At Fastbuild Supplies, we understand the vital importance and on-site injury prevention for both employees and employers.
A report conducted by HSE UK, concluded that in 2020/21 1.7 million UK workers, across all industries and sectors, suffered from work-related ill-health (new or long-standing), with 850,000 workers suffering from a new case of work-related ill health.
They also reported around 13,000 deaths each year, primarily caused by long term exposure to toxic chemicals and dust.
So how can we as employers and employees reduce the risk of workplace injuries and illness?
Conduct A Risk Assessment
You'll find risk assessments at the centre of all successful health and safety policies. That's because, when carried out properly, risk assessments can help companies turn sites rampant with hazards into safe workplace environments.
It's also a legal requirement for employers and self-employed contractors to carry out risk assessments before beginning work that could present a health or safety risk.
A good risk assessment will protect employees, contractors and the public from harm. It should:
- Identify the hazards
- Decide who might be hurt and how
- Evaluate the risks and how to prevent them
- Record your findings
- Review the assessment before taking action
How PPE Saves Lives
Wearing the appropriate PPE when on-site can be the difference between life and death. Although PPE shouldn't be the sole protection for workers, it still plays a vital part when accidents inevitably happen.
In 2022, the UK Government amended the 1992 Protective Equipment at Work Regulations to extend the responsibility and duties of both employees and employers to a broader group of workers amidst the pandemic. The latest details are available on legislation.gov.uk.
To protect yourself and those working with you, browse our full range of on-site PPE.
Alternatively, if you are unsure on exactly what you and your team may require you, you can follow our Complete Construction PPE Checklist.
Why is Health and Safety Training Important?
Preventing accidents and illnesses caused by work-related mistakes should be a priority for every individual within a company, from the apprentice to the site manager.
However, human error is inevitable, and people make mistakes. Over 200 people are killed each year in accidents at work, and over one million people are injured. Over two million suffer illnesses caused by or made worse by their work.
By providing successful health and safety training, you can:
- Reduce insurance premiums
- Boost your business’ reputation
- Increase productivity
- Reduce rates of absent workers
- Ensure legal protection against damages
Health and safety training is essential because it can unite employers and employees in the pursuit of a common goal – to create a safe and secure workplace that ensures the safety and success of everyone involved.
The benefits of a robust health and safety policy far outweigh the cost of maintaining it. To that end, health and safety training should never be seen as a barrier to success or considered as an after-thought, but rather as a practical and logical step to ensure ethical and productive business standards.
Maintaining Your Construction Equipment
While you can't necessarily foresee every circumstance, you should minimise the risks of accidents, and maintenance is a significant part of that.
The more regularly your equipment is inspected and tuned, the less likely it is to falter. Regular good maintenance includes many tasks, such as:
- Repairing
- Replacing
- Servicing
- Inspecting
- Testing
Within construction sites, there are two types of maintenance to consider.
The first is routine or preventative maintenance, which is planned and includes scheduled inspections, repairs and replacement to make sure everything continues to work.
We have a range of tool replacement parts and accessories to ensure your machines work efficiently.
The second is corrective maintenance, which is needed when things unexpectedly go wrong or breakdowns occur. This requires reactive, unpremeditated action to get something in working order once more.
However, sometimes equipment needs replacing; keeping up to date with the best and safest equipment options will help prevent equipment-related injuries. Fastbuild Supplies stocks a wide range of building and decorating tools to ensure you’re always fully kitted out.
Fall Protection
It's no secret that falls from a height are one of the leading causes of workplace fatalities in the UK – recent statistics from HSE cite falls from roof edges, ladders, scaffolding, and other raised platforms accounting for 60% of all workplace deaths.
Fall protection is an integral part of protecting lives when working at a height. So what can we do to minimise the risk of falling at work?
Assess the risks of working at height and take the necessary measures to avoid accidents by following these steps:
Plan ahead
Have all the safety equipment ready. For instance, on a roofing job, you would need fall protection suitable for that type of work, such as a personal fall arrest system.
Provide suitable equipment for each job
You should provide the correct equipment for each specific job you are completing. Do not use one-size-fits-all as a safety approach while working from heights. Having modifiable equipment can help prevent injuries.
Sufficient employee training
Fastbuild Supplies can offer you a wide range of health and safety equipment to protect you and your workers from the throng of injury and accident risks.
The Fastbuild team are here to answer any of your queries and direct you to the best products for your needs.
