After a carpenter fell and was seriously injured at a worksite, Bouygues (UK) was fined £18,000 by a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation.

The carpenter was working at the construction site of a new school in Walthom Forest and fell five metres while trying to secure concrete shutters. The carpenter suffered a fractured collar-bone and ribs, blood and air in his chest cavity and a dislocated thumb. He was in hospital for a period of six days and could not attend work for more than six months.

While attempting to tighten the concrete shutters, he had to lean beyond the protected area of the guardrails and in doing so fell to the platform, more than five metres below. The investigation carried out by the Health and Service Executive found no appropriate anchor points in the area where the carpenter was working.

After pleading guilty to Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Bouygues (UK) Limited were fined £18,000 and costs of £2,796 for the October 2007 accident. The company was also ordered by the court to pay the carpenter £5,000 as compensation.

This case clearly demonstrates the need of following adequate safety measures and making sure employees work safely and wear appropriate safety gear during work. Safety clothing and other safety accessories play an important role in protecting the lives of employees and avoiding possible litigations against the company.

For any individual who is working on a construction site or in any industrial workplace, safety is very important. It is necessary for the workers to wear the right protective clothing and safety footwear.

Safety clothing and footwear will ensure that the workers are safe and secured from dangerous environments and lethal equipment.

The worker’s body is protected by wearing safety clothing while the feet are protected with safety work boots. The penetration of pointed and sharp objects can be prevented, if the workers wear special safety footwear.

Workers can protect themselves from electrical shocks and other dangers by using a good pair of boots or footwear with enough insulation and padding. They can also protect the worker from hazardous and lethal materials present in the work area.

The steel-toed boots are one of the most popular types of safety footwear, which protects the worker’s feet from sharp objects, mud and water.

The materials used to make work boots is mostly leather, the quality of which is of a high standard. This adds to the toughness and thus, the safety boots are very durable. The footwear is designed in a manner that provides maximum comfort to the user without compromising the safety capabilities.

Always bear in mind that accidents are bound to happen. All you can do to prevent the fatal accidents is to wear the right kind of safety clothing and safety footwear.

Construction site jobs have been rated as the second most hazardous job in UK. Surveys and research reveal that the basic reason for this is that the workers of the construction sites are not equipped with proper safety gear. It is a legal and moral responsibility of the construction authorities to ensure that the workforce is equipped with adequate safety clothing.

Sometimes construction authorities simply overlook their responsibilities, while in most of the cases they do not want to invest the amount required for providing the proper safety gear. Whatever the cause, if an accident occurs on a construction site, the name of the construction company can be tarnished, which could have a negative effect on the company.

By making a small investment in the right safety equipment, there will be less accidents and thus less chance of damaging the companies reputation. Moreover, when construction site accidents occur, the authorities have to deal with the legal complications and also may have to pay huge sums of money as compensation to the victim or their family in case it is proven that the accident occurred due to the authority’s negligence.

By taking care of the safety measures and providing proper safety gear, the construction authorities thus ensure greater returns for their company reputation and their staff as a whole.

Construction sites, home renovation companies and other such industries use various heavy machinery and power tools for the different jobs that they have to do. Proper and correct usage of these tools is not the only thing that must be taken into consideration, to ensure the safety of the workers. Sometimes the clothing you wear might also be quite important in protecting you from an injury. The importance of safety clothing on such occasions cannot be underestimated.

While you are operating heavy machinery it is very important that the clothing you wear is appropriate and fits you well. It should also be able to permit complete freedom of movement. Loose fitting jackets, scarves, jewellery and flared trousers must be avoided while operating these types of machines. These things can get trapped in the machine which might cause an injury.

Safety clothing, especially designed keeping the requirements of such workers in mind can help a great deal in keeping them safe. Moreover, a wide range of safety clothing is available these days. This includes, T-shirts, trousers, tool vests, waterproof jackets, thermals and safety footwear.

Many people are of the opinion that safety clothing is expensive to purchase and uncomfortable to wear, this notion is not true at all. In fact, safety clothing can be quite stylish and also very comfortable. Moreover, it will also keep you protected from all the mishaps that could occur while you are working with heavy machinery. Using proper safety clothing will ensure that your job of handling heavy machinery becomes more secure.

Everyday, there are a number of accidents that occur at the work place. Many of them are eye injuries. The fact of the matter is that these accidents can be avoided easily. These accidents occur due to human foolishness and lack of appropriate training. It is very imperative for the workers to wear safety glasses when working in designated hazardous areas.

The common work place where eye injuries are caused is in industrial work settings. Eye injury can be caused in any field but an industrial area is one of the most common places.

Chemicals splashing, flying particles and sparks striking the eye are some of the reasons why an eye injury is caused. According to a survey, carpenters, machinists and mechanics are the people who are more prone to eye injuries. It is estimated that forty percent of the total eye injuries are caused to people in this profession.

Eye accidents are due to two reasons. No eye protection was worn when the accident occurred. The wrong type of eye protection was worn, this means that the eyes were neither fully covered nor had any side shields.

Workers should be provided with the required education and training and they need to follow the rules to avoid serious injury to the eye or even a loss of an eye.

