Since you’ve started working in construction, your friends and family have been constantly worried about you getting into an accident. You’ve told them repeatedly that you’re always cautious and work within the safety guidelines. However, every week someone brings up the fact that construction machinery is extremely dangerous and that you better be careful.

Although you’re sure that you make a conscious effort to stay safe, are there any other precautions you can take to protect yourself, as well as give your loved ones peace of mind? You know that your risks for injury increase when working around construction machinery, but is there anything you can do to decrease these risks?

Protection Protocol for the Safe Use of Construction Machinery

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), believes that the use of heavy machinery is one of the most dangerous aspects of construction work. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that more than 500 workers a year die, and thousands more are injured by machine accidents—making them responsible for 88 percent of all construction injuries.

According to research performed by OSHA, 30 percent of these injuries occur when workers attempt to remove broken objects that have become jammed inside a machine. Machine cleaning accounts for another 29 percent of injuries, and machine malfunctions and operating errors account for the remaining 41 percent.

The majority of these accidents may be able to be prevented with proper safety protocols. Unfortunately, many workers are either not aware of these guidelines, do not understand the importance of machine safety, are oblivious of their risks when they ignore protocol, or otherwise don’t care about proper procedure. This is why it is important to not only learn how to be safe for yourself, but to also share the information with your co-workers to make sure they protect themselves and consequently keep you safe as well.

Help decrease construction machinery injuries by sharing the following safety information on Facebook or Google Plus, and if able, post it in your site’s workroom. Let us try to educate the construction community and help them realize the importance of these five machine safety rules: 

Make sure your machinery is up-to-code before using.

Heavy construction equipment and machines should be properly maintained on a daily basis and should be assessed for safety every three to six months.

Turn machinery off when not using.

Even if you’re only adjusting a part or removing debris, it is still important to make sure the machine is off.

Make sure all moving parts have stopped before approaching the machine to clean or perform maintenance.

Even when a machine is turned off, it may take several moments for the gears to come to a complete stop.

Stay alert when operating machinery.

If the equipment seems faulty, sluggish, or jerky, turn it off immediately and have it checked for any problems.

Work in teams.

Watching out for one another and staying alert to possible problems can help provide adequate warnings and safer navigation to help prevent injuries.

Protecting Your Future When Precautions Fail

Although taking these precautions will greatly reduce your risk for an injury, regrettably, accidents can still occur. If you’ve been injured in a construction machine accident, you may be able to receive compensation for your injuries.

Have You Been Injured In A Texas Construction Accident?

If you've been injured in a construction accident you need to speak with an experienced construction accident injury attorney as soon as possible. Please contact us online or call our Colleyville office directly at 817.485.8888 to schedule your free consultation.

 

David Hart
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Helping victims throughout Fort Worth, Arlington, North Richland, Grapevine, Bedford, Hurst and points between