www.rcabc.org  l  29 SAFETY FOCUS PPE Another component of site safety basics is ensuring appropriate personal protec- tive equipment is worn in all areas of the worksite identified as having hazards and risks that can’t be mitigated by more effective controls. PPE can include, but is not limited to, selecting and wearing the appropriate safety footwear, hard hats, high-visibility apparel, eye protec- tion, and hearing and respiratory protec- tion, when necessary. Selecting effective PPE involves assessing which hazards exist with different types of tasks being performed, often simultaneously at the same worksite. For instance, if a worker transitions from a task inside a building to working on a task outside of the building, will the worker now be around other workers who are performing duties at height? Or will the worker now be exposed to heavy equipment, such as bobcats? If the answer is yes, they would need to wear both a high-visibility vest and a hard hat. Effective risk assessment requires continual situational awareness and understanding of risk. Good Housekeeping Practices Ensuring good housekeeping practices at a worksite is another essential element of a safety management program, and can help to prevent injuries like slips, trips and falls on all construction sites. Another element of good housekeeping is evidence of sufficient planning. In the event of an incident, emergency personnel need to be able to safely access an injured worker. Regulation 4.1 states: A workplace must be planned, constructed, used and maintained to protect from danger any person working at the workplace. “During our inspections, we look to ensure workers can travel safely from point A to point B,” Carol-Anne says. “If there are piles of lumber lying around the ground with protruding three-inch nails, it can turn into a serious incident if a worker slips and falls on it. Also, the attention paid to keeping an organized and tidy worksite can be an indicator of the overall state and prioritization of health and safety for the project.” First Aid All employers must assess the require- ments for first-aid services at the start of a project and throughout the course to ensure adequate measures are in place. Prevention of injuries is the goal, but given the high hazard, high risk and dynamic nature of the work on construc- tion sites, additional attention must be paid to the equipment, supplies, facilities, first-aid attendants and services. Qualified first-aid attendants must be ready to respond promptly with the right equip- ment to provide the best support possible for injured workers. Regulatory require- ments for Occupational First Aid are covered in 3.14-3.17 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. To learn more, WorkSafeBC has health and safety resources available online at: worksafebc.com.