There’s no such thing as a perfectly safe job. In fact, approximately 3% of American workers will suffer some form of injury or illness at their workplace every year. While the vast majority of these injuries are minor, their effects can be devastating, not just to the injured, but also to your business. The good news is that, thanks to improved safety practices, most accidents can be avoided. For example, OSHA reports that, while an average of 38 workers died every day in the 1970’s, just 13 deaths per day were recorded in 2014.
Much of this success can be attributed to focused safety campaigns targeting unsafe practices. As one of the oldest employment agencies in Lancaster, PA, we have decades of experience in the construction and industrial sector. In construction, for example, the most dangerous accidents by far are falls. Falls account for almost 40% of construction and industrial fatalities, in addition to thousands of major injuries. If you want to protect your workers, you should participate in OSHA’s Fall Prevention Campaign.
OSHA’s Fall Prevention Campaign – 3 Steps to Safety Success
OSHA’s fall prevention campaign is modeled around three simple steps. You must:
- PLAN ahead to get the job done safely
- PROVIDE the right equipment
- TRAIN everyone to use the equipment safely
Later on in this series, we’ll take a look at the last two steps. Today, we’ll focus on how implementing the first step can keep your employees safe.
Step 1: Plan
The planning stage involves identifying fall hazards and recognizing how to eliminate them. It’s vital to remember that all job sites present fall hazards. For example, have you considered how to avoid falls when…
Working at Ground Level
A surprising amount of fall injuries occur from slips and trips at ground level. Plan ahead by identifying danger zones (icy areas, uneven carpets, muddy ground, slopes, etc.) and deciding what steps can be taken to minimize the risk. Can footwear be provided that will decrease slips on ice? Can temporary handrails or stairs be installed where needed?
Working from Heights
Working from scaffolds, lifts, and roofs is often unavoidable. When this happens, extra safety equipment will be needed. A supervisor with safety training should visit each job site before work begins. This way, all necessary personal safety devices will available before workers arrive, and their cost can be included with the job estimate.
There are still two important steps left to eliminate fall injuries, so be sure to check our blog regularly for an in-depth look. Meanwhile, if you’re interested in finding qualified employees with excellent safety records, contact us. We specialize in matching the right employee to the right job, and we’re sure we can find the perfect patch for your business.