Safety First: Essential Equipment For Your Construction Business

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As the head of a construction company, it is your duty to ensure the protection of your workforce. You are probably already aware of the dangers inherent in the business, from working with electrical machinery to managing hazardous materials. However, have you put the correct safety measures in place? Are your workers equipped with the right protection for the work they need to do? Considering the high fatality rate in the industry, many employers are still failing to put some simple things in place that could make all the difference between life and death.

To ensure you aren’t held liable for any accidents or fatalities at your workplace, these are the safety measures you need to put in place for your employees.



Reflective clothing

Your employees need to be seen by everybody on the building site, so high-visibility clothing is a must. There are fatal accidents every year from workers being hit by moving vehicles, so reflective clothing will minimise the risk of accidents taking place.

Ear plugs

Continuous noise over 90 decibels is going to cause long-term damage to your workers hearing. Considering the range of machinery and drills on a building site, the risk of noise damage is high. However, industry standard ear plugs will alleviate some of the problems, reducing unwanted noise while still providing enough hearing to follow instruction.

Face shields

Blindness, skin irritation and facial burns are some of the dangers involved when working with hazardous materials, such as chemicals and liquids. Drilling can result in flying debris and brickwork which could enter the eye. Breathing problems can occur when working in places of low oxygen or with toxic gases. Therefore, a face shield is an essential piece of equipment, especially those that integrate protection for the head, eyes and breathing.

Falling protection

When working from scaffolding, platforms and rooftops, there is a high risk of falling. You need to put the correct equipment in place, including mansafe systems with lifeline cables, harnesses and safety nets. You are not only protecting the workers up above but also those down below, so falling assist systems will reduce many of the injuries and fatalities that occur on building sites every year.

Safety footwear

Most foot injuries occur from falling objects. However, there is also the potential for slips and falls on uneven surfaces. Therefore, consider the right footwear for the job, as workers will need something light for climbing ladders and tougher, steel capped boots for heavier work.

Safety gloves

Rubber or latex gloves are often sufficient, so there needn’t be a high cost involved. However, they should be checked for rips and tears and replaced immediately if there are any problems. Without the correct hand protection, your workers are susceptible to burns from corrosive substances and abrasions from sharp, jagged surfaces.

Hard hats

Everybody, from your worker to site visitors, needs to wear a hard hat. Considering the risk of falling equipment and brickwork, sufficient headgear should be worn at all times. However, not everybody uses their common sense, so clearly place signs indicating hard hat areas.