We present a guide on how to reduce risks and make constructions more efficient.
by Victaulic*
According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), 6,300 people die worldwide every day from work-related accidents or illnesses. For example, in Colombia, more than 100,000 accidents are recorded each year, placing the accident rate in the country at 8.85 percent, many of them due to carelessness of workers and employers or lack of use of elements that guarantee their safety.
For its part, the accident rate in the construction area in that country is 13 per 1,000 workers, so initiatives in accident prevention that promote good practices in the workplace are increasingly being promoted. But, sometimes risk prevention is difficult because of the large number of factors to take into account.
Five tips on occupational hazards
The private sector has undertaken initiatives, including structured programmes, with results that demonstrate great achievements in relation to security. Companies operating in the country, such as Victaulic, a company of mechanical pipe joining solutions, has presented five essential tips for construction companies to deal with occupational risks:
- Be attentive to employees to identify the dangers to which they are exposed.
- Use fire protection systems that are not harmful to the health of workers such as the Victaulic Vortex Fire Suppression System, which has a suspended water and nitrogen system that, by using high speed and low pressure, cool the danger area and eliminate the oxygen that holds the fire.
- Offer detailed training to workers to deal with emergency situations and empower them in their self-protection.
- Avoid the use of fire when joining piping systems: replace this practice with the use of mechanical systems such as the mechanical union of pipes.
- Avoid the leakage of gases, with safe systems that withstand high pressures and temperatures, as well as verify that suppliers have the latest technology and are certified.
Construction and technology
The construction industry, in order to have safer and more efficient practices, must go to the forefront of technology, looking for products that allow working faster and safer, guaranteeing reliability and maximum efficiency.
That's why today's builder must focus on finding methods that reduce installation times, exceed quality standards, and make the workplace a safe space for their employees. As installation times decrease, work will become even more efficient generating savings in labor costs.
Finally, it is well known that this industry is responsible for a large part of the damage generated to the environment, and it is precisely the duty of builders to promote the use of cleaner construction alternatives, seeking to reduce waste materials in the works and generate a real commitment to the planet.
In conclusion and as assured by the specialist in fire protection and training of Victaulic in Latin America, Julio Herrera, "the company advocates the training of construction workers for the use of mechanical solutions with the purpose of joining pipes that do not pollute and that contribute to the conservation of the environment. Products that are installed cold, unfilled, such as those from Victaulic, are a cleaner alternative. So with these standards and their strict compliance, material waste on site is reduced and not only safer but more efficient constructions are obtained."
