5 Tips for Heavy Equipment Safety on the Construction Site

Thousands of workers are prone to injuries every day on the construction site, which is why it’s imperative to maximize safety on all levels. Setting heavy equipment safety procedures is about ensuring everyone has a safe and efficient working environment. In this article, you'll learn what you need to be doing to make sure you're in compliance with industry standards and that your company is providing a safe working environment for its employees.

The Value of Safety Training

Construction sites are no strangers to accidents. The more time workers spend on and around machinery, the more likely a worker will be involved in an accident. Heavy equipment safety procedures are among the most important aspects that construction workers must adhere to, because establishing safe work practices at the beginning of a project can prevent tragedies later on.

5 Tips for a Safe and Efficient Construction Site

Safety is one of the top items on everyone's list. It's important for everyone to know and follow these heavy equipment safety procedures so that problems can be avoided before they become too severe. To establish a hazard-free worksite, make sure to follow these few tips for a safe and efficient construction site.

1. Effective Communication is Paramount for Heavy Machinery Safety.

At the end of the day, safety is paramount in construction. With so many people working hands-on on a single project, it's important to have heavy equipment safety procedures in place to help keep everyone safe. As such, communication should be key in any construction site or workplace. Everyone should know what they are expected to do and when they are expected to do it. During round checks, foremen or site managers should keep everyone involved in the loop about the project of the day. The few extra minutes it takes to make sure everyone has the correct gear and is aware of what they are doing will keep a construction site safer and hopefully, the work will get done quickly.

2. Keep it quiet for a Safe Operation

There is a lot of noise on the construction site, and one can very easily be distracted. However, it’s critical to apply all of your senses while working on or around machinery, and you would especially keep your ear out for any approaching danger. Ideally, you should invest in sound-proofed equipment that has reduced vibrations, as well as using protective ear plugs and hearing protection gear. This will contribute to minimizing worksite distractions and to avoiding incidents and injuries.

3. Establish a Healthy Work Environment

It is imperative to promote the health of your workers on a construction site. This is possible through working cautiously over shorter shifts, which has been proven to maximize productivity, contrary to the old fashioned long shift system. Encouraging positive and healthy behaviors in the team will help employees perform safely and precisely.

4. Have a Strict No-Phones Policy

With the rise of our attachment to our smartphones, we can easily be distracted by using our phones for calls, texts, emails, or even social media feeds. In order to protect ourselves and our workers, we should have a strict “no phones” policy in place at all times. Safety requires that each worker stay focused on the task at hand and not be distracted by mobile devices. This policy protects your employees and contractors, prevents distractions, and keeps everyone on task.

5. Foster a Safe Mindset in Your People

It is important for employees to take heavy equipment safety seriously everywhere they go. They should be persistent about safety even when it is not being addressed by the company's management or supervisors. This can be achieved by providing additional safety training and reviewing existing protocols and drawing on direct feedback from employees. Being persistent about safety can be very beneficial and can be easily recognized by your team through action. For example, celebrating successes as they come; such as the reduced number of accidents, will showcase your group efforts in achieving a safe construction site.

Heavy equipment safety procedures can save lives. Knowing how to use proper safety equipment and being knowledgeable of the hazards in your workplace will help you avoid injury and fatalities. Having one of the UAE's largest heavy equipment rental fleets, Al Marwan Heavy Machinery invests in the safety of their operators, mechanics, technicians, and everyone on the construction site.