The Importance of the Safety Net in the Construction Industry

According to the 30 Hour OSHA training courses for the construction industry, workers should always be well-equipped with just the right type of personal protective equipment at any construction site in order to stay safe and create a healthier working environment. Personal protective equipment comes in a number of different varieties ranging from hard hats and steel-toed boots to goggles and safety nets.

In the construction industry, construction projects range from simple single-storied building to mammoth multi-storied skyscrapers that are a haven for potential disasters and hazards. This is especially true for multi-storied building like skyscrapers where it is absolutely necessary to install temporary safety barriers at every floor so as to prevent the occurrence of falls.

The construction safety net is also called the scaffold net or the debris net today. In the construction of tall buildings like skyscrapers, it is very important to install safety nets at each level of the building so as to prevent tools and material and even people from falling to the ground. When tools and materials fall at such heights, they can cause immense damage to property and endanger people that may be walking beneath them. These safety nets or barriers include the toe board. The toe board is a strip of plywood that is generally fastened to the floor surface for edge floor. A sort of fabric is attached to the toe board and other upright supports are also attached. The toe board will prevent small items like nails, etc. from being kicked off a floor, and the net fabric will catch larger items like tools.

The ideal specifications for such safety nets and barriers include:

1.Material: HDPE, PE, PP
2.Color: Green, orange, blue, or black. It can also be customized.
3.Length: 5 meter to 6 meter sheets, or 20-200 meter rolls of sheet.
4.Width: Anywhere from 1.5 meters to 5 meters.
5.Density: Anywhere from 50 to 300 grams per square meters.

OSHA makes it compulsory for all contractors or employers to ensure that their work sites are adequately protected. Workers are ideally meant to be trained in the various safety techniques.

There are many OSHA safety training courses that are specifically meant for construction workers. Some of these courses include the 30 Hour OSHA Training Course for construction workers. This particular course teaches workers to identify, prevent and minimize workplace hazards. Without the OSHA safety training courses, workers will simply remain ignorant about the importance of safety at the workplace and the risks that they are constantly exposed to.

So, if you happen to be a construction project employer, then make sure that your workers are all trained in the OSHA 30 hour courses and explain to workers the importance of these courses. Once your workers are signed up for these courses, they’ll understand the importance of personal protective equipment and the use of safety nets at the construction site. Without this knowledge, your workers will constantly be exposed to risks and dangers at the site.

Lessons you will Learn with the 30 Hour OSHA Training Course

As with everything else connected to OSHA, worker and workplace safety are the most important factors to be dealt with in today’s working environment. There are many OSHA safety courses that range from the 8 hour annual refresher courses to the 24 hour, 40 hour, 10 hour and even 30 hour OSHA training courses.

If you want to get yourself OSHA certified but don’t know just which course to take, then maybe the OSHA 30 hour safety course is just what you need – that is if you happen to be constantly exposed to hazards at the workplace.

Here is what you will learn with the OSHA 30 hour training courses:

1.You will learn that safety is of utmost importance in your work, as it will keep you out of harm’s way and will help you comply with the OSHA standards.
2.You will learn how to avoid the OSHA fines.
3.You will learn the necessary skills to conduct effective safety programs at the workplace.
4.You will learn about the OSHA standards and regulations.
5.You will learn how to stay safe and healthy at the workplace, and how to increase productivity.

The Do’s and Don’ts during a Surprise OSHA Inspection

Everyone’s heard of OSHA and everybody knows the price they have to pay for non-compliance. In spite of this, many of us remain unprepared for a surprise inspection. If you haven’t been visited by OSHA yet, or not recently at least, then you have to watch out.

Here are a few do’s and don’ts when undergoing a surprise OSHA inspection:

1. Firstly, never make the OSHA inspectors wait. This is probably the worst thing you can do as it shows that you are not ready. Nothing that you can do in the last minute will make any difference. So, attend to your inspectors immediately.

2. Always be open and honest with your inspectors. Hiding things away won’t help, as you’ll eventually be caught.

3. Don’t take your employees along with you on an inspection. Your inspector wants to see how things work in your company. Many inspectors use cameras and videotapes during an inspection.

4. Prepare yourself to answer any type of question. Make sure you have all the documents in place, especially those that outline your safety plans.

5. Always encourage your employees to talk to the inspectors. If not, then the inspectors are going to talk to them anyway. Many times, inspectors slip employees their business cards so that they can call them.

6. Never lie to your inspectors. This can anger them.

7. Don’t limit your thinking to standards. Think about all the hazards at your workplace. The inspectors will always check for hazards; not for standard violations.

8. Keep all your training documents in place. Your inspectors will want to look at them. If you have any Hispanic employees working for you, always keep documentation showing that they understood the training properly.

9. Designate a responsible person to meet with the inspectors. Make sure the person is well prepared. The person doesn’t have to be a safety manager.

10. Check out the Field Operations Manual for Inspectors. Although it is for inspectors, you can download it for free online. It can help you prepare for an inspection.