Construction is one of the most dangerous sectors to work in.

From bumps and scrapes to falls from height, there is a sizeable range of threats that could lead to significant injuries if the right health and safety measures aren’t in place. As an industry, we must do all we can to ensure the safety of our workforce and members of the public.

But it’s clear more needs to be done. In 2020, a staggering 81,000 workers suffered work-related ill health. This ranged from trips or falls and injuries from lifting or handling equipment, to falls from height or being struck by moving or falling objects[1].

To lower the level of risk and force down the number of construction workers suffering injury each year, health and safety must sit at the heart of all project planning. Risk assessments and safety precautions are vital to keep workers and public out of harms way, and employers must be alert to all the hazards their employees could encounter and put the appropriate measures in place to protect them when working in hazardous conditions.

Construction site safety - protecting the workforce

The statistics on construction workers with injuries and health issues demonstrate just how dangerous building sites can be. There are plentiful threats. It’s important the right measure are put in place to keep our workforce safe.

Keep the weather out

Yes, we’re all used to a bit of wind and rain. But for those working outside or on-site, it can be debilitating to a project and easily damage productivity if not managed in the right way. Add to that the risk of dropped tools or falling debris, it’s clear we must do everything in our power to ensure work can continue in the safest manner possible.

BIGBEN® Superclad® Eco Flame Retardant Scaffold Sheeting

Eco friendly scaffold sheeting

BIGBEN Superclad Eco Flame Retardant Scaffold Sheeting is our all-new environmentally friendly scaffold sheeting that ensures site work can continue in virtually all weather conditions. It also delivers supreme flame resistance (approved to EN13501-1).

Importantly, this scaffold sheeting has been especially manufactured to be recycled. It’s also halogen free with no chemicals.

Preventing slips, trips, and falls

Creating and maintaining a safe working environment is the number one priority to improve construction site safety. Despite this, over one third of all major injuries in the workplace are caused by slips and trips.

To counteract this threat, the hazards that cause them must be contained or minimised.

Cable Management

Cable management

Cables trailing across floors, stairways and doorways are seen all too often and it’s one of the primary hazards that causes slips or trips. Installing a cable management solution on your site will help reduce that threat.

Protection in confined spaces

If you’re working on a scaffold, you’ll often have to contend with confined spaces and the risk of bumps and scrapes from protruding poles and joints. Scaffolds are dangerous places to work, especially in confined and high-risk environments such as offshore oil rigs platforms and petrochemical plants. Enter the TuffPad.

BIGBEN® TuffPad® Impact Protector

BIGBEN TuffPad

The BIGBEN® TuffPad® is the safer way to protect workers and reduce injuries in confined spaces. It’s unique design is proven to deliver 48% more impact protection than any other scaffolding pad to effortlessly reduce the risk of impact injuries from protruding joints, fittings and other on-site hazards such as pipe valves.

Keep your tools by your side

Objects falling from height remains one of the biggest causes of on-site injuries. Effective tool tethering is a reliable way to protect those working below you.

Leach’s tethered tools

Scaffolder with tethered tools

From spanners and ratchets to levels and tape measures, we stock a wide range of tethered tools so you can keep your equipment safely by your side. If you have specific tools that require tethering, we can help.

Construction site safety - protecting the public

We’re well accustomed to seeing construction projects in progress and scaffolding erected in pedestrianised areas. As well as workers, this can also create plentiful of risks for the public. And unfortunately as stated in this previous blog, there are many examples of the public being injured as a result of poor safety practices on-site.

Preventing bumps and scrapes

When construction projects are undertaken on busy high streets and scaffolding is in use, it’s important to put the right measures in place to protect the public from injury. Scaffolding foam and tube end caps are vital to help prevent bumps and scrapes when walking in areas of scaffolding.

BIGBEN® Scaff’Foam

BIGBEN Blue Scaffolding Foam

BIGBEN® Scaff’Foam is heavy-duty scaffolding foam for protecting members of the public from injury. It’s mostly used on ground level scaffolding supports to keep walkers and passers-by safe in pedestrianised areas.

Leach’s Scaffold Tube End Caps

Scaffold tube end caps

Exposed or sharp edges on scaffolding in pedestrian areas can also cause injury to members of the public passing underneath. Scaffold tube end caps cover your scaffold tube ends so those sharp edges don’t inflict any damage. They also ensure debris can’t enter the scaffold tube.

Stop falls from height

Falls from height are still one of the leading causes of injury and deaths on construction site. Unfortunately, this often occurs following unauthorised access to ladders by members of the public, especially children. Ladders must be restricted to ensure only those with the necessary permissions can use one

Ladderguard – comes with Chain & Padlock

Ladderguard

One of the post crucial elements of ladder safety is ensuring only those with the correct authorisation to use a ladder are able to do so. The Ladderguard is the perfect deterrent against the unauthorised use of site ladders and prevents members of the public potentially harming themselves.

Let’s make construction sites safer

The construction industry is a dangerous one. But those business that excel at implementing stringent construction site safety measures will be successful in reducing to risk of injuries to workers and the public. Explore Leach’s range of construction site safety equipment now, or contact our sales team on 01432 346890.

 

[1]https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/industry/construction.pdf

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