Dress for Safety! Use PPE to Prevent Injuries and Save Lives!
Wherever there is modern industry, there is risk of accident and injury. And yet through this danger — some of it fatal — people literally build the foundations of modern society and economy.
It’s your responsibility as a business owner to attend to your workers safety as best as you can, and one of the best ways to do that is through the use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
Protect yourself from construction’s top killer — a long fall!
Selecting the right kind of PPE can be complex and time-consuming. That’s why it’s usually simpler to match your choice of PPE with the threats your workers face.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) pays careful attention to every accident report, enforces safety standards, and regularly releases its own safety statistics. From their list of the top ten OSHA violations emerge the Fatal Four — the four most common causes of fatal accidents in the construction industry — and some PPE measures you can use to mitigate their dangers.
Hook up and secure your line before starting work!
In 2012, almost 776 workers lost their lives due to accident in the construction injury. The four most common causes of death were:
- Falls
- Struck by object
- Electrocutions
- Being caught in-between
Of these Fatal Four, the “top killer” was by far, falling, making up more than 36 percent of all fatal accidents in construction. This underscores the importance of selecting proper fall protection gear such as harnesses and hard hats. Their wearers should also know how to use and maintain them.
Safety need not compromise looks!
The other three killers made up a smaller proportion of 2012’s fatal accidents. Though they were indeed significant in their take of the percentage, general safety is best increased by basic awareness, training and hazard communication.
However, you should still act to prevent injuries from the other three killers through PPE-based solutions. Use safety glasses, Kevlar sleeves and hard hats to defend workers against loose objects. Use gloves and insulated coveralls to secure workers who operate in high-voltage areas.
Earmuffs and earplugs may also be necessary in areas with very loud machinery or work. Hearing damage can greatly affect a worker’s quality of life, and you don’t want to skimp on hearing protection.
Use signs, labels, training sessions, posters, and other means at your disposal to train your workers, and remind them of their training later. Equip them with the protection they need to prevent injuries when accidents inevitably happen, and encourage safe and scrupulous behavior in executing proper behavior.
These and other commonsense measures will maintain safety in your business and ensure your compliance with OSHA standards, shielding your business against penalties, as well as keeping your workers safe. Don’t fall victim to danger! You owe yourself and your personnel that much.
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Editor’s Note: What do you do to encourage the use of PPE? Share your experiences with the Emedco community!