The scope of commercial construction projects demands special attention to safety protocols,
without which the project and its builders are exposed to unnecessary risks. Site safety is
something that has to be individually tailored to each project. Still, of course, there are general
rules that commercial builders should always consider while building out the specifics of each
project’s health and safety protocols. We will provide a list that can serve as a starting point for
safety measures in construction site safety.
- Commercial contractors should always require their teams to wear Personal Protective
Equipment or PPE. Equipment, including but not limited to construction vests, helmets,
construction glasses, ear muffs, boots, and gloves, is essential to prevent exposure to
excessive risk while working on site. With each part of the build, assess what equipment
is needed at that stage and require that all workers comply to reduce exposure to
hazardous conditions. - Site signage is another essential step to implement on any build. Construction signage
may include warning signs, safe condition signs, and many others. - Keeping the site clean and tidy (within reason) reduces the chance of tripping and
accidents that can easily be prevented by keeping the site clutter-free. Some time should
be devoted to keeping the site picked up and debris-free every day. - Safety in building environments requires continuous upkeep and reminders. Make it a
practice to have a meeting before beginning work every day to outline safety protocols
and get everyone on the same page for the work to be done that day. This doesn’t have
to be longer than 5-10 minutes but will pay off in increased safety and smoother site
operations. - Similar to keeping the site free of debris is keeping all tools and equipment organized,
and putting away things not immediately in use prevents tools from being broken or
workers injured. This may seem inefficient sometimes, but the extra few minutes are
worth it in the end, as cluttered space always leads to a more dangerous environment. - A very evident theme in creating safe conditions is taking that moment of extra time to
set yourself up for a successful project. This holds true for this next point as well. Making
sure that the team is using the right tools for the right job is something that will often
prevent accidents and mistakes in the project; it may seem like a small detail, but taking
time to determine the best process and tools before a specific task will add to the safety
of the entire team.
Many of these points are obvious or seem like common sense, and that’s why they are all the
more important to pay attention to. Because they seem obvious, they may be overlooked or
hurried past if there are inadequate reminders about how much of a difference implementing
them can make. We wish you safe and productive builds.