5 Super-Important Safety Materials to Keep On a Job Site

Workplace injuries are unfortunately much more common than most employers would like to see. In 2020 alone, there were around 2.7 million reported injuries in the workplace. That is a lot of potential trips to the emergency room and worker’s compensation claims.

While some injuries do stem from pure, freak accidents, far too many fall into the avoidable category. One common cause for workplace injuries is a lot of the proper safety materials on hand.

If you’re concerned about worker safety on your job site, keep reading. We’ll cover five essential safety materials that you should always keep on hand.

1. First Aid Kit

The most fundamental of all pieces of safety equipment is a good first aid kit. A first aid kit lets you administer basic medical care right on the job site, which can often make a significant difference in someone’s outcomes later.

Get a first aid kit from a top safety equipment company and make sure it meets the standards for your work site.

2. Personal Protective Equipment

Personal protective equipment can range from basics like a back brace and goggles to a respirator and bodysuit. The type of gear you keep on the job site will depend on the nature of the site. Construction safety equipment will vary considerably from office safety equipment.

PPE is particularly important your people will deal with material handling of dangerous or toxic chemicals or materials. Consider, for example, removing lead paint or asbestos.

3. Safety Signage

Even experienced workers can walk into a bad situation by mistake. Invest in safety signage. Those signs can alert people of potential dangers. Signage can go well beyond mere wet floor signs.

Let’s say you have someone on-site working on the electrical system? That can mean live, exposed wires. You can get electrical hazard signs that they can put up.

Consider the kinds of hazards you routinely see and get appropriate signage.

4. Data Sheets

Any time you work with chemicals, you almost always get safety data sheets from the manufacturer. Keep those data sheets on-site so that inexperienced workers can reference them. The one minute they spend reviewing the safety information can spare you a much more costly accident.

5. Walkie-Talkies

While cell phones can often serve the same function, not every job site will come with excellent cell reception. You should keep walkie-talkies around so that supervisors can talk with each other or call for assistance if necessary.

Safety Materials and You

Keeping safety materials on hand is always a solid step in the direction of accident reduction, but it’s not enough by itself. Workplace safety is as much about culture as it is about equipment. Your employees need solid training on safety.

Beyond that, though, the workplace culture can’t encourage cutting safety corners in the name of beating deadlines. You must reward safety-related behaviors and punish behaviors that reduce safety on the site.

Looking for more ideas to help you improve overall workplace safety on your job sites. Check out some of the other posts in our Business section.