Health and safety are the most important factors when working in construction, and making sure that people stay safe and healthy is essential for having a happy and efficient workforce. However, working on a construction site is busy, and there are risks that some people often overlook, or they can be forgotten, but there are five key health and safety rules you should follow if working in construction. 

Keep work areas neat and tidy

Construction is messy; we know that. But it’s important to make sure that tools and equipment are put away properly to reduce the risk of workers tripping or falling. 

Report issues as soon as possible

If you notice any problems or issues, report it to your supervisor immediately, never ignore it. If you report it as soon as you see it, then the issue can’t be dealt with quickly. Even if you’re not sure how serious it is, it’s still worth reporting just in case. 

Stay well-fed

When you’re hungry, it can affect your mind and body significantly. Problem-solving becomes harder, concentration begins to decline, and it takes a lot less for someone to lose their temper. So for a healthy and safe workplace, keep yourself well-nourished. It’s not worth skipping meals to get a job done quicker; you need to take a break, and if you do so and re-fuel, you will work better afterward. When working on a construction site, concentration is essential to staying safe, so don’t let a skipped meal be the reason you injure yourself.

Keep yourself qualified

Having the right training and qualifications for working on a construction site is crucial for your own and everyone else’s safety. Make a note of when any of your qualifications expire so you can be sure to renew them on time.

Always wear the appropriate PPE

This is an obvious point, but one that still needs to be mentioned as it is so important. Hardhats, safety boots, and high visibility clothing are the bare minimum when it comes to health and safety in construction. Depending on what you’re doing, you may need to have respiratory masks, safety goggles, noise cancelling ear-muffs or Heat-resistant gloves, which are designed to protect your hands from burns or other injuries that can result from coming into contact with extremely hot objects. Your hands are so important to your work, and according to Buy Any Gloves, the Bureau of Labor Statistics states that in 2014 thermal burns accounted for more than 14,000 occupational injuries. There’s a wide variety of work gloves and sleeves on the market, and certain materials offer different advantages than others, so the materials used to make heat-resistant work gloves can vary from glove to glove. Just make sure you are using the correct PPE as this will be the most reliable way to protect yourself from most hazards. The equipment is there for a reason, so make sure you use it.