"Look Out Below!" -The Rise of Workplace Injuries

You’ve probably seen the iconic image of the 1932 New York City construction workers seated above Rockefeller Center during the height of The Great Depression. We’ve all marveled at the bravery of those eleven men nonchalantly having a photo session on a beam hundreds of feet above ground, just grateful for the opportunity to have a job. John Rasenberger, author of High Steel: The Daring Men Who Built The Greatest Skyline remarked, “The pay was good. The thing is, you had to be willing to die.” Thankfully, construction safety has come a long way in the last ninety years and employers, as well as those who set the safety standards, are constantly seeking to improve workplace safety. Even with such a commitment to ensure that the men and women in the construction industry are able to perform in safe conditions and return home to their families each night, on-the job injuries have not been fully eliminated.

Reduce Risks at Your Work Site

Workplace Safety Screenings can help you evaluate and mitigate risks by providing comprehensive Medical Surveillance services. Worksite safety starts by hiring the right employees ---those who are prepared to show up and follow the safety guidelines set forth by both the government and you, the business owner. Not only can we help you make a good hire, we can perform a custom audit to help you identify areas of vulnerability, in order to provide a plan of action that can prevent injuries and illnesses down the road.

Keeping Employees Safe with Proper Equipment

Proper PPE is a great start; it's important that each employee not only has access to the proper equipment, but also that it's properly sized and  being used correctly, for the right tasks. Buying equipment is of no use if it's not used as intended by well-trained employees. Beyond the training you provide, it is beneficial to make employees aware of various free training courses and any new information about the equipment they are using so that they can always stay abreast of new technology and the latest safety protocols.

Provide Training To Prevent Injuries

It's easy to become complacent, even lazy, in any job, especially those that are repetitive and routine. According to the CDC, construction site falls are the primary reason for construction site fatalities. The first part of training comes with making sure that employees understand that safety equipment protocols cannot be relaxed. It is when employees grow unconcerned with their surroundings that accidents and falls occur most frequently. In fact, this study from Oregon State University reviewed on-the-job accidents by time of day and uncovered the fact that most accidents occur on the night shift and in the first four hours of a shift, possibly from a lack of sufficient breaks or periods of rest. Lead author of the study, Liu Yang is “working with the Oregon Health Authority to look more closely at the risk factors among young workers in hopes they might pinpoint specific safety measures to help avoid injury on the job,” states the OSU Newsroom. Employees remaining vigilant and taking necessary periods of rest can help reduce the risk of tragic accidents while at work.

Together, Let’s Prevent Workplace Accidents

With falls remaining a major construction hazard for employees, it is important that employers do everything possible to ensure the safety of all employees, especially those whose positions requires them to take on additional risks. You can join the effort to reduce construction site falls by joining the National Campaign to Prevent Falls In Construction and by contacting Workplace Safety Screenings to assist you in your efforts to create a safer work environment for everyone.