The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) is the country’s defining and most prominent agency for jobsite safety, including for construction sites here in Georgia. If a construction company wants to operate without the risk of being fined heavily by OSHA, then it needs to ensure its construction sites are safe and up-to-code.
How OSHA decides construction site safety requirements is an intricate, ever-changing process. The agency is constantly looking for ways to improve and refine those requirements in an effort to protect more workers from avoidable construction accidents. As such, listing every single construction site safety requirement is impractical. What we can do is list a few things OSHA tends to look for when its inspectors visit a construction site.
7 Georgia Construction Site Safety Requirements OSHA Often Inspects
Disinfection Procedures
Keeping certain worksites disinfected used to mostly be a big concern for the food industry. But with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, disinfection procedures and sanitization methods can be just as important in the construction industry.
Electrical Equipment
Electrocutions are among OSHA’s Fatal Four, which are the four most common construction site hazards that result in a fatality. Checking all electrical equipment and projects is, therefore, a major priority for OSHA.
Fall Protection Equipment
Falls from heights are another OSHA Fatal Four hazard. Construction sites need to have plenty of equipment available to protect workers from falls, like harnesses to be used whenever a worker is ascending or climbing.
First Aid Checklist
The first aid kit on a construction site is one of the most important pieces of safety equipment there. Not only should first aid kits be fully stocked at all times, but there should also be instructions about how to respond to certain emergencies and how to use specialized equipment in the kit.
PPE
Personal protective equipment or PPE must be required on construction sites based on the potential hazards that exist there. PPE can be a hardhat, goggles, earplugs, orange vest, etc. If a construction company does not provide workers with the necessary PPE, then it must at least ensure that workers on the site have provided their own, which is often the case for construction workers who are independent contractors.
Scaffolding
Proper construction of scaffolding around a construction site is crucial for preventing serious accidents like falls off the scaffolding or collapsing scaffolding. Ladder safety is also a concern for OSHA inspectors.
Welding Equipment
When a construction worker must work with a welder, soldering iron, or another piece of heated equipment, proper safety protocols must be followed to ensure that there is no fire or burn risk.
Accidents When Construction Safety Regulations Aren’t Followed
Were you in a construction accident in Atlanta that you believe was caused by a lack of safety regulation enforcement on the jobsite? You might be eligible for filing an injury claim against the construction company, especially if you were an independent contractor without workers’ compensation coverage. Goldstein Hayes & Lina, LLC and our attorneys can help you figure out your options and what to do next. Contact us online or dial (888) 425-6070 for more information or to schedule a free consultation.