Why Health and Safety in Construction Matters

Being competent in health and safety practices is a massive priority in most sectors, but workplace safety can be a matter of life and death in the construction industry. 

Prioritising health and safety matters in construction are crucial to ensure the well-being of workers, reduce accidents and injuries, and minimise the hazards associated with high-risk construction projects.

Here are some ways to prioritise health and safety in construction:

• • Develop a positive health and safety culture: Construction companies must prioritise safety as a core value and develop a safety culture that emphasises the importance of safety for all workers.

• • Conduct regular safety training: Safety training should be conducted regularly to educate workers about the hazards of construction work and how to avoid them. This can include training on the proper use of equipment, fall protection, hazard communication, and other safety areas.

• • Use appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE): Employers should provide and require appropriate PPE, such as hard hats, safety glasses, gloves, and steel-toed boots.

• • Conduct regular safety inspections: These on-site inspections should identify any hazards and risks before accidents occur.

• • Implement safety protocols: Construction companies should implement safety protocols for specific tasks, such as excavation or working at heights, to protect all workers from hazards.

• • Collaborate with workers: Employers should work closely with workers to identify and mitigate hazards, as workers are often the most familiar with their tasks and the daily risks they face.

• • Ensure compliance with regulations: Employers should comply with all applicable safety regulations and standards, including OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) regulations.

Overall, prioritising health and safety in construction requires employers, workers, and stakeholders to create a safe and healthy work environment to reduce and eliminate any on-site risks.

Protecting your workforce reduces absences and helps make your workplace more efficient and productive. Research has proven that workers are more productive in workplaces that are committed to proactive health and safety practices. Also, reducing downtime caused by accidents or illness means a less disrupted workplace which can save your business money.

Our Commitment to Health and Safety

Our industry-leading on-site safety performance results from a continuous drive to reduce risk through our uncompromising approach to health and safety, which goes above and beyond standard industry requirements. 

Our key industry relationships reflect our collaborative efforts to ensure we deliver high-quality service and safety with all our projects monitored via our health and safety monthly audit. The audit identifies where additional support is needed, mirroring good practice and tracking trends throughout the business.

Furthermore, we are active members of The Scaffold Association, accredited and Gold members of Constructionline with PAS 91 prequalified, and proud members of CHAS and SMAS Worksafe. We are also CITB registered, and our site operatives are 100% CISRS and CSCS card holders.

Retain Limited is a year-on-year winner of the National Federation of Roofing Contractors (NFRC) Gold Award, which is part of its annual Health and Safety in Roofing Awards. We are also affiliated with and an approved member of various risk management and safety partnerships. 

A proactive health and safety management approach has been adopted throughout the Retain Limited group with regular engagement and measurement, routine training and continuous professional development processes.

To learn more about our high-performing health and safety programme and three-in-one contractor services of industrial and commercial roofing, scaffolding, and commercial solar PV, please get in touch with us at 0800 027 2244 or email us here.