Construction is one of the most dangerous professions across the world, with workers facing many risks and hazard during their everyday routines.

Due to the dangerous nature of many construction-related tasks, it is important for employers in this field to ensure they take out adequate workers’ compensation insurance before starting any projects.

However, minimising the risks of injuries and accidents is a more efficient and preferred method of reducing the financial burden caused by these incidents.

To effectively mitigate the risk of injury within your construction workforce, it is important to understand the most common hazards present on your site.

Identifying these dangers will involve enacting a comprehensive risk management plan, taking into account occupational health and safety standards, as well as those hazards identified by your employees.

Typical risks found on construction sites include:

Falling from heights – Construction work often involves erecting scaffolding, working on ladders and performing tasks on roofs and platforms. Workers in these situations face the risk of injuries caused by a fall from a height. This hazard is one of the most common causes of workplace injury within the construction industry.

Falling objects – When an employee is handling tools and materials while working above a certain height, the workers passing below these individuals are at risk of being injured by an accidentally dropped item. Numerous head injuries can be sustained this way on work sites if traffic routinely moves underneath scaffolding, ladders or raised platforms.

Asbestos – Construction personnel are working in one of the professions most at risk of coming into contact with asbestos in Australia. It is important that all staff on your site understand how to identify and deal with asbestos. This includes reporting any asbestos discovered so safe removal practices can be carried out by trained professionals.