The American construction industry is a big one, and every year, many construction and contractor crews are hard at work creating shopping malls, homes, banks, schools, office buildings, and more. This involves pooling the talent, materials, vehicles, and tools of multiple contractors who will work together on a project, and this also involves safety measures. Construction is well known for its many workplace hazards, so the correct paperwork, construction lawyers, and protective gear will also be used at a project site to prevent injury and damage to property. Some protective items such as door jamb protectors, carpet shields, or another dust barrier system such as floor protection paper may be employed to keep surfaces clean during work. A dust barrier system can prevent plaster dust or silicate particles from getting into carpets or freshly painted walls, meaning that a dust barrier system is essential to put in place correctly when airborne particles are involved. A dust barrier system may work for a person, too, ranging from surgical masks to full body suits that control air flow.
Worker Exposure
Too see how hazardous a workplace might be, one may first consider the dangers to the workers. Construction workers face many hazards, as explained above, and these workers may suffer blunt trauma or even lung issues. At a work site, workers may get their arms or legs trapped in machines or crushed under heavy items, or hard objects may fall on their heads. Even slipping and falling, mundane as it sounds, is a real hazard, and some buildings under construction will have gaps where a person may fall. A worker who falls four stories and onto a palette of bricks may suffer broken bones and more, and a workplace may have unexpected liquid spills or low-traction floor papers that make slipping more likely. In fact, falling ranks first among construction industry causes of death. Workers might also get hit by construction vehicles if the driver is not paying attention.
Lung issues are also a real hazard here. A work site will have many airborne fumes and particles to contend with, such as paint thinner or paint primer fumes which may be inhaled. What is more, dust from silicates or plaster may be released into the air as bricks or stone are sawed or cut. Respirable silicates will be emitted during this work, and such particles are much smaller than sand grains, making them easy to inhale. Overall, it has been determined that occupational lung diseases are the primary cause of occupational illnesses in the United States. This is taking into account the frequency, severity, and preventability of various workplace diseases.
Workers may wear all sorts of protective gear to shield themselves from such hazards. Clear goggles may protect the eyeballs from airborne fumes and particles, preventing irritation or even blindness. Meanwhile, respirators can be used when working around dangerous fumes, such as those from motors, spray foam chemicals, and paint thinner and primer. A surgical mask or similar device may be used when working with fine airborne particles. And if need be, a worker might even wear a full-body suit with its own oxygen supply. Working indoors with large quantities of spray foam chemicals may call for these measures.
Surface Protection
The bare surfaces present in a work site also need protection from dust and silicates, paint, and more. As a building is constructed, its surfaces such as tiles, wood, carpet, and glass will be in place. But there may still be construction ongoing, and those surfaces may become coated with dust, paint, spray foam chemicals, or more during work. Therefore, specialized paper, rubber mats, and more can be placed on these surfaces to keep them clear during such work. Paint on glass requires cleanup, and knocking over a can of paint onto a fresh carpet may ruin it entirely. Some of these surfaces may become dirty or even ruined if they are exposed to some materials on the job. A dust barrier system can help prevent particles from soaking into carpet, for example. A carpet may absorb a massive amount of material and not only become heavy and discolored, but also emit a lot of harmful VOCs later on. This can cause lung issues.