Avoiding Construction Site Injuries: 4 Tips For Workers

Posted on: 4 July 2017

Construction sites can be incredibly dangerous and too often there are constructions workers that are seriously or fatally injured as a result of an on-the-job accident. Accidents can occur for a number of reasons, include defective machinery, lack of safety gear, and failure to take proper safety precautions. Though all accidents cannot be avoided, some construction-related injuries can be prevented. Here are four things that constructions workers can do to help reduce the chances of an on-site accident or injury occurring:

1. Make Sure You're Always Wearing the Right Safety Gear.

The first step you can take in avoiding injuries on-the-job is ensuring that you are properly outfitted for your job. You need to make sure that you are always wearing your eye goggles, hard hat, steel-toed shoes, leather work gloves, reflective vests, etc. Depending on the equipment that you are working with, you may also need to be hooked up to a safety harness or wearing a dust mask.

2. Make Sure You Are Getting Plenty of Sleep at Night.

More often than not, exhaustion is the cause of construction-related injuries. When you aren't getting enough sleep and then going to work, you are putting yourself as well as the rest of the crew at risk. You need to not only get adequate sleep at night, but you also need to make sure that you are taking breaks while at work so as to not overexert yourself. Together, this ensures that you are always performing at your best. In addition, you need to always stay hydrated and don't skip meals, as you're burning calories as you work and you need to replace them.

3. Make Sure to Keep Your Eyes Open.

There are always various hazards at a construction site, so it is imperative that you keep your eyes open at all times. This is one of the best ways to protect yourself from an injury. Try to avoid unnecessary risks, do not misuse tools and take note of any changes made to the construction site.

4. Make Sure to Always Report Conditions That Are Unsafe.

If your employer has failed to brief you and your crew on a dangerous situation at the site, it is critical that you bring it to their attention immediately. While it is unfortunate, some employers intentionally engage in unsafe practices, which puts workers at risk of injury. If it appears that this may be the case at your work site, you may want to report them to the proper authorities. This is particularly true if those unsafe practices have already resulted in an injury.

If you or someone you love have recently suffered a construction-related injury, reach out to a personal injury attorney to discuss the details of what happened and see if there may be a way to seek compensation for your injury.    

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