Working in Publicly accessible Areas

At times working in areas accessible to the public may be unavoidable. Those in charge of construction worksites must obviously take precautions to keep their workers and members of the public safe. Specific laws for these sites may vary from one place to another, so if you’re involved with a project, make sure you determine what regulations apply in your area. 

Unauthorized People at Worksite

The best way to keep people passing by a construction site safe is to physically keep them out of harm’s way. Setting up boundaries using fences is the best way to keep unauthorized people out of danger. Signs should be posted on these boundaries warning people not to enter the construction area. These measures can keep pedestrians from getting too close to work activities and they can also deter people who might be curious about the project from entering the space after work hours. In some cases, posting signs will not be enough of a deterrent, and the only thing that will work is a person standing guard making sure the public doesn't enter while work is being done.

Falling Objects

When an object falls from many stories up in the air, it can be very dangerous regardless of its size. Even something as light as a measuring tape can kill if falling from heights. Because falling objects pose serious hazards, many safeguards need to be in place to protect people walking at the base of a project. Workers wear hardhats, but pedestrians don’t.

The most common methods for protecting the public from falling objects include sidewalk sheds, netting and chutes. Sidewalk sheds are durable structures built around walkways. Netting is used higher up to catch anything that might fall. Chutes are used when waste materials need to be moved from higher stories to ground level; they allow workers to toss materials without worrying anyone will be hit by them.

Vehicles

The accident involving the student and the dump truck at Ohio State University demonstrates the dangers of having construction vehicles entering and exiting a construction site in high-traffic areas. In that case, investigators believed the bicycle was in the driver’s blind spot, so he couldn’t see it.

At any construction worksite that creates unusual traffic patterns, people could get confused or end up in the path of traffic. To prevent accidents, signs can be posted directing pedestrians and other vehicles. Barricades, like removable or permanent bollards, can also be put up if people should avoid an area of high traffic altogether. During busy times, it might also be a good idea to use a flag person to direct pedestrians and other vehicles. Always use a flag person when a vehicle is backing up into a public area.

Dangerous Materials

Construction sites are often full of dangerous materials such as sharp objects, building materials that require the use of PPE (such as cement) and heavy objects. Putting up barriers around the site should keep people away from most of these hazards, but you should still make sure these things aren’t stored out in the open or too close to the site’s edges. If any dangerous materials are thrown away at the end of the day, make sure they’re placed in dumpsters and that those dumpsters are closed.

Slip, Trip and Fall Hazards

Accidental slips trips and falls are are major concern on any worksite, but even more so when the public is involved. Changes in the normal pathways can cause people to trip and fall, though, especially if the walking surfaces are uneven. At some sites, contractors will need to build special temporary walkways for pedestrians, so when these paths are constructed workers should ensure they are even.

Openings and Holes

Any holes near the worksite should be fenced in or otherwise guarded so no one accidentally steps in the wrong place. Any excavations and trenches must also be properly protected so no one falls in and so that the ground nearby doesn’t become unstable.

Dust

Finally, dust is a common hazard near construction sites. While you can have your workers wear respirators to keep them safe, you can’t exactly put a respirator on every passing pedestrian when the site gets dusty.

Water is generally used at construction sites to minimize dust, so set up a system for spraying down dusty parts of the site if this will be a problem at your location.

Plan for People

The takeaway from all of this? If you have a construction site, you need to plan for both the safety of your workers and the safety of the public. Your workers have been trained about how to stay safe at your site, but passersby have not, so you need to make sure you use all the safeguards at your disposal to keep them from being involved in an accident.