Best Practices On Construction Safety Plan Development
Companies in the construction industry are especially expected to make an extra effort and additional investment in the proper and effective management of safety risks in the workplace. The building site is considered one of the highest at risk when it comes to work-related accidents, although more focused policies from the government and initiatives from the sector have significantly reduced the previously high number of constructions workers who get ill, are injured and die every year while on the job.
One of the tools that have helped construction companies manage safety risks effectively is the Construction Safety Plan, an essential document that serves as reference on the management of risks onsite. Given the technical and legal challenges of developing such a comprehensive document, companies are advised to consider the following best practices that will help them save time and money and ensure that they will produce a safety plan that is highly useful and legally compliant.
Be clear about your company standards. While there are standard regulations and guidelines for the industry, every project is unique and every company has its own principles, processes and systems depending on their requirements and objectives. Before you begin drafting your safety plan, it is important that you have already identified and established the safety standards of your organisation. This will inform the safety strategies you will undertake and will serve as a guide as you establish your risk management systems.
Get help from safety document experts. Developing a safety plan is time-consuming and labour-intensive. If you’re not familiar with and updated on legal requirements, there might be a risk of not being able to comply with legislative standards. Paying for the services of a consultant can call for hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in fees; on the other hand, simply downloading templates from an online provider won’t give you the technical content you seek. The practical option is to go for the middle ground: Seek a reputable source offering professionally written safety management plans that are designed to be easily customisable so you can edit or fill in specific information, ensuring you come up with a document aligned to your unique requirements.