Safe construction practices have become a necessity of today. There is continuous work in construction sites, with heavy materials, wedges, and sharp instruments, which cannot escape danger.
If not paid enough caution, site works can be extremely dangerous. With the increasing risk lies the future of Nepal, with safe construction and infrastructure development, be it bridges, transmission lines, modern houses, or earthquake-resistant buildings.
Why Safety matters on construction sites in Nepal?
We can often see and hear various accidents taking place on the sites. The accidents normally take place due to a lack of attention towards safety during the construction process. In many cases, construction workers must be made aware of the measures to ensure their safety while working.
Many unskilled, illiterate, and untrained laborers can be seen working on construction sites. It becomes the responsibility of corporate houses and construction consultants to regulate adequate training and spread awareness on dos and don’ts in construction sites.
Ignorance can directly lead to unfortunate and unforeseen accidents on sites. Correspondingly, negligence towards the safety protocols that should be followed while working is also a concern.
1. Selecting appropriate safety equipment
Workers safety must be given an utmost importance. Here are some key indicators for evaluating safety on construction sites.
When it comes to safety, without a doubt, one of the most fundamental and essential elements is to prioritize selecting appropriate construction equipment. Proper personal protective equipment involves:
- Hard hats for the safety of your head
- Safety jackets with high visibility
- Face masks and safety glasses
- Steel-toed boots
- Hearing protection while using noisy machines
- Safety belts and harnesses.
But surely the personal protection of construction workers is not fully enough for maintaining safety on the construction sites. Site safety involves components such as:
- Railings and protective guarding
- Proper installation of scaffolding pipes
- Electrical and mechanical safety measures.
2. Handling machines safely
If a machine is regularly used in a construction site, regulators need to have a safety check before every use or frequently. Proper handling of machines thereby is absolutely vital to maintain safety.
Data shows that the predominant portion of accidents take place due to the mishandling of machines along with the lack of technological proficiency. Such a dysfunctional machine, if not checked can result in various unwanted accidents such as hazardous electric shocks and fractures which can be life-altering for the worker. Even some lost their prestigious life in construction mishaps.
- Facilitating training and workshops regarding the accurate method to operate machines is a good start.
- This shall be compulsory for construction workers even before carrying out the work.
- Trained and experienced personnel should be appointed to operate cranes, loaders, and other heavy-duty equipment to prevent any accidents.
3. Primed for action in case of emergencies
Everyone involved in the construction site must have emergency training. Preparing for the emergencies at construction site can include:
- Dedicated first-aid stations for the workers
- Everyone present on the site must possess awareness about the designated escape routes in case of fire or other emergency.
- Also, avoid succumbing to panic when faced with any disastrous incident at the site.
- Systematic emergency response plans.
4. Follow OSHA guidelines
According to OSHA guidelines, there are strict measures for safety protocols regarding scaffolding, ladders, protection, etc. OSHA stands for Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
Scaffold inspection is strictly administered under OSHA. A responsible construction practice is one where scaffolds are inspected before they are set to use, and periodically upon the duration of use by a scaffold inspector. To qualify for that one must have proper scaffold inspection training scheme (SITS) certification and be experienced in OSHA inspection requirements.
5. Supervising medical condition and health of workers
Undeniably evident that construction is a lengthy process and is not complete in a week. Mindful of this aspect, supervising every worker’s health and medical condition is crucial and must be made mandatory.
Productivity in construction work comes from the well-being of the workers. So we should make sure to avoid pushing workers to work till the point of burnout and exhaustion. As commonly observed in the context of Nepal, construction workers turn to alcohol and other substances to numb the tiredness and pain of working long hours.
In case the after-effects of drinking persist till the next day, construction workers can be prone to lapses that can in turn cause safety breaches which leads to accidents. So it would be advisable to prevent it as well. Likewise, various long-term sicknesses, chronic sicknesses, stress, and hearing or eyesight problems should be monitored as well.
How does Ghatal Group ensure safe Construction sites?
Accidents are an unfortunate byproduct of the demanding nature of construction work. However, we here at Ghatal Groups are committed to safety best practices to minimize them for the effectiveness of our work.
The leading cause of accidents we face at the working premises is the worker’s hangover.
Our construction workers are dedicated and hardworking but often do not allow enough time for their bodies to recover from the long day and recharge between their demanding shifts. Another major driver of accidents we face is due to lack of mechanical experience among our construction workers.
Keeping safety first,
- Ghatal group inspects the construction machinery before use under OSHA guidelines.
- Use of safety gear like protective glasses, helmets, jackets, and gloves, on construction sites
- Secure the construction through the use of scaffolding pipes and green nets.
We mitigate the danger and possibility of items plunging downwards onto contagious areas, workers operating on lower floors of construction sites, or neighboring sectors or individuals.
Conclusion
So there you have it! Safety should always come first on construction sites. By using these measures workers can lower risks & build a safer work site. Ghatal group commits to safety and fosters a culture of care for the members involved. We strive for better infrastructure, and more than that believe every worker goes home safely at the end of the day.
Remember – a safe construction site is a productive one!