A construction safety expert is a professional who consults on matters related to construction site safety and OSHA regulations. They can help with accident investigations, workplace safety inspections, and other legal services.
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Keeping construction safety standards high isn’t just a legal requirement, but a critical part of a company’s overall health and wellbeing. This is especially important for construction companies that operate on a fast-paced schedule, and a constantly shifting landscape of risk.
One way to do this is by encouraging workers to be active in their own safety management, by demonstrating a commitment to their own safety protocols and practices on-site. This includes leading by example, and implementing policies that promote an open dialogue about safety concerns without fear of retaliation. Regular meetings to review and discuss preventative measures help to keep safety top of mind for everyone involved.
Tailoring your construction safety plans to each jobsite is also crucial, since each project has its own unique challenges that can affect safety protocols. Each project may require learning how to use new personal protective equipment, or completing training courses before operating certain machinery. In addition, the site may have a special need for extra emergency response procedures that need to be discussed and practiced beforehand.
Enrolling all workers in relevant OSHA 10 and 30 construction online training ensures that they understand the safety hazards specific to their jobs, as well as how to identify risks on the worksite. It’s also essential to make sure that warning signs and hazard labels are clearly displayed throughout the construction site, as well as that all workers receive daily safety briefings to ensure they begin their shift with safety at the forefront of their minds.
A clean and organized worksite is also a key to reducing construction-related accidents. This can be achieved by providing a dedicated storage area for materials, as well as having HSE processes in place that encourage workers to use proper lifting techniques when handling heavy equipment and objects. It’s also a good idea to encourage the use of mechanical aids, such as dollies and forklifts, when moving bulky or heavy items around the worksite, as well as maintaining weight limits on all storage racks to avoid falling or tipping hazards.
A construction safety expert can assist in keeping on top of safety regulations and standards by performing regular inspections, and advising on compliance issues. They can also help by assessing liability in cases where accidents or injuries occur, by offering expert witness testimony about whether or not the appropriate safety regulations were followed on the scene of the incident.
They Help Stop Accidents
In the construction industry, every accident can disrupt production and cost companies time and money. A safety expert can help keep projects on track and ensure that the safety of workers is a top priority.
A safety consultant can determine the best training programs for specific job tasks and provide regular inspections. They can also work with employees to create a culture of reporting hazards and safety issues that could be causing problems, allowing them to take action before accidents occur.
Working at heights poses a special challenge for construction workers. In fact, it’s the second leading cause of fatal construction-related incidents. Construction safety experts can help prevent falls and other injuries by providing training in the safe use of ladders, scaffolding, aerial lifts, and other equipment. They can also help employees understand the importance of avoiding distractions while operating this equipment and how to spot potential risks.
In addition to safety training, a safety expert can develop site-specific risk assessment and control procedures for each project. This may include providing detailed work instructions and creating a checklist of safety requirements for each worker on the site. This can help reduce the number of accidents, which will increase employee satisfaction and improve overall project outcomes.
The role of a safety expert can also extend to legal cases involving construction accidents or safety non-compliance. These experts can provide vital insights into whether proper safety procedures were followed and offer expert testimony on liability in construction-related disputes.
For example, when a construction company has an accident that could be attributed to a hazard on the jobsite, a safety expert can provide an objective and unbiased evaluation of the facts to help settle a case or avoid trial altogether. Their expert witness services can be utilized for cases involving wrongful death, property damage, and other injuries. Safety experts have years of hands-on experience in the construction industry, so they can attest to the standards and responsibilities for each aspect of the construction process. This helps build a strong case in support of your client’s position.
They Help Avoid Legal Issues
Contractors and construction companies need to have a clear understanding of all the safety requirements they need to follow when performing work on a job site. These requirements can come from a variety of sources, including the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) or industry standards. This is especially important on large projects that have multiple teams working at various times in different areas of the project.
In addition, contractors need to be aware of the potential dangers that can arise from working with certain types of equipment or in specific locations on a job site. This is often the case with equipment such as cranes, scissor lifts or heavy construction vehicles. Providing employees with thorough training on all the equipment they will be using on a job site helps minimize the risk of accidents and injury. Intense training also makes employees better at their jobs overall, which can help reduce the likelihood of negligence charges if a safety incident occurs on the job site.
Contractors should also have a plan in place for dealing with any accidents or injuries that occur on the job site. This includes ensuring that all workers have proper protection in the form of hard hats and other personal protective equipment (PPE) that is needed to safely perform their work. Additionally, contractors should have insurance in place that would cover the costs of damages resulting from a work-related accident or injury.
While many construction professionals are well-trained in their jobs, there is still an element of risk involved with any type of construction work. A construction safety expert can evaluate whether the conduct of any party on a job site falls below the standard of care required by contract documents, law and regulations and industry standards.
VERTEX provides unbiased evaluations of construction and workplace safety issues to identify the most likely party or parties at fault. This may involve determining that a contractor or subcontractor’s performance constituted willful neglect or negligence. In one case, a forensic safety professional evaluated a construction project in which an architect/engineering firm was sued for failing to warn an unlicensed subcontractor of unsafe practices that were causing serious hazards and injuries to its employees. In this instance, the plaintiff argued that the A/E’s knowledge of the unsafe practices amounted to active participation in wanton or willful neglect and was therefore not shielded by its immunity from liability.
They Help Create a Safe Environment
Creating a safety-first culture is a huge part of construction safety. This can be achieved through training workers, educating them on safety procedures, and enforcing rules to prevent accidents. The best way to create this culture is for management to lead by example and show workers what is expected. It also helps to make sure workers understand the importance of safety, which is why safety experts are so important.
They can help educate workers on how to prevent struck-by hazards, which are a leading cause of fatalities in the construction industry. They can also help develop safety programs and implement them on site. These programs include job hazard analysis, implementing controls like barriers and screens to protect workers, and keeping up with the latest safety standards.
Construction safety specialists can also help prevent injuries by ensuring that all workers are wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) and using it correctly. They can also ensure that all equipment and machinery on a worksite is properly maintained and operated. This includes ensuring that all workers are trained in the use of tools, heavy machinery and other equipment on a construction site.
They can also ensure that safety reports are filled out and submitted to the appropriate authorities. This is vital to the health and safety of all employees on a construction site. They can also help create a safety culture by encouraging workers to report any incidents, even near misses, and helping them understand the importance of reporting these incidents.
Lastly, they can also provide training on hazard identification and risk assessment to help workers identify and avoid hazards. This can be particularly useful for supervisors, who may not be as familiar with construction risks as safety experts. Construction safety experts can also advise on the appropriate levels of PPE and the use of hazard control methods, such as the hierarchy of controls, when it comes to reducing risks in the workplace.
A construction safety expert can also help in legal cases by providing testimony on whether or not safety regulations were followed or if there was a lack of safety lapses on a construction site. Their knowledge of construction practices and safety standards can help determine liability in cases involving construction accidents, injuries or OSHA violations.