As of May 2013, the average hourly wage of a construction worker was reported to be $26.09. This rate is related to not only the skill necessary to preform the work, but also the inherent risk of injury and death that comes with working on building projects: according to the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, at least 1,000 construction workers suffer a work-related injury every year. However, the true figures are often much higher: in 2001, for example, there were 481,400 non-fatal injuries related to construction jobs. For this reason, more construction companies are investing in construction safety courses to protect their employees and their business as a whole.
The four leading causes of fatality in construction incidents are falls, electrocution, being struck by an object, and getting caught between two objects. However, while it is easy to determine from research how construction workers are becoming unfortunate statistics, it is not nearly so simple to predict when these accidents will happen. Construction safety risks are notoriously difficult to asses because each day, each task, and each risk is so different from the next. As a result, construction safety training courses are often an excellent way to start working towards a safe workplace. There are a number of different types of construction safety courses, including crane safety training and fall protection training. Fall protection training, for example, train construction workers to avoid dangerous situations that could lead to fatal injury, and are a simple, effective way to avoid preventable accidents.
In addition to construction safety courses, many construction companies also utilize safety equipment, including fall arrest equipment and rigging supplies. Because construction-related accidents often occur because of faulty, substandard equipment, investing in quality safety equipment, such as chain slings to reinforce heavy loads, are often an effective way to prevent injury. However, regardless of the equipment being utilized, workers should always wear the requisite hard hats and steel toe boots during any type of construction job.
Creating a safe construction site is not only important on a personal level, by ensuring that the workers are protected and able to continue working, but on a business level: the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 helps enforce job safety regulations, which can put a company at risk if they do not comply. As part of this act, OSHA conducts regular and random safety inspections on construction companies and periodically creates safety regulations. To keep your employees and your company safe, research OSHA-approved construction safety courses.