensure that there is not a trip hazard. This is a requirement by MiOSHA.