ConstructConnect Blog

Every team has a member who operates the lowest level of enthusiasm possible. Their go-to response to any deviation from the current plan is “I’m fine this way,” even with simple process changes.

For many, the summer months mean vacations at the beach, lounging by the pool, and spending more time outside in the sun. For construction workers, summer means working long hours in the hot sun. All that time in the sun can lead to an increased risk of sunburn, sun poisoning, and skin cancer.

In the construction industry, personal protective equipment (PPE) is considered the last line of defense when it comes to protecting workers from injuries on the jobsite. Employers are required to implement engineering controls and other safety measures to guard against accidents and prevent injuries. In the event those measures fail or can’t be feasibly implemented, PPE is there to prevent an injury when hazards arise.

Construction is one of the largest industries in the world’s economy that generates trillions of dollars every year. However, the industry faces many challenges like tough competition, low profit margins, cost overruns, and tight project delivery deadlines.

Are you doing everything you can to minimize your workers’ exposure to heat-related illnesses? Does your company have a heat illness prevention program in place? We’ve got you covered with these tips and guidelines for keeping your workers safe and productive during these hot summer days.

Technically, the first day of meteorological summer doesn't arrive until next Tuesday when, but parts of the country have already seen record or near-record highs this month. The folks over at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are predicting a hotter than normal summer for most parts of the country. The dog days of summer will soon be upon us and the higher temperatures bring with it the danger of suffering heat-related illnesses at the construction site. Construction workers are at high risk for heat-related illnesses due to the strenuous nature of their jobs and prolonged exposure to the heat and humidity brought on during the summer months.

OSHA, as associated with the safety and health of the employees, introduced National Emphasis Program (NEP) considering the effect of COVID-19. Since the spread of pandemics has shown some significant downtime for the construction industry like other businesses, the NEP program is likely to have some impact on the construction process.

Last week we took a look at the deadliest jobs in construction. One of the stats we discussed was the fact that about 34% of all construction worker deaths are caused by falls. What might surprise you is the fact that falls from ladders account for about 28% of those deaths.  The construction standard for ladders (1926.1053) is consistently the third most cited OSHA violation every year for the industry, just behind duty to have fall protection and general requirements for scaffolds.

Warmer weather means that roadwork season is in full effect which means more and more work zones are popping up on our interstates, highways, and streets. It’s also the time of year when more people are on the road traveling greater distances to the beach, mountains, and other vacation spots.

Construction is one of the most dangerous industries to work in which is why programs and initiatives like Construction Safety Week (May 3 - 7, 2021) are so important to raising awareness about the importance of construction safety. Of the 5,333 worker deaths in 2019, 1,061 were in construction. That means out of every five worker deaths in 2019 was in construction, a percentage that has remained fairly constant over the last several years.