Construction Jobsite Safety: How Jobsite Heroes Prevent Accidents Before They Happen

Proven Construction Jobsite Safety Solutions That Protect Your Crew

Not all heroes wear capes. Some wear hard hats, steel toe boots and high-vis vests.

Jobsite heroes aren’t defined by superpowers. They rely on the right tools, PPE and knowledge to strengthen construction jobsite safety and prevent accidents before they happen. Whether you’re planning the job, leading the crew or working in the field, the goal is the same: identify risks early and get everyone home safely at the end of the day.

This guide is your utility belt.

1. IDENTIFY AND PREVENT COMMON CONSTRUCTION SITE HAZARDS

Heroes use advanced intel to identify risks and thwart danger before they strike. Understanding common construction site hazards is the first step in preventing serious injuries and fatalities. Be aware of these common OSHA incidents, and get to know how you can avoid them:

• Falls are the number one cause of construction site fatalities according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. OSHA standards require fall protection anytime a construction worker is at least six feet off the ground. Working with a distributor partner that can help you comply with ANSI safety requirements for self-retracting devices (SRD) prevents falls and saves lives.
• Electrical accident prevention starts with reducing exposure to live components and minimizing installation errors. Electrocution remains one of OSHA’s “Fatal Four,” making safer electrical devices and faster installations critical to jobsite safety. Hubbell’s pre-assembled electrical boxes and EdgeConnect screwless termination wiring devices reduce the risk of electrocution by reducing installation time and labor. Screwless termination devices require no tools for installation. The device’s springs apply pressure to keep wires secure, and no exposed screw terminals means less risk of electrocution.
• There are 5-10 Arc flash explosions in the U.S. per day, and arc flash blasts can be fatal within 10 feet. Eaton’s arc flash mitigation solutions can prevent you and your crew from becoming a statistic. Its Arc Flash Reduction Maintenance System (ARMS) reduces arc flash energy by over 60%, giving workers a safer environment when interacting with live panels. The ARMS is built into any Eaton panelboard, switchboard or switchgear with an electronic trip unit.

2. REDUCE JOBSITE SAFETY RISKS WITH SMARTER WIRE AND CABLE PULLING TOOLS

Batarangs. Web shooters. Mythical hammers. Even superheroes rely on tools to keep everyone safe. The easiest jobsite hazards to avoid are the ones you never introduce in the first place. Using these wire pulling tools can dramatically reduce injury risks for your entire team:

Battery-Operated Cable Strippers:  A National Institute of Health study found that knife-related injuries happened an average of 1,190 times per day in the United States. Stripping cable with a knife introduces unnecessary jobsite hazards. Battery operated cable strippers eliminate exposed blades, reduce hand injuries, and deliver consistent results that improve overall construction jobsite safety. Battery-operated cable strippers eliminate blades, prevent cuts and strip wire to a concise measurement. They’re faster, more consistent and safer for crews.

Pre-Installed Wire Pulling Heads:  Ordering pre-installed wire pulling heads is an even easier way to remove knives from the jobsite. It eliminates the need to strip wire and create pulling heads in the field. Pre-installed pulling heads reduce the risk of hand lacerations and save significant time versus creating pulling heads in the field. The pulling heads are under warranty, so if a pulling head fails, Southwire will pay you for the replacement wire and the labor of pulling the wire out and back in.

Circuit Wire Management:  No pulling head? No problem. Southwire’s GRIPit™ tool is a reusable pulling head for circuit wire. You can attach up to seven wires and connect it to fish tape, string or rope without using a knife to make a wire pulling head in the field.

Southwire’s GUIDEit™ circuit router makes wire pulls safer by preventing scraped knuckles and reducing fatigue when pulling wire through conduit.

Southwire Trigger® Safety System:  A lot can go wrong in the time it takes you to radio or yell for someone to stop a wire pull. Southwire Triggers are a wireless safety switch system that allow you to control the tugger from the feed end, the tugger end, a pull-through box or any other risk areas. They work with any wire tugger, so they’re a perfect safety addition for any jobsite.

