Construction Safety Best Practices

No matter how many years a construction worker has under his or her belt, safety best practices are always worth reviewing and emphasizing. Connor Construction upholds a safety-first culture for each and every job, and in honor of Safety in Construction Week, we’d like to share a few tips your team can rely on to stay protected.

Safety Is Never a Given

Technology and techniques have advanced considerably in this industry, but risks are still present on every jobsite. In fact, despite representing just 6% of the workforce, construction workers make up nearly 20% of total job fatalities.

As one of the most dangerous jobs out there, construction work requires safety procedures that aren’t just put on paper, but put to use each and every shift.

5 Essential Tips for Protection

Always Wear PPE
Personal protective equipment (PPE) includes helmets, glasses, gloves, and steel-toed boots to protect workers from falling objects and other hazards. Make sure all team members are wearing the appropriate gear throughout the construction site and wearing it properly.

This may seem like an obvious tip, but nothing is too obvious when it comes to workplace safety. A PPE refresher for you and your team today could prevent a major accident tomorrow.
Use Scaffolding Correctly
Improper use of scaffolding risks falls and collapses. Review the following best practices with your team:
- Never place scaffolds on uneven surfaces.
- Keep scaffolding at least 10 feet from power lines.
- Don’t leave materials or debris on scaffolding at the end of the day.
- Never use scaffolding in bad weather, especially in icy or snowy conditions.
- Never overload a scaffold.
Keep All Work Areas Clear
Cleaning up after yourself on the jobsite can make a massive difference in overall safety. Cluttered work areas full of tools and discarded materials could lead to cuts, bruises, or even worse. Attention to detail on everyone’s part is the key to accident prevention. When a worker is leaving an area, the first thing they should do is gather their materials and double-check their surroundings.
Store Chemicals Properly
Some construction work necessitates the handling of unsafe materials and chemicals, including lead, asbestos, perfluorinated compounds, and volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Be sure to label any chemicals properly to avoid confusion or misuse. Remind your team how to handle these hazards with the utmost care.
Embed Safety Into Your Company Culture
True safety isn’t a one-and-done lesson—it’s an ongoing process that should be an integral part of every company’s culture.

A pages-long list of safety procedures won’t amount to much without buy-in from the whole team. Ongoing employee training is a great starting point. And, because you can’t watch everyone every minute they’re on the clock, it also helps to work closely with team leaders who have their ears to the ground and eyes on the workers throughout the site.

How Is Connor Construction Protecting Its Team?

With over 20 years of industry experience from our leadership, Connor Construction has embedded safety into every project and process. On top of the best practices above, we also implement:

30-Hour OSHA Training

Every superintendent is required to complete 30 hours of OSHA training that covers everything from operating power tools to handling hazardous materials. Most importantly, this program shows them exactly how to respond to site incidents.

Pre-Planning

Before we even send a crew to the jobsite, we conduct safety meetings to evaluate the project’s unique risks. What tools and methods will we be using? What procedures should we follow to protect everyone? From there, we gather the crew and train them on every essential topic.

Site Inspections

As construction progresses, risks evolve. That’s why our superintendents perform routine site inspections with our Procore software. All results are thoroughly documented, and if any safety risks are discovered, we shut down the jobsite until supplemental training is completed.

At the end of the day, we all want—and deserve—to get home safe and sound. Learn more about how seriously Connor Construction takes that concept here, and be sure to review these best practices routinely. Stay safe out there!