The correct work wear is not only essential to provide workers with ease and comfort but also to ensure their safety at the jobsite, especially in the building and construction industries. One of the most used safety clothing is high visibility clothing. As the name suggests, this type of clothing ensures that workers are visible to people, especially during the night or bad light conditions.

The purpose of high visibility clothing
Many construction jobs like road work take place in the night to avoid traffic disruption. But this does not mean that roads are completely clear of traffic. There are vehicles still driving on the road. For this very purpose, construction workers need some kind of protective measures while working at night. This is where high visibility clothing is extremely useful. This kind of safety clothing reflects the light of oncoming vehicles, so that the wearer can be seen.

Types of high visibility clothing
High visibility clothing is available as trousers, jackets, bodywarmer vests, shorts and even as a type of polo t-shirts. These are all made out from bright coloured materials and have reflective strips around the torso and limb areas. This is to ensure that light reflects off the safety clothing and drivers can see the workers at all times.

High visibility clothing is a very important type of safety clothing that is needed for building and construction jobs. This reduces the possibility of accidents occurring.  

If your premises are subjected to building work, you are required to take account of the building regulations. This also includes when the building is extended, materially altered or if it is subjected to any relevant change. The building regulations also include the way in which the access, fire safety, structural stability, energy efficiency and ventilation are designed.

You should always provide early warnings of fire and other means for escaping in case of emergency. Also, people should be informed about the fire safety measures which can eventually help them to escape properly.  

If you are an employer, it is your responsibility to educate workers about the necessary fire safety measures that need to be taken. Information like smoke detection, sprinklers, fire doors, safety workwear and safety clothing should also be provided to them.   

To avoid accidents at construction sites, builders should consider the following factors:

•    Identify the possible dangers and carry out risk assessments.
•    A construction site must have proper safety precautions to deal with all types of risks.
•    Must ensure that employees come dressed in proper work wear.

Usually, many accidents occur at construction places out; some are minor but a few are fatal. Having proper safety at a construction site provides peace of mind to employees and employers. By having proper safety measures and wearing safety clothing, the numbers of accidents at the workplace can be greatly reduced.   

After a recent court verdict was passed in favour of the injured worker, where the building authority was held responsible for the accidents in the construction site, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has once again urged construction companies to comply with the existing safety rules and provide proper safety gear to the workers.

The verdict was passed in two cases which took place in 2006 where the authorities were fined £80,000 along with £10,000 as costs, and £25,000 along with £10,000 as costs respectively. Laing O'Rourke Construction South Ltd based in Dartford and Durable Contracts Ltd from Belvedere in Kent, are the companies that have been fined.

The worst part is that both of the accidents could have been avoided if the authorities took care to employ the necessary safety measures and provide the workers with proper safety gear. As a result of this verdict both the construction companies have lost their reputation and hindered their prestige.

The government authorities are now especially careful that such cases do not go unnoticed. So if you want your company to be successful then make sure that you provide the right safety gear for your employees. Proper safety gear keeps your employees as well as the company’s reputation secure. So make a small investment in safety gear and reap great returns.

One of the most dangerous working areas to work at is at a construction site. Because of the type of work done there, construction workers face a high chance of getting injured and are prone to accidents, some of which could prove fatal.

Although, construction workers are required by government regulations and laws to wear safety clothing and safety footwear, there are chances of accidents occurring. Following the below guidelines could help in maintaining safety and preventing any unfortunate incidents at the construction site.

Safety around electrical equipment
It is essential that all construction workers know all the dangerous areas at the work site and maintain caution while working. Since the chances of getting an electric shock are pretty high, precautionary measures should be followed to prevent it. The wiring at the construction site should not be strung haphazardly and care should be taken to not allow puddles to form.

Proper lighting
While working in a closed area at nights or other places where there is an insufficient amount of natural light, it is crucial to have proper lighting equipment. Most times, accidents occur at night because of insufficient lighting at the construction site. Proper lighting can include barricade lights, floodlights etc.

Scaling equipment
It is important to check ladders and other scaling equipment used at the construction site for defects or missing rungs. If any fault is found, it should be either replaced or repaired immediately.

Heavy machinery and tools may be used for a number of different reasons like constructing a road, on a building site, or when renovating a home. However, you should not always completely rely on other people to look after your safety.  Protective clothing can also help you to avoid an accident or injury. Because of this protective clothing is a must when you work at places that include some kind of possible danger. This type of work wear should not be avoided or compromised at any time.

When operating heavy machinery, it is advisable to wear snug fitting sturdy clothes, rather than loose fitting clothes. Loose-fitting jackets, neckties, scarves and jewellery must be avoided as they are a hazard the can get caught in machinery.

Some types of heavy machinery can transmit vibrations that could lead to white finger disease. This is also referred to as “carpal tunnel syndrome”. This problem reduces the ability of hands and causes a burning and a numb sensation. Hence, it is imperative for users to wear a heavy duty, non slip type of glove while operating these types of machines.

Another important aspect that needs to be considered is footwear. People should wear sturdy boots that have non-slip soles and also steel-toed boots when operating heavy machinery. It is also equally important in some instances to wear protective glasses to minimise the risk of damaging your eyes. A hard hat or a safety helmet can also be important while operating on heavy machines.

Your employer should conduct risk assessments for all dangerous activities and should recommend what type of safety clothing should be worn in which instance.