Spotting hazards before they happen

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You’ve probably got a pretty good hazard management plan in place, but does it actually cover the less obvious signs? From miscommunication to trying to get the job done as fast as possible, here are some things to look out for to prevent any incidents.

Rushing to finish

Even if you’re the most skilled tradie on your team, rushing to finish the job isn’t a good idea, especially when there are risks involved. Ensure you’re taking the right safety precautions, no matter how soon the job needs to be done – it’s better to be finished a day late than injure yourself or others.

Communication breakdown

There can be a lot of barriers to communication on the job site – someone’s got their ear muffs on, someone’s on the phone, or someone’s in the portaloo. If you’ve got an issue that the team needs to know about, make sure everyone is around and not distracted. It only takes one person to not quite understand and you’ve got an injury on your hands.

Not sticking to the plan

You might think that you have a better and more efficient way to get the job done, but the original plan of action is there for a reason. There could be consequences if you deviate from the plan and try to do it your own way, even if you tell other people what you’re going to do. Better to be safe than sorry and avoid any potential injuries.

Improper equipment use

If someone doesn’t 100% know their way around any equipment they’re using, that’s an accident waiting to happen. Make sure that everyone on your team knows exactly how to use any equipment safely and properly. Even if they’ve used it many times, there might be some shortcuts being taken so be sure to stamp these out ASAP to avoid an incident.

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