3-in-1 Universal Cable Tray Fitting:  B-Line's universal fitting makes jobsites safer by cutting down on cutting, grinding and drilling that can cause hand injuries. You can use one fitting instead of carrying separate elbows, tees and crosses. Because it’s field-adjustable on site, electricians use fewer power tools and spend less time working at height. One fitting also means less lifting, fewer ladder climbs and less fatigue. That reduces the chance of falls or accidents.

3. IMPROVE CONSTRUCTION JOBSITE SAFETY WITH PROPER TEMPORARY LIGHTING

Bringing light to the darkness isn’t just a metaphorical mantra for jobsite heroes. Poor visibility increases the likelihood of trips, falls and electrical incidents. The right temporary construction lighting helps crews spot hazards early and work safely in low light conditions. Different types of LED temporary construction lighting have their pros and cons. Choosing the right one reduces trip hazards, improves visibility and helps crews work more efficiently in low light conditions.

Before you get to the jobsite, ask yourself, "Which type of temp lighting works best for my application?":

4. CLEAR THE CHAOS BEFORE IT CAUSES ACCIDENTS

Like superheroes cleaning up the streets, jobsite heroes know that a clean jobsite is a safer jobsite. Maintaining a clean site sets a standard for others to follow. Removing any waste and excess clutter near work areas can prevent slips, trips and falls. Using services and solutions like these can reduce jobsite clutter:

• Order Staging lighting and switchgear materials until you need them on the jobsite reduces clutter and protects equipment from being damaged by the elements. Van Meter offers staging services in its warehouse space, so you can quickly access the materials you need when you need them while maintaining safe workspaces on your jobsite.
• Lighting Carts can keep jobsites from getting messy instead of letting fixtures, drivers, cans and trims (plus the boxes they come in) cause clutter. Instead of loading boxes onto pallets, the light fixtures can be stored and delivered in lighting carts. Lighting carts have heavy-duty caster wheels and adjustable shelving that make it easy to transport a variety of fixture types across locations while protecting them from damage.
• Southwire’s SIMpull Reel  combines multiple wire runs onto one reel to reduce the amount of spools and heavy equipment needed on the jobsite. It doesn’t require jackstands, and one person can safely maneuver it into position once it’s time to pull wire through conduit.

5. USE THE RIGHT PPE FOR CONSTRUCTION WORKERS TO IMPROVE SAFETY AND FOCUS

While it’s not a mask and cape, jobsite heroes must have the right gear to defend against safety risks. Your team performs at its safest when it’s not distracted by discomfort.

Dressing for the season and situation can help workers focus on tasks and protect them from electrical hazards.

• Using 3M safety solutions and PPE for construction workers, including eye protection, gloves, hearing protection and electrical safety gear, helps reduce everyday risks and supports long term construction jobsite safety.
• In the winter, a heated vest and gloves can keep workers warm when working outdoors and pulling wire in the cold.
• For summer safety, a cooling wrap, bandana or vest can defend against heat related illnesses.

6. INVEST IN SAFETY TRAINING TO PREVENT JOBSITE ACCIDENTS

Sometimes being a hero means arming others with the knowledge they need to stay safe. Registering for training courses on National Electrical Code, medium voltage terminations or arc flash safety is an investment in safety.

Learning how to properly use wire pulling tools with personalized instruction is another way to improve safety. You can get hands-on experience with feeder cable and circuit wire solutions in a closed environment when you schedule a visit to one of Van Meter’s Wire Innovation Centers.

LEAD WITH SAFETY

Jobsite heroes don’t wait for close calls to take construction jobsite safety seriously. Teams can reduce risk before work begins by addressing common construction site hazards, investing in proper PPE and prioritizing electrical accident prevention.

Audit your tools. Improve visibility. Remove risk before work begins. When safety is built into every decision, everyone makes it home at the end of the day.

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