1. Use tools with the latest safety technology
Selecting safe tools (that are appropriate for the job at hand) and maintaining them well is one of the easiest ways to reduce accidents on-site. Not only is there less chance of injury, but consistently safe tools also improve productivity, as workers won't have to worry about using faulty or dangerous equipment.
A common injury across the sector is Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS), which occurs when employees are exposed to high levels of vibration - usually from using powerful hand tools over a prolonged period of time. It may seem logical to assume that the best tool to avoid HAVS would have the lowest vibration value, but this isn't the case.
When tool performance is taken into account, workers can often experience less vibration using a tool with a higher vibration value, as the job will be completed quicker. So, the safest tool isn’t always the most obvious one. This is just one example of how carefully selecting safe tools can not only reduce the risk of accidents, but can also improve productivity.
However, curating a selection of safe tools isn’t enough - they must be maintained to an excellent standard too. This can be done by investing in a digitised asset management system that keeps track of tools, so that certifications are up-to-date and both the tool and the person using it can be tracked in case accidents occur.
If a tool does break, it's a good idea to keep spares as a back-up, as well as ensuring the broken tool is fixed quickly with effective fleet management.
By doing this, you'll not only raise employee satisfaction through workers that feel safe and valued, but reduce the risk of accidents significantly.