As you navigate your way around a scaffold, you may not expect your coworkers to be a source of serious injuries. Whether you are walking along a platform or working near an open area, you should make sure to learn about how other workers can cause accidents.
Part of this involves noticing the habits or actions that your coworkers may take that can place you in danger.
Throwing items
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, falling tools and debris can leave a person with serious injuries such as spinal cord and head trauma. If your coworkers try to pass tools around by throwing them or sliding them where you walk, this can lead to you slipping and falling.
Failing to secure equipment or build correctly
If your coworkers tend to leave large items around without securing them or placing them back in their proper space, these items could leave you with a head injury if they land on you while you work below. They could also leave the entire scaffold at risk of collapsing.
Collapses can happen when scaffolds do not have a competent person check for issues before the actual work begins. OSHA requires this person to look for certain hazards or potential problems.
Ignoring you
When your coworkers fail to see or notice you, they could make decisions that put you in danger. This kind of negligence can happen when they are too busy talking to other people or listening to music.
When you are trying to work on a construction site, taking the time to learn about how other workers endanger your health and safety is key.