Construction site safety

In Canada, there are millions of construction workers. Every year, thousands are injured on construction sites. To improve the health and safety of workers on construction sites, clear and effective communication between managers and employees is key.

Managers Set the Tone

When managers set clear expectations for safety and continually reinforce this message, it promotes a culture of safety. Managers should ensure that employees are familiar and comply with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standards. OSHA has Safety and Health Regulations for Construction, which serve as a baseline for safety mandates.

Managers, especially senior management, should regularly communicate to employees that everyone follows the rules and procedures outlined in OSHA and ANSI standards. When management directly sends this message, employees are typically more receptive than when the message is sent via standard memos or passed down in the chain of command. When the message is sent consistently, following rules and procedures eventually become automatic and routine.

Report Safety Issues

In addition to managers set the tone for site safety, they should encourage employees to immediately alert management to hazardous or unsafe working conditions. Management should ensure systems are in place to protect employees that report construction site dangers against retaliation or bullying. Additionally, managers should provide constructive criticism to the workers responsible for addressing the issue.

Install Safety Signs and Labels

Another way managers can ensure effective communication with employees is through the use of safety signs and labels in different areas of the construction site. For OSHA and ANSI standards and procedures, managers can always install ready-made construction labels and signs.

Utilize Wearable Technology
Investing in technology can aid in improving communication between management and employees. Using technology to share project data with workers onsite and remotely is certainly key. For example, managers can use smartphones, tablets, and project management software. This allows everyone to have information at the same time and immediately.

Management should simultaneously invest in wearable technology for employees. Investing in technology to address safety challenges can also offer immediate and long-term savings. Dodge & Data Analytics found in a recent report that 82 per cent of contractors who use wearable technology, like smart watches, notice instant site-safety improvements.

Employing the above-mentioned tips will ensure clear and effective communication between managers and workers, and ultimately address and reduce the dangers on construction sites.