General Safety Tips for Contractors
Equipment
Require hard hats, safety goggles, gloves, earmuffs, earplugs, steel-toe shoes, and high-visibility vests and clothing when appropriate.
Carefully follow written operating instructions when starting up or shutting down equipment.
Require employees to use seat belts.
Equipment
Use carts and skid-steers to reduce the amount of manual heavy lifting.
To prevent falls, use harnesses, guardrails and lifelines when employees are working from an elevated area.
When backing up a commercial vehicle, drivers should always use a spotter or backup camera.
Environment
Before starting an excavation project, be sure to consult a map of all underground hazards and
call 811
or the appropriate local agency.
Do not enter a confined space without supervision, and then only after the atmosphere has been checked. This includes containers, tanks, wells and walk-in freezers.
Safety Culture
Take regular breaks to stay fresh and alert.
Schedule the most difficult and dangerous tasks for when employees’ concentration is at its best, which is usually mid-morning.
Maintain communication, through peer-to-peer reviews, job site safety meetings and a culture that encourages employees to speak up when they see a hazard.