Construction Law
Ensure Your Workers’ Safety With These Four Personal Protective Equipment Items
There are thousands of people working at hundreds of construction sites across the State of Florida. The fatal injury rate for the construction industry is higher than the national average for all industries.
Potential hazards for workers in construction include:
- Falls from heights
- Trench collapse
- Scaffold collapse
- Electric shock and arc flash/arc blast
- Failure to use proper personal protective equipment
- Repetitive motion injuries
According to Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), there are a few simple ways employers can avoid some of these common hazards. One of these is enforcing proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE). By simply making sure that your workers are wearing the proper gear, you can avoid mishaps. Not only is this checklist helpful to avoid injuries, it’s also necessary to stay in compliance with all OSHA standards.
As your Jacksonville construction attorneys, we’ve put together the following safety checklist for construction workers to help avoid hazards that can cause injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.
1. Eye And Face Protection
Safety glasses/face shields should be worn anytime work operations can cause foreign objects to get into the eyes (i.e. welding, cutting, grinding, nailing, or when working with concrete or harmful chemicals). Eye and face protectors are selected based on anticipated hazards.
2. Foot Protection
Construction workers should wear work shoes/boots with slip resistant and puncture-resistant soles. As your Jacksonville construction lawyer, we recommend that your workers use safety-toed footwear. These should be worn at all times to prevent crushed toes when your employees are working around heavy equipment.
3. Hand Protection
Construction workers should wear gloves that fit snugly. There are different types of gloves appropriate for different jobs. Heavy duty rubber gloves are suitable for concrete work, welding gloves for welding, and insulated gloves when exposed to electrical hazards.
4. Head Protection
Hard hats need to be worn when there is a potential for objects falling from above, bumps from fixed objects, or accidental head contact with electrical hazards. Hard hats should be maintained in good condition and routinely inspected for dents, cracks, and deterioration. Replace hard hats after a heavy blow or electrical shock.
To schedule a consultation with a Jacksonville construction attorney from Cotney Attorneys & Consultants, please call us today.
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is for general educational information only. This information does not constitute legal advice, is not intended to constitute legal advice, nor should it be relied upon as legal advice for your specific factual pattern or situation.