Construction work is fast-paced, varied, and continuously evolving — making it especially challenging to ensure the health and safety of workers. Those on construction sites face numerous hazards that can lead to injuries, illnesses, disabilities, or even fatalities.
Risk Factors in Construction
Exposure to physical health hazards such as extreme temperatures, loud noise, toxic substances, chemicals, repetitive motions, and radiation is among the most common risks on a construction site. However, several other factors also contribute to workplace injuries and illnesses, including:
- Constantly changing jobsite environments
- Poor communication, coordination, and cooperation among contractors
- Shortage of skilled workers and high employee turnover
- Overlapping work activities occurring simultaneously
- Subcontractors failing to fulfill contract responsibilities
- Incidents of physical violence on the jobsite