Prepare Yourself For The Job With Construction Safety Supplies

Going bare headed and handed and with your ears exposed into a construction site is not wise. Hazards are all over, from falling objects, flying particles, steep drops, noise and sharp surfaces. All workers and supervisors on such a site must come prepared with the appropriate construction safety supplies. Although specific items may vary with location and working conditions, construction safety supplies guard against common injuries.

Hard hats, made out of high-density polyethylene or aluminum, are required on nearly every construction site. Falling objects of all sizes are ubiquitous, and even a small object falling from a high place can cause an injury to the top of side of a head. Not all hard hats are the same, however, and all are graded by the amount of electrical protection offered.

Similarly, work boots must also guard against falling or rolling objects and have electrical protection. As each site has a different set hazards, work boots must provide the right amount of protection. In some cases, the boots will need a steel toe or metatarsal guard, while, in others, they must offer electrical protection, chemical resistance, or slip resistance.

While hard hats and steel toe boots protect parts of your body from large falling objects, safety glasses and goggles guard against the small ones - dust particles, woodchips, and chemical splashes. Work environments ranging from food processing plants and labs to outdoor construction sites need safety glasses or goggles, and as face and side shields are possible add-ons for these safety supplies, make sure you have the right amount of protection for the job.

Although most construction supplies offer protection from falling objects of all sizes, work gloves address varying surfaces and sharp hazards. Abrasive surfaces, chemical splashes, and sharp objects can all cause hand injuries, ranging from abrasions to lacerations and punctures. Work gloves, made out of leather, knit, butyl, or PVC, protect the front and back of the hands from such hazards.

Last but not least, hearing must also be addressed by construction safety supplies. With large equipment and power tools constantly in use, a construction site is filled with noise, never letting up until everyone goes home. Because this constant stream of noise can damage a worker's hearing, everyone should arrive at the job with hearing protection, such as ear plugs or muffs. The plugs or muffs, however, should only block out a portion of the sound and allow the worker to hear information and directions from coworkers and supervisors.

Essential Industrial Supplies For Bridge and Road Construction Workers

While the economy may still be in recession, there are still many roadway and bridge construction projects being approved. In strong part due to stimulus money, firms are getting awarded many construction jobs through the federal and state governments. To ensure safe work sites for both the benefit of every worker and for compliance to safety guidelines and laws, specifically designed industrial equipment is the key to outfitting workers with the right PPE to do their jobs safely.

Along with general industrial workplace safety threats, road and bridge construction sites have their own set of hazards. Utilizing the right type of industrial supplies to address and mitigate each hazard will lead to safe work sites and compliance with industry best practices.

Let's take a look at a number of industry hazards and identify what industrial supplies can be applied to reduce risks and the potential for injuries and lost time.

Hazard Identification And Prevention
Construction crews on roadways and bridges face a good number of unique and general hazards. Matching industrial equipment and personal protective equipment to every hazard will create a safe work environment.
Flame and fire risks are not typically associated with road and bridge work, but they are still present. Gasoline and diesel fuel are used in abundance to power construction vehicles, power tools, and generators. Solvents and resins are also highly combustible and widely used. With flammable materials in the presence of hot work, flash fires are a work site hazard. Industrial supplies, including industrial apparel made from flame resistant materials, can reduce intense heat hazards. These materials will not melt to a worker's skin when exposed to intense heat and are also self-extinguishing.

High elevation work on bridges and even near utility and pipe trenches creates falling hazards. Fall arrest systems and lanyards are vital to preventing falling injuries and deaths. Tying off to a structural support with fall protection industrial equipment can save lives on the job. In the same vein, falling tools or materials can cause problems for workers below. Industrial equipment such as hardhats and face shields are vital to preventing injury.

After many workers from our previous generation retired, they realized they had suffered significant hearing loss. Construction job sites can cause two types of hearing loss. Loud noises that cause actual pain will produce instant hearing loss and even elevated noise levels will cause long-term hearing loss over the course of a workday. Hearing protection is the best way to save one's sense of hearing for each day and over an entire career. Whether it is earplugs or earmuffs, hearing protection is vital for occupational health.

