A general contractor faces the risk of injury, even fatal injury, every day on the job. Because so many of them work in trenches, from high locations and with electrical equipment, it’s important to have a comprehensive General Contractor Safety Manual / IIPPavailable. Residential and commercial general contracting jobs each present danger, even on small projects.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, general contractors face one of the most dangerous jobs in terms of fatalities and non-fatal injuries. Each day, more than six million people are at work at construction sites across the country. Tens of thousands of injuries among these workers occur each year, and most of them could have been prevented with the proper use of safety equipment and the appropriate ergonomic training.

Working With Heights

Many contracting projects require a significant amount of work to be done from high locations. Ladders and scaffolding accidents are responsible for about 30,000 injuries each year and almost 100 fatalities among general contractors. To prevent these injuries and deaths, workers need to know specific safety information about working on ladders and how to use scaffolding appropriately.

Workers should know how to conduct a visual inspection of this equipment to ensure that it is safe for use. This includes what contaminants to look for that can cause slips and how to spot broken pieces that could cause problems. Using metal ladders and scaffolding near electrical work must also be addressed by the safety manual to keep general contractors from serious electrical hazards.

Staying Safe From Falls

The largest number of deaths on the job among general contractors comes from falls. How falls happen and how to prevent them should make up a significant part of the General Contractor Safety Manual / IIPP to prevent these problems. Aside from falling from heights, simple falls from stairs and other surfaces can cause serious injuries.

There are many ways of mitigating these dangers, and a well-trained general contractor will be able to judge which methods to use. Installing guardrails, using safety nets and using worker restraints can keep contractors from becoming injured. Being able to judge when a surface may be unsafe for workers is part of General Contractor Safety Manual / IIPP training.The trainingteaches workers when to create a safer working surface and how to tell when an injury could occur. The equipment that should be used, such as toeboards and aerial lifts, should be understood by workers to give them the best chance of avoiding injuries.

Construction Machines

While construction machines like cranes make it possible to do work quickly and efficiently, they can pose safety hazards when they are not used correctly. Cranes are commonly used, and they have caused fatalities when used improperly around power lines or used without concern for the location of other workers. An effective General Contractor Safety Manual / IIPP provides in-depth information about how to use these machines to keep workers safe. How to use these machines safely around electricity and when not to use them at all are important parts of the necessary training.

The Work Environment

The nature of construction work makes the work environment a cluttered and hazardous one. Having excessive building materials around the work areas is common, but workers need to know when this poses a hazard to workers. Falls, cuts and other injuries can occur when workers don’t make an effort to ensure a safe working area for everyone using the workspace. With the right safety manual, contractors can learn what types of materials pose a hazard and how to clear away excess materials safely before an accident occurs

American Occupational Safety & Health Consultant with experience in Operational Risk Management, Insurance Loss Control, Safety Engineering and other safety related disciplines. Writes safety manuals for the construction industry.

American Occupational Safety & Health Consultant with experience in Operational Risk Management, Insurance Loss Control, Safety Engineering and other safety related disciplines. Writes a variety of safety manuals for the construction industry http://www.workplacesafetymanuals.com

Author Bio: American Occupational Safety & Health Consultant with experience in Operational Risk Management, Insurance Loss Control, Safety Engineering and other safety related disciplines. Writes safety manuals for the construction industry.

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Keywords: safety manual, construction safety manual, contractor safety manual, general contractor safety manua