In the current economic times, profit margins on construction projects are often tight, and particularly smaller contractors and increasingly larger contractors just don’t have the resources to dedicate to health and safety. Construction is a high hazard industry, and far too many people are harmed or seriously injured each year. Not only is safety a priority to prevent your workforce being harmed, but it is also a priority for your business profits and growth. The impact of a site accident is significant to any business. So why run the risk of an incident? Instead, here are a few tips to increase your on-site safety.

1. Make sure all employees are trained correctly: Make sure that all employees understand the health and safety processes your firm has in place. Make sure that all workers have the correct training in their specific field as well as training in safety and hazard assessment.

2. Daily or Weekly toolbox meetings: These talks cover relevant site hazards, activities, and help raise awareness on-site. Such talks are beneficial to both operatives and management, giving everyone the opportunity to ask questions and provide feedback.

3. Make safety part of everyday conversation:
 
It is important to ensure that safety is part of the everyday conversation. Safety is a culture, not just a policy. Make sure that safety is addressed and discussed between workers every day.

4. Review accidents and near misses: Investigate all accidents and near misses, determining their root causes and use that information to improve safety procedures and prevent future incidents. By reviewing all incidents, employers and employees can collaborate and actively work together to prevent any future incidents that may harm an individual.

5. Make sure employees have all the correct PPE (Personal Protective Equipment): PPE is crucial to the health and safety of employees, confirm they have the correct equipment to protect themselves and those around them. Ensure that all employees are conforming with legislative, company and industry standards. Perform regular inspections to make sure that employees are not abusing systems put in place for their protection.

6. Create accountability at all levels: Rules and policies should be consistently enforced to ensure that workers are held accountable for any abuse of the safety system the firm has implemented. Inspections can help enforce safety policies and greater worker responsibility.