Everything Including the Kitchen Sink: Working With General Contractors

You already know you will need safety goggles as well as protective gear that fits your contracting work. These are standard safety equipment across the contracting and industrial industry. What you may not think of are pieces of updated safety equipment that can be beneficial to you on most jobs. Here are a few pieces of this safety equipment and what you need to know about each piece. 

Carbon Monoxide Detector 

You may not think a carbon monoxide detector is necessary. The truth is, if you are working indoors or in small spaces, and you are using a heater of any kind, having the detector is necessary. You will need to know if there are any issues as soon as they happen. The detector can alert you to any carbon monoxide emissions, even at a very low level. This can give you time to ventilate the area and get your contractors to fresh air. The detectors come in several styles and options. Some may only detect one kind of gas while others can detect multiple. 

Fall Protection

You may already have helmets and other safety gear. The issue is when you have a client that requires you to work on a roof or a high-level building. The danger with these contractor projects is falling. Even from a small height, you can still become injured from a fall. For this reason, you should consider having fall risk protection for your contractors and yourself. This may be a harness or special scaffolding to prevent or reduce fall risk. 

Absorbents and Spill Kits

Spills can be just as dangerous to your contracting crew as any other danger. In order to ensure you are taking the right safety steps, you need to make sure you have absorbents and spill kits. These will allow you to safely contain the spill and remove it. Keep in mind, some of the spills that can happen on the work site can be deadly if they are touched or inhaled. Having the absorbance, spill kits and related safety equipment can likely save a trip to the hospital or a life. 

When you are ready to upgrade your safety equipment, visit your area hardware supply store or contractor supply warehouse. They can help you with the items, ordering and any questions you have about using the equipment. They can also make suggestions to you about other equipment that may be ideal for your contracting business.