by Construction Site Safety is one of the most discussed topics in new developments. Safety is one of the major concerns for any construction project. Usually, construction sites are open for many accidents and hazards if there is no concern for safety precautions. This is why any government or country follows safety standards such as OSHA in order to prevent accidents in construction sites. There are construction site safety rules and safety manuals to follow in order to prevent accidents on site. But, still, there are construction sites that end up with accidents.
This is why safety should be a concern for all levels of the construction team starting from workers to the top-level management. Though there are many safety guidelines and practices to follow in construction sites, still there are many accidents reported due to poor safety at work site. Construction site safety issues are due to many reasons. One of such safety issues is the lack of wearing proper safety equipment at work.
In most of the large scale construction projects, workers must wear safety equipment while they are at work. There are site safety managers who look after the site safety including safety rules for workers. But there are instances that workers avoid wearing Personal protective equipment (PPE). This makes a major construction site safety issue which raises the necessity of having strict site safety rules.
Why some construction workers resist the use of safety equipment at site?(PPE)
Although there are many safety education programs conducted at construction sites, there are some workers who deny the use of appropriate safety equipment while they work at the site. The main reason for such incidents can be the lack of proper safety awareness at construction sites. However, some workers think that it is unnecessary to wear such equipment as they are skilful enough for the job.
Many construction workers resist the use of safety equipment (Personal protective equipment (PPE)) while they work on-site simply they think that most of this safety equipment is uncomfortable to wear. They believe such safety equipment restrict their movement.
Some construction workers think this safety equipment delays their work efficiency. As a result of wearing such safety equipment, they believe that they will delay in completing the task assigned. Another reason for not wearing safety equipment is that those are not easily available near the work task. There are also workers who complain that this safety equipment such as fall protection harnesses is poorly fitting and unattractive.
Among all these reasons, the important thing to highlight is that these workers who refuse to wear safety equipment don’t know the importance of safety at the site. They do not have proper education and understanding on possible risks & hazards for them while at work.
Why this practice continue in some sites?
Although construction workers refuse to wear safety equipment, it is a must to practice proper safety guidelines for any construction site. These guidelines may differ from site to site and project to project depending on the work activities. However, even with proper site safety plans and safety education programs, some workers like to practice their own way. Why does this practice of resisting the use of safety equipment continue? This can be due to many reasons.
- Construction workers resist wearing safety equipment mainly due to the lack of awareness of safety guidelines. They do not have proper idea about possible risks on their work site.
- Lack of proper inspections prior to work starts is another reason for refusing the safety equipment.
- Sometimes, younger workers are more inclined to take greater risks while they work. A flawed approach to safety programs is another reason for workers continue with their practice of resisting the use of safety equipment at site.
- There are also practical issues on construction projects such as the pressure to get the work done on schedule. It can be from their supervisors. Such pressure from supervisors and managers makes workers to target on completing the assigned work in a comfortable way than changing their practices by giving the importance for the safety at work.
Things to do to make workers aware of safety at site
Safety education is the most important thing to do in order to make workers aware of potential hazards at the site. It is important to provide the necessary training and education to the workers on site safety. This training should include possible hazards and the importance of wearing safety equipment while at work.
It is also important to inspect the workers before they start work on site for practising the safety guidelines. Management can enforce the use of safety equipment at the time of planning each task at the site. This can be done by providing proper high-quality safety equipment that fits right for each construction worker. By doing so, it is easy to prevent excuses of non-wearing the safety equipment.
Some Employers develop incentive programs including point systems to motivate and encourage workers to comply with safety standards and practices. With such motivation and building teamwork at the site with zero accidents, it is easy to aware the workers about the importance of safety at work.
