The Right Hardware for the Construction Site
Some jobs today are more physically demanding, and thus risky, than others are, and in construction or factory work, there are many physical dangers for workers to watch out for. Construction crews, however, are bound to train new employees on the correct safety measures for using various equipment, vehicles, tools, and materials, and many items are designed to be as safe and practical as possible. All the same, accidents in factories or construction sites occur every year, so every worker out there is urged to be safe and sensible on the work site, and managers should make sure all crew members have the right training and make sure that no one is acting irresponsibly on the work site. What are the rates of injury on the work site, and what items and equipment can be used to keep everyone safe?
Injuries and the Work Site
Workers face a number of hazards on a construction site or in a factory, and items such as ladders, ramps, guard rails, and a chain sling or deck toggle should be secure, sturdy, and used correctly to prevent injury or damage to property during work hours. In fact, among construction workers, simple falling is the number one cause of death, and it has been found that a lack of fall protection is the number one OSHA guideline violation. Starting in 1971, OSHA published its fall protection measures for general industry regulations, and these safety features can take a number of forms. But the possibility of danger is always present. For example, heavy items might break free of their bindings or slide off shelves and hit someone, and this can cause injury. If a chain sling is damaged or not used properly, for example, heavy items may fall and hit a person, and this can also cause property damage, which no project manager wants. Cables that are worn out or exposed to undue stress or heat may snap, and the cable whipping around might hurt someone, and a missing cable railing exposed workers to falling hazards. What can be done?
Hardware and Safety
A number of safety measures can and should always be taken so that no one falls on a construction site and to make sure that heavy materials and supplies do not fall or slide around. A chain sling, for example, is used to lift heavy loads, and a chain sling can take multiple forms, based on the number of chains and hooks present and how they are arranged. Work crews should always know what type of chain sling is safest and most secure for a job, or at least there should be a supervisor who knows this, and that supervisor can make sure the right chain sling is used. Chain slings can be purchased by special retailers for a fair price, and a construction crew that starts working with a particular material may need to buy new chain sling models if none of their current ones ar4e the right type.
Hardware should be treated properly so that it does not break and create a safety hazard. For example, the links in a chain sling should not be pounded on with a hammer to straighten them out, and workers should refrain from tying a chain into a knot to shorten it, even if this is a tempting quick fix for odd chain lengths. Instead, chains of an improper length should be exchanged for correct ones, and chains with damaged links should also be replaced. Similarly, cable hardware should not be exposed to undue stress or heat on the work site, and crews who purchase cables should get information from the supplier to find out the cable’s maximum tolerance for stress, heat, or any other factor so that cables do not get frayed or worse, melt or snap while on the job.
Other basic safety can be observed, such as standing clear of heavy loads being lifted or lowered, watching out for slip hazards, avoiding open flames, and making sure to pay constant attention when driving a vehicle across a site, from a backhoe to a steam roller. Workers should also use eye, nose and mouth protection against fumes or airborne particles or face lung issues, which are common.