
Jobs in mining or construction are highly sought after, not just for the great benefits on offer but for the professional career paths now associated with the industries. But with the better money, improved conditions and more defined career structures comes a responsibility to ensure safety is paramount on the worksite. And this responsibility doesn’t fall just to owners and managers, but to every worker who enters a site. So here are a few tips to help keep you safe in your mining or construction job.
Embrace Technology
For a start, make sure you have the right technology to get the job done safely and correctly. In this day and age, there is no excuse for not having the right equipment or technology, as there is a range of products and solutions on the market to suit every situation. If you’re not sure, visit www.ivolve.com to see what technical innovations are available to improve on-site safety.
Maintain Equipment
Some of the most serious accidents on mining and construction sites occur when proper maintenance procedures are ignored and equipment is allowed to develop mechanical faults and become unsafe. Put in place substantial and regular maintenance audits to ensure everything is operating as it should be and workers aren’t being put at unnecessary risk.
Use Proper Safety Equipment
Safety equipment isn’t designed and produced for the fun of it. The wearing of high visibility clothing, safety glasses, steel capped boots and protective gloves are not only vital to safety, but compulsory under state and national regulations.
Know your Regulations
Speaking of regulations, all staff should be well aware of the safety rules and requirements in place in a mine or on a construction site. There are national regulations, while each state carries its own safety procedures that must be followed. New staff should be made aware of these when they start a job, with regular refresher sessions available to exiting workers.
Encourage Communication
The best way to keep staff safe on site is for the workers to regularly talk to each other and their supervisors to discuss safety issues that have occurred recently or over time. Meetings each day before work begins are known in the industry as ‘toolbox talks’ or ‘tailgate talks’ and give workers the opportunity to warn colleagues of potential dangers.
Observe Warning Signs
Mines and workplaces are virtually covered with signage warning of hazards, and ignoring them places you and your colleagues at risk. These signs alert you to what safety equipment must be in use, high voltage dangers, tripping hazards, areas that are restricted to workers with special safety certificates and a range of other issues.
Traffic and Mobile Plant
Be aware of machinery, vehicles and equipment moving about you. Mines and many construction sites are so large that they are almost small towns, with a great deal of movement on makeshift roads. Most work sites now employ traffic controllers to keep operators and pedestrians safe, but this isn’t always the case and care should be taken when walking about the site.
Working on a construction site or in a mine can be a rewarding and profitable career move. But you must make sure you are safe at all times and follow the proper regulations and procedures to ensure your career is a long one.
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