The safety and health of the workers performing various tasks on a construction site should be a first and foremost concern. It's important to assess the workplace to determine what hazards are present or are likely to be present, and devise solutions to reduce the risk of injury.
This checklist is designed to assist you in ensuring proper safety considerations to reduce injuries to workers:
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):
Inspect PPE prior to each use. Do not use damaged PPE. You are required to maintain and keep PPE clean.
- Safety glasses – must be worn at all times in designated areas
- Hard hats – must be worn at all times in designated areas.
- Gloves – work gloves must be worn at all times when handling sharp or rough stock, welding or while performing other jobs that could cause hand injuries. Synthetic gloves must be worn when handling chemicals.
- Respirators – only employees trained and authorized to use respirators are allowed to do so.
- Hearing protection – required in areas where noise exposure is more than 90dBA (85dBA if you have already experienced a hearing loss).
Lockout/Tag Out:
Prior to working on any machinery when guards are removed, every energy source (electrical, hydraulic, chemical, mechanical, etc.) must be deactivated, stored energy dissipated, and the control locked in the “off” (safe) position.
Never remove or tamper with a lockout performed by another employee or contractor. A lockout could consist of a lock applied to a control such as a switch, breaker or valve. A tag containing words such as “DANGER—DO NOT OPERATE” may also be used for lockout. If you see the lock, the tag or both applied to an energy control device, it means, “Keep your hands off.”
- Do not perform any maintenance, inspection, cleaning, adjusting or servicing of any equipment without following the company's lockout/tag out program.
- If required to work on powered equipment (hydraulic, electrical, air, etc.), you must have your personal padlock with your name on it and personal key on your person at all times.
- Disconnect and padlock all machine power disconnects in the “off” position before removing guards for the purpose of working on or in the machinery or approaching its unguarded parts. (NOTE: When more than one employee is working on a single piece of equipment, each employee must use his or her own padlock along with lock-out tongs to lock out the equipment. When the work is completed, each worker must remove only his or her lock.
- Do not commence equipment repair or maintenance work until you have verified that the tagged or locked out switch or control cannot be overridden or bypassed.
- Replace all guards before removing personal padlocks from the control.
- Do not use or remove another employee's protective lock. Do not remove a lock from equipment unless you placed it there.
- Before machinery is put back into use after lockout/tag out, give a verbal announcement or sound a warning to fellow employees.
Fire Prevention:
- Smoking is only allowed in designated exterior smoking areas.
- No candles or open flames are allowed within the office facility.
- Only space heaters provided by the company are approved for use within the facility. Employees using space heaters are responsible to turn the heater off when leaving their desk for extended periods of time (lunch, end of the workday, etc.).
- No flammable chemicals are allowed inside the building at any time. If you feel that there is a work-related need to use a flammable chemical, contact the supervisor for guidance on hazard communication and fire safety.
Electrical Safety:
- With the exception of independently fused multi-tap cords for computers, extension cords are not allowed in office areas.
- Keep electrical cords out of areas where they will be damaged by stepping on or kicking them.
- Turn electrical appliances off with the switch, not by pulling out the plug.
- Turn all appliances off before leaving for the day.
- Never run cords under rugs or other floor coverings.
- Any electrical problems should be reported immediately.
- The following areas must remain clear and unobstructed at all times:
- Exit doors
- Aisles
- Electrical panels
- Fire extinguishers
Find Out More:
This list is not exhaustive; assessing your exposures and taking the appropriate precautions can go a long way toward protecting your business and your workers. This proactive approach is particularly important when it comes to identifying and avoiding gaps in your risk management program.
Download our “Construction Employee Safety Manual” guide for an in-depth list of more ways to minimize gaps in your risk management and keep your employees safe:
