5 Benefits of using lifting and handling aids on construction sites
Construction sites can be dangerous places, with heavy machinery, dangerous equipment, and manual handling tasks all posing significant risks to workers. One of the most common causes of injury on construction sites is manual handling, with workers often having to lift and carry heavy loads without adequate support.
To reduce the risk of injury and improve efficiency on construction sites, it’s crucial to make use of lifting and handling aids. In this blog post, we will discuss the five benefits of using lifting and handling aids on construction sites.
What are lifting and handling aids?
Lifting and handling aids are tools and devices that are designed to make manual handling and lifting tasks easier and safer. They can include material lifts, hoists, winches, trolleys, pallet trucks, jacks and skates, and other equipment that is specifically designed to help workers move, lift, and carry heavy loads with greater ease.
1. Reduced risk of injury:
One of the biggest benefits of using manual lifting and handling aids is that they reduce the physical strain on workers, reducing the risk of musculoskeletal injuries such as back pain, neck pain, and shoulder pain.
2. Increased efficiency:
Manual lifting and handling aids can make manual handling tasks much easier and quicker to complete. For example, a hoist or crane can make it possible to lift heavy loads with minimal effort, reducing the time taken to complete tasks and increasing overall efficiency.
3. Improved safety:
The use of manual lifting and handling aids can reduce the risk of dropped or unbalanced loads, and minimise the risk of structual damage – improving safety for workers and others on the construction site.
4. Better control:
Lifting aids give workers greater control over loads and improve safety and reduce the risk of accidents. For example, using material lifts, slings and spreader bars to control loads can reduce the risk of damage to the load or to surrounding structures.
5. Increased productivity:
By making manual handling tasks easier and quicker to complete, the use of manual lifting and handling aids can increase productivity and reduce the time taken to complete manual handling tasks, leading to faster project completion times.
In conclusion, the use of lifting and handling aids on construction sites is an essential aspect of workplace safety. These aids can help reduce the risk of injury, increase efficiency, improve safety, provide better control, and increase productivity, all of which can lead to faster project completion times and a safer working environment for construction workers.
Further Reading:
HOW TO SAFELY MOVE AND STORE PLASTERBOARD
GUIDE TO SAFE MANUAL HANDLING
Please Note: The recommendations in this article are for general information only. Always refer to your organisation’s specific guidelines and procedures when implementing any techniques, practices or procedures.
