Top 10 Construction Health and Safety Risks

One of the biggest industries in South Africa and many other countries is construction. Due to the unique combination of health and safety dangers involving vehicles, equipment, and manual labour that few other sectors have, it is well-known for being risky.

1. Insufficient Training on Health and Safety

A third of construction site employees and 18% of site supervisors, according to the Construction Industry Development Board, lack basic health and safety training. In South Africa, there are 20 fatalities on construction projects for every 100,000 workers annually. Part of the problem could be due to a lack of health and safety training.

2. Trips and Falls

Slipping or falling is the second most typical site for construction-related accidents. It is highly advised to wear the proper footwear and, if possible, temporary flooring in hazardous places when working outside in inclement weather. The chance of tripping increases if equipment, supplies, and other items are left lying around since they not only pose a trip hazard but also add to the severity of any falls that do occur and are landed on.

3. Working Amidst Moving Machinery and Vehicles

The majority of fatal accidents at construction sites in South Africa involve a worker being hit by a car or other moving object. To prepare regions for construction, heavy machinery including motor graders, overhead lifting devices, dump trucks, and supply vehicles may run continuously. Materials are transferred from point A to point B while scaffolding is constructed. A building site is typically a swarm of activity, to put it briefly. There is so much activity that accidents are more prone to occur.

4. Working at Heights

14% of fatalities in South Africa are the result of falling from heights. Bricklayers and other construction workers must by necessity work at the same height as the building's progress. When ladders are utilized improperly, scaffolding is improperly constructed, or workers just slip or trip, accidents happen.

5. Manual Handling

Manual handling is another frequent source of accidents in the construction industry. You should avoid lifting large objects inappropriately to protect your health and to avoid having to take time off of work. Doing so can result in both short-term and long-term injuries. By employing the proper lifting method and seeking assistance when a materials are especially large, chances for injuries due to physical handling can be readily avoided.

6. Noise

Construction sites usually have a noisy environment. Permanent hearing loss can result from excessive and repetitive loudness. Nearly half of the 5,000 construction workers studied in Canada in the middle of the 1980s suffered hearing loss brought on by noise. Keep in mind that this kind of hearing loss develops gradually over time; it doesn't happen all at once.

7. Vibrations

Vibrations and their potential long-term effects are another danger of operating machines. Long-term use of power tools and earthmoving equipment can cause Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome, or "Blue-finger," as it is also known. However, it can be avoided by conducting a thorough risk assessment and using the appropriate PPE.

8. Respiratory Diseases

The dust created when doing operations like drilling and sawing, as well as employing chemical items that are necessary to finish a given activity, are two additional prevalent health and safety risks when working on a construction site. The risk of inhaling dust and chemicals that could result in long-term ailments such lung problems, silicosis, and asthma will be significantly reduced by wearing the appropriate PPE.

9. Electrocution

In 2019, electrocutions were the cause of 5% of all fatalities in the construction industry, with many of those incidents occurring because the worker lacked the necessary degree of training. Therefore, it is crucial that only people with the necessary training level are permitted to perform electrical work.

10. Collapses

Although they are rare and only account for roughly 14% of all fatal construction injuries, collapsing environments, such as trenches, can seriously hurt workers and in some rare circumstances even result in fatalities. Ensuring that risk assessments are complete will help to reduce the likelyhood of an ecosystem collapsing.