At W+J Construction, we are passionate about constructing buildings for the community to use. We also care deeply about safety, both for our workers and for everyone who lives near or interacts with our construction sites.
Construction projects, by nature, involve a lot of inherent risks. Construction equipment is large, heavy, and powerful. When working on a large construction project, there is a chance a worker could be crushed by falling construction materials, fall from height, or injure themselves while using machinery. However, with good safety practices, it is possible to remove these risks.
Let’s take a look at the steps we take to ensure safety for everyone on our construction sites and in the wider community.
1. A Culture of Safety
At W+J, we promote a culture of safety. That means informing everyone who works on our sites know that safety is at the top of our priority list. We want all workers to feel confident they can report any safety incident they witness or are involved in, without fear of blame or backlash.
Safety incidents can occur on construction sites when workers have been encouraged or pressured to cut corners, perhaps in order to meet a tight deadline or save money. At W+J, we make it clear to all that safety is never something to be compromised in order to achieve a different goal. Above everything else we do, we want our sites to be safe places to work.
2. Extensive Training
Construction workers learn many of their skills on the job, through being involved with construction projects that introduce them to new techniques and situations. However, safety is one aspect of learning that must always come upfront. Before any of our construction workers are allowed to handle machinery, we ensure that they are certified and have received the relevant safety training.
Training equips construction workers with the skills to spot risks, take action to mitigate them and respond appropriately if an accident does occur. We provide regular training to workers to ensure they always have the safety skills they need to keep themselves, their co-workers, and the surrounding community safe.
3. Clear Communication
Many construction accidents occur as a result of poor communication. We make communication a priority to ensure that every worker knows exactly what they should be doing and where they should be at particular times.
We also prioritize communication with our partners who might also be working on-site as well as with the local community. For example, we are sure to let people know about access restrictions or provide them with other information that could affect their everyday life or pose a safety risk. When everyone has access to information, the possibility of being taken by surprise by an unexpected hazard is much lower.
4. High-Quality Equipment
Having the right equipment is essential to staying safe on a construction site. When builders have to use unsuitable equipment to complete a task, the chances of an injury or accident are much higher. We insist on using good quality equipment and ensure it is well maintained to reduce the risk of an accident.
5. Personal Protective Equipment
Workers and visitors on a construction site must wear personal protective equipment to keep them safe. For example, they might need to wear a helmet to protect against falling debris or a hi-vis jacket to make them easily visible to anyone working on site. We take our responsibilities seriously when it comes to providing PPE and ensuring that everyone wears it as required.
6. Working Conditions
Construction workers are more likely to make safety-critical mistakes when they are tired, stressed out, hungry, or dehydrated. At W+J, we care about our construction teams and ensure they receive necessary breaks during the working day. We do not want our construction workers to be put at risk by having to work in unsuitable conditions. All our sites are set up to cater to the needs of the people working there as much as possible so they can do their jobs safely.
7. Supervision
It is the job of the W+J site superintendent to keep track of all subcontractors and whether they are following safety standards. All our superintendents are OSHA 10 certified and perform weekly safety meetings to ensure subcontractors are made aware of potential dangers inherent to the current stage of the project. Potential safety hazards are quickly brought to the attention of the subcontractor and paper documentation and retraining are provided.
For W+J, safety is the absolute priority in everything we do. We aim to construct buildings that act as safe spaces for the local community. In the process, we do everything we can to keep both our own workers and the people who might interact with the building site during the construction process as safe as possible.