Importance Of Health And Safety Training For The Construction Industry

Construction sites are full of health and safety hazards, proving to be a major cause of injuries, health problems and fatal accidents. Considering the nature of their work, as well as the tools and procedures involved, the average number of construction workers suffering from falls and injuries is way higher than any other profession. Keeping this thing in mind, the importance of health and safety training for the construction industry cannot be ignored.

As per law employers are required to provide training and information to their workers regarding safety and health hazards. Such training programs are conducted by accredited and reputable institutions. To make health and safety training courses a success, it is crucial that the staff personnel are well trained and experienced in construction industry, along with having competency and skills. This will ensure that the trainers are fully aware of various issues present at construction sites and are able to help trainees make use of classroom knowledge in real life scenarios, some of which are mentioned below.

The safety hazards present at construction sites are many, out of which falls are the most common observation. Workers using scaffolding are at a high risk of falls. In case the scaffolding is improperly installed or the worker is not paying attention, it can lead to fall. Therefore, the workers should be fully trained in areas like fall protection, using ladders, installing scaffolding etc.

The next prominent hazard faced by workers at construction sites involves electricity. Workers must have the knowledge of keeping themselves protected by wearing proper gloves and hard hats while working with electrical equipment and wires. Besides this, it is also suggested that regular inspection of electrical units is carried out on site to avoid any mishap from taking place.

Apart from the safety hazards mentioned above, it is not uncommon for workers to get caught in equipment or construction material and suffer injuries. This type of scenario usually takes place where exposed and moving machine parts are involved. Therefore, workers should be fully trained and experienced when it comes to using power tools and machines. Preventive maintenance programs should also be conducted from time to time to train and update, both new and old workers, where they can be taught about safe work procedures and practises.

Similar to the professional hazard mentioned above, getting struck by equipment or vehicle is another issue that workers might face at construction sites. Along with providing knowledge regarding safe work practises, workers should be trained in handling heavy equipment which is used commonly in their profession. Preferably only trained and qualified professional should be allowed to use such equipment.

It is clear from the above discussion that the health and safety training for the construction industry is of utmost importance to avoid any kind of fatalities or delays from taking place. Before employing a person on a construction site, it is very important that he receives adequate training regarding possible hazards, as well as ways to prevent them, in order to keep him and others safe.