If you work in any type of construction that takes place outside, you already know how important it is to stay safe. Keeping everyone who works on the site as safe as possible should be the main concern of every manager and employer.
If you have never worked in construction, you can understand the need for safety concerns, but you might not be able to fully understand the danger the men and women who work in the construction field are in on a relatively consistent basis.
The dangers of the job site
Picture this scenario. Let’s say you are traveling down a major highway at night. Many of the construction projects happen at night so that the impact on motorists will be limited. Even though the traffic lanes have been reduced to only one, you are able to speed along rather easily. You notice the construction going on, but you don’t see workers…until it is too late.
The statistics of how many workers are killed on the job site is staggering. In 2015 alone, there were 4,836 workers who were killed on the job. That means that in 2015, there were 13 deaths every single day on the job. Many of these deaths could have been avoided had the proper high visibility jacket or reflective vest been worn to make them more visible to others around them.
Any type of construction work involves a certain level of potential danger. Moving pieces come in and out of view, deep holes are dug and can be fallen into, and vehicles come and go, sometimes very quickly, and can strike workers who have not been seen by the drivers. Because of all of these factors, it is extremely important that construction workers take all necessary precautions to be as safe on the job site as they can possibly be.
The newest employees are the most vulnerable
Lost-time injuries are injuries sustained by an employee who has been hurt on the job and must miss work as a result of the injury. The Institute for Work and Health in Canada has found that a worker in their first month at work on a new and unfamiliar job has more than three times the risk of having a lost-time injury than other more experienced workers. One-third of non-fatal injuries that were lost-time injuries were suffered by employees in their first year on the job.
Workers on the same job who have been around for a while know what things to look out for and are able to stay clear of injury more often. Also, they understand the need for safety clothing, like an orange safety vest or reflective pants. Often, something like a high visibility jacket is all one needs to steer clear of potential danger.
The need for safety clothes
If you are working on a job where visibility is a major concern, you can increase your chances of being seen by wearing a high visibility jacket or any other of the many types of clothing made especially for high visibility. Why gamble with your life. Where the gear that will get you home to your family safe and sound.
