Construction safety: Safety tips for building around the home

Construction around the home, whether it's building from scratch or renovating, can be a dangerous venture if safety precautions are not taken seriously. Following the appropriate safety measures is easy and can save a lot of hassle and injury later.

There are the simple safety rules, such as wearing the appropriate uniform and protective accessories, and then there are the harder ones such as proper scaffolding standards and ladder usage. Read on for some safety tips.

Personal protection: Safe construction wear

Before even entering the construction site, all workers should be wearing the appropriate safety attire. Proper construction wear can save you and other workers from serious injury and even death. The essentials are:

• Always wear a hard hat on the construction site. This protects against objects falling from above and electrical shocks. If your hard hat suffers a bad dent or electric shock, replace it straight away.
• When welding, nailing, cutting or working with chemicals and concrete, always wear safety goggles or a face shield to protect your eyes.
• Proper footwear should be worn at all times. An example of safe footwear is enclosed work boots with appropriate slip-resistant grip. Safety-toed boots are an even better option. They protect toes if heavy machinery or materials roll over your foot.
• Always wear gloves when welding and handling concrete and other chemicals.
• If using noisy equipment such as a jack hammer or nail gun, always wear ear plugs to prevent hearing damage.

Keeping a safe construction site: Equipment use and work platforms

Construction wear is the easy part. The much harder part is keeping the construction site in a safe and workable condition. This includes using equipment such as ladders correctly and ensuring all platforms and scaffolding are stable. Some safety tips are:

• Ensure that all ladders are secure and designed for industrial purposes.
• Ladders should only be used when balanced on a stable surface and positioned at the correct angle. About one foot from the base for each vertical four feet or about a 75 degree angle is a good indication.
• When climbing ladders, keep three limbs connected at all times.
• Use harnesses when working at heights of more than two or three metres.
• Keep all scaffolding clean and free of debris. Make sure all necessary tools are kept in a tidy fashion on scaffolding.
• Do not allow more than the recommended weight to be supported by scaffolding.
• Ensure that no one uses scaffolding that is wet or slippery from rain.
• Ensure all holes and openings are covered correctly.
• Turn all potentially dangerous power tools such as saws off immediately after use.
• Check all tools regularly for defects.

Some other things to practice include keeping the construction site, especially walkways, free of debris and unnecessary building materials. In addition to this, ensure that all tools are kept neat and tidy. Only work with licenced builders, electricians and machinery operators and double check that all hold relevant insurance policies.