SMSTS for Construction Site Safety

 

Health and safety is relevant to all businesses, however with most fatalities occurring within the construction industry, it becomes even more relevant for those working in construction. This is why all site managers are recommended to attend a SMSTS course or a SMSTS refresher course to ensure they are up-to-date with all health and safety legislations.

When running a construction site, there are many different rules and regulations which need to be followed. A large part of running a construction site involves ensuring these regulations are followed by all employees in order to reduce the risk of injury.

Traffic management on site is an example of a very important aspect which needs to be managed. On average, every year, seven workers die as a result of accidents involving vehicles on a construction site. Furthermore, ninety three are said to be injured every year for this reason. As a site manager, it is vital that you have a plan in place which means that vehicles and pedestrians can use a particular path safety within the site. It is then important to communicate this to everyone on site.

Another important legislation states that you must operate your business without putting the public at risk. This may mean that you have to operate a restricted site access plan, whereby the public aren't allowed to enter the site. If this isn't possible then you must ensure you have a site boundary plan in place. Every year, on average, two children will die after entering a construction site. As the site manager, you need to ensure you are taking every step possible to ensure that no one can enter your site.

One of the most popular injuries across all industries is slips and falls. These can be very damaging, especially if you fall in the wrong way. Whilst you cannot stop every slip and fall which occurs on your site, you can try to prevent them by ensuring your staff are suitably trained in health and safety. By making sure they are suitably trained, you can ensure they know when to report any uneven surfaces which may cause falls, but also to be aware of keeping their workspace tidy. Several thousands of people are injured every year as a result of a trip or fall on a building site, many of these suffer from broken bones or dislocated joints.

Being a construction site manager means you have a lot of responsibility, by undertaking an SMSTS course you can ensure that you are up-to-date with legislation changes and help to prevent accidents occurring.