Behind Buildings: The Common Struggles of Construction Workers

No matter where you go, you can see how construction impacts the lives of people. The environment that we all live in nowadays is a constructed one. From the roads that you’re walking or driving on, the office you work in, the house you live in, the hospitals, almost every piece of structure that you see, or go into is a by-product of construction.

However, the impact of the construction industry does not only go into the erection of buildings. Most often than not, what we don’t see are the people behind the buildings-- the construction workers. The truth is, construction sites are a health and safety nightmare for the workers. Aside from the conceivable hazards within a construction site, construction workers face common struggles that we know nothing of. That’s why we compiled them in this article to give you insight into what they experience.

Worker and third-party injuries

No matter how hard construction companies strive to create safe working conditions for the workers, construction sites are just full of potential and unforeseen hazards.

Worker and third-party injuries are the most common problem that construction workers face. In construction, even the most seasoned workers are susceptible to on-site injuries and accidents. Every day they have to work to finish a project, they put their lives at risk. Moreover, having clients visit work areas also creates an unusually large risk since they are not familiar with the several safety protocols that people should follow in the construction site.

No matter how hard you strive to create safe working conditions, construction sites are full of potential hazards everywhere you go. Thus, all construction businesses must carry general liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance to protect clients and workers' injuries.

Faulty work and missed deadlines

Projects that are structurally unsound, not up to code, or have other defects such as cracks, problems with climate control systems, and molds can make a construction company liable.

To ensure the project is smooth and doesn’t have any defects, it is up to the construction workers to accomplish this. Compliance with building regulations and codes should be at the top of the priority list of any construction risk management strategies. It will protect not only the workers but also the name of the construction company.

Missed deadlines do create not only headaches but also legal problems for construction companies. There's always a contract signed between the contractor and the building owner that states the agreed schedule of completion. Workers must make sure that they finish a project on time or get bombarded with legal lawsuits.

Equipment damage

Most construction businesses depend on heavy machinery, building materials, and tools. Without any of these, there won’t even be a construction company in the first place. Any damage to the equipment can quickly derail a project. Workers must be able to use, store properly, and maintain construction equipment to prevent damage. Even if it’s a piece of construction equipment or machine that's unused all the time, workers should still preserve it. You’ll never know when it’ll suddenly break during the job, potentially causing severe injuries to the workers using it.

Not only will there be injuries, but the construction company is also going to sustain some financial loss, and it was all because of the lack of maintenance done by the workers. There’s also a big chance that the company will fire the worker who caused the unfortunate incident.

Seasonal slowdowns

Snow, freezing temperatures and heavy rain all routinely affect any outdoor building job. When the weather is terrible, it is risky for the construction workers to continue working on an outdoor project. Unfortunately, most construction jobs follow the “no work, no pay” policy, and being unable to work on bad weather makes the workers lose money that they can earn for that day. What workers can do during bad seasons is to seek out indoor construction jobs until the weather improves.

Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome

It is not only the day to day problems that construction workers have to face. Even after they have resigned or retired years later, some issues like illnesses can occur. One ailment that commonly plagues construction workers is the hand-arm vibration syndrome or “blue finger.” This illness is a painful, debilitating industrial disease of the blood vessels, joints, and nerves. It is a result of the prolonged use of vibratory power tools and ground working equipment. This disease has been frequently cited in compensation claim cases by ex-construction workers who worked for years with little or no protection and inappropriate and poorly maintained equipment.

Airborne Fibers & Materials – Respiratory Diseases

Construction sites are always full of activity. Many specks of dust get kicked around, and often, they are invisible, fine, and toxic mixture of hazardous materials and fibers that are dangerous to the lungs. This problem often leads to diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary, asthma, and silicosis. It’s the main reason why most construction workers always have a mask with them whenever they work in a dusty environment. Even with the mask on, it’s still going to make it harder for them to breathe.

Conclusion

All jobs are associated with some risks, and the construction industry has a lot of them. After all, construction jobs often involve working at height, handling rough, heavy materials and dangerous machinery, and even inhaling dust. They’re also prone to suffering injuries due to vibrating tools and experiencing hearing loss because of the loud noises. So if you’re running a construction company, make sure that your workers are well-cared for in all aspects of the construction project. Caring for the workers in a construction company includes giving them adequate training and instruction, providing them with the best personal protective equipment, and having insurance and workman's compensation.

You might have found this article informative and engaging to read. Are you still interested to learn more about the construction industry? For more informative blogs about the construction industry, you can read more at https://www.accessdoorsandpanels.com/blog