The construction industry is the fourth largest in the Australian economy and plays a major role in determining economic growth. The industry has previously experienced seven consecutive years of growth. The construction industry is prevalent in all areas of the country. To fuel the economic growth of the country, construction is a necessary driver.

The construction industry, despite the increasing use of new technologies that are reducing the human involvement, still remains very labour intensive. With this comes a definite need for proper policy and systems to protect and assure the complete safety of workers on site. Safety becomes ever more crucial in construction sites that see a lot of interaction with the general public, like road and buildings in occupied areas.

Safety at construction sites

Human life is important to all. But the figures of fatalities suffered in the construction industry paint a different narrative. Over a quarter of the injuries reported involved construction workers falling from heights. A report tabled in Australia showed that over the last 13 years over 12,600 employees made the worker compensation claim.

An average of 36 fatalities per year has been reported by the construction industry. Falls and injuries are seemingly accepted as part and parcel of the construction industry. We can and have reduced fatalities at the construction site. The overall goal in the future is to eliminate this terrible tragedy of workers dying or being fatally injured in the workplace.

The safety and protection of workers, especially in the construction industry, is the key to a successful construction company. Starting from the gear the workers wear to the pedestrians that crisscross around the construction company. Protective clothing minimizes injuries and on the plus side shows that the company is willing to spend to protect its workers.

Not only does this impact positively on your company’s safety record, it also gives a very positive message to your workers. The message says “we care about our workers”.

Importance of Safety Barriers for ensuring safety at Construction Sites

Safety in, on, and around the construction sites is a must. ‘Safety first is safety always’ is a mantra that should resonate across the construction industry. One proven and time tested way of achieving safety is the use of safety barriers. In one form or another, safety barriers are of the outmost importance during construction.

Whether it is for demarcation, zoning, isolation, or other purposes in the construction, barriers and construction are inseparable. The construction industry considers them the most important way to not only protect workers but also the general public.

The Government has implemented laws and policies that have made it mandatory for companies to create a safe workplace for all. In the construction industry, injured workers and those affected by safety failures have resorted to litigation to seek redress. The number of cases continues to rise.

The knock-on effect of this is litigation and settlement costs that can be astronomical, lost man hours, construction delays and demoralized staff. To avoid these costs and the ensuing legal battle, a proven safety standard should be adapted at all construction sites. Safety barriers form part of this standard.

What makes safety barriers ideal on construction sites is their ease of installation. Most barriers are portable and quickly assembled. In situations where only isolation and demarcation are required, the barrier can be made from soft materials like plastics but be brightly coloured for visibility.

A good safety barrier should be visible and distinguishable as a safety device at all times. Situations requiring more protective aspects for safety barriers can steel and concrete barriers for enhanced protection. With safety barriers, the ease of installation and use means barriers can be quickly set up and reconfigured without the need for extensive know-how on barriers.

Fences are easy to store, use and put up. It is a legal requirement for any construction project to use the safety barrier fencing which should be strong and effective. In addition, the solid safety barriers are flexible, allow different modulations, and are adjustable. Because of easy assembly, the fences allow more time to be dedicated to safety measures. Barrier fences should be constructed from “high resistance to impact” material.

Workers are consumed by their own problems. It is on companies in the business of using workers in a dangerous situation to take care of their workers by protecting them at all times while on the job. Safety is paramount on any construction site.

To secure construction sites, make them 100% safe and compliant with regulations of health and safety, protection of personnel and equipment on sites is achieved by use of safety barriers of one kind or another. Robust, easy to install, visible, strong and durable, barriers have become a standard of safety in construction.