Industrial Apparel

Construction work is a tough job, especially on work wear and uniforms. High quality industrial apparel is important for providing a layer of protection against cuts and abrasions, as well as the environment and weather. Clothing has to be durable with high thread count, reinforced seams, and heavy duty rivets that fit well enough to not present a hazard around moving parts, but still provide flexibility to react on the job site.
Industrial apparel can be manufactured to address multiple hazards by integrating flame resistant and waterproof materials or high visibility stripes and coloring.

Roadside Visibility with Industrial Supplies

The big hazard for work on active roads and bridges is passing motorists. At night or during any low light conditions, the risk is even greater. Wearing brightly colored and fluorescent clothing is not adequate for protection against traffic. In fact, it will only provide visibility of up to 250 feet for oncoming traffic. At highway speeds, cars will take up to 1,200 feet to come to a complete stop.

Industrial equipment is used to increase visibility for roadside workers. Federal guidelines have set visibility requirements of 1,280 feet for workers on the job who are exposed to motor vehicle traffic. This is accomplished by retro-reflective materials. This material will actually focus and reflect light back to its source, illuminating workers to both motorists and construction vehicle drivers.

Adding retro-reflective industrial supplies to worker apparel and PPE is the only effective way to achieve the proper level of nighttime visibility. The basic idea is to highlight the human form with retro-reflective clothing and bands. The best level of high visibility clothing consists of a reflective band on a helmet, a high visibility vest, and a vertical reflective strip on a pair of trousers.

Overall, industrial supplies are designed to keep workers safe and productive. With the expected increase in government-funded bridge and road construction projects in upcoming years, it is more important than ever that all workers are outfitted with proper industrial equipment and apparel.

Construction Supplies & Services Are the Backbone of All Structures

Construction supplies and services involve the distribution and availability of materials and manpower for building homes, offices and other structures. There are several construction supplies and services that are needed in building any structure. From concrete to roofing materials and cement masons to finishing carpenters, all of these are important in order to construct even a very simple house. Without the proper materials, a structure will immediately fall into ruins.
Construction supplies are building materials and products used for the different procedures involved in construction. These include the following construction supplies categories:

• Cabinets
• Countertops
• Decking and landscaping
• Doors
• Elevators and lifts
• Faucets
• Flooring
• Insulation
• Lighting and wiring devices
• Molding, millwork and stair parts
• Plumbing fixtures
• Pools, spas and saunas
• Roofing
• Siding and veneers
• Wallboard, paneling, tile and ceilings
• Windows, skylights and sunrooms

Construction services which are vital for all the phases involved in building a structure include:

• Brickwork - bricklaying, used in finishing openings and constructing walls
• Carpentry - a wide range of woodworking
• Cement mason - concrete finisher, applies concrete on the foundation and floors
• Drainage - for the artificial removal of surface and sub-surface water such as from sinks and the bathroom
• Electrician - electrical wiring
• Elevator mechanic- installation and safety of elevators
• Heavy equipment operator - drives engineering vehicles such as excavators, cranes and loaders
• Heating, ventilation and air-conditioning - climate control
• Iron workers - metal works and metal fabrication
• Laborers - unskilled construction workers who serve as assistants and those who are given responsibilities on or using blasting, hand tools, power tools, air tools and small heavy equipment
• Insulation - heat transfer from the source to the different areas of the construction
• Joinery - woodworking joints, wooden fittings
• Masonry - work with bricks, stones, marble and granite among others
• Painting and decorating - painting of the interiors and exteriors of the structure
• Pipe fitter - laying out, assembling and fabricating piping systems
• Plastering - layering of plaster and decorative moldings
• Plumbing - pipes, tubing and plumbing fixtures for drinking water and drainage of waste
• Roofing - construction of beams and outer weatherproof skin
• Steel fixer - positions and secures steel
• Stonemason - sculpturing and shaping of rocks used in construction
• Tile setter - sets the tiles on the sinks, walls and floors
• Window installer - fits and installs windows