Construction Debris Removal Means Safer Job Sites

Every construction site needs periodic, ongoing clean up. But one of the benefits of construction debris removal is improved job site safety.

[This post has been revised and updated from its original publication in May 2017]

Anyone who has worked in construction any length of time knows that it can be hazardous job and that safety is a real priority. What is often overlooked, however, is how construction debris removal can help minimize the safety hazards that can exist on a typical job site. 

The Top Four Causes of Injuries on Construction Sites

According to the OSHA website,

Out of 4,693 worker fatalities in private industry in calendar year 2016, 991 or 21.1% were in construction — that is, one in five worker deaths last year were in construction. The leading causes of private sector worker deaths (excluding highway collisions) in the construction industry were falls, followed by struck by object, electrocution, and caught-in/between. These "Fatal Four" were responsible for more than half (63.7%) the construction worker deaths in 2016, BLS reports. 

Here's a breakdown of the top four causes construction deaths in 2016 by percentage:

• Falls — 384 out of 991 (38.7%)
• Struck by Object - 93 (9.4%)
• Electrocutions - 82 (8.3%)
• Caught-in/between* - 72 (7.3%)

This last category describes accidents where construction workers were caught-in or compressed by equipment or objects, and struck, caught, or crushed in collapsing structure, equipment, or material.

If construction crews could eliminate most or all of the falls that occur each year, it would save 631 workers' lives in America every year.

And regular construction debris removal is a large factor in making that happen.

The Number One Cause of Construction Accidents

Falls constitute almost 40 percent of the fatal accidents on construction sites. And more sobering is the fact that almost half of all fatal falls are from 20 feet or less. Not only that, many occur from less than six feet!

If you consider that the average person’s reaction time is about half a second, which is also all the time it takes to fall four feet, then a fall from a six-foot high platform takes less than a second.

In addition, when a worker falls, the impact force increases. If a 200 pound worker falls from a six-foot platform, he will hit the ground with almost 10,000 pounds of force!

Fortunately, a  simple solution is to regularly clean and remove construction waste, debris and rubble. This will drastically minimize the potential for trips, falls, and other related accidents.

There are additional benefits to this approach, as well. By minimizing accidents on the job site you will also minimize paperwork, lost labor hours, and related insurance and medical costs. And, most importantly, possibly save a life in the process.

You Can Minimize Job Site Trips and Falls 

A typical general contractor is always looking for ways to reduce overhead and lower labor and material costs, while finding effective ways to speed up the construction process. The challenge is to accomplish this without sacrificing safety.

And it is an ongoing challenge since any worker that is hurt or injured costs the contractor not only time, but money.

In addition, good contractors work hard at being proactive with best practices for safety management. This should include making sure that the construction site is kept as safe as possible.

And of one of the major factors for a safe condition is a site that is being kept as clean as possible.

While it may seem a minor thing for someone to slip and fall a few feet, or just trip over some loose debris, it's actually these very types of accidents that account for the majority of fall injuries and deaths.

With a clean site they don't have to happen.

Consider Outsourcing Construction Debris Removal

Another challenge for contractors is simply making sure that construction debris removal happens.

The good news is that your own crew doesn't have to be pulled away from the building project just to clean and remove debris. The better solution is to outsource the site clean up to an outside firm.

For most construction projects, the best approach is to schedule a series of waste and debris clean ups and removal. And by making use of a reliable junk hauling service the work can be scheduled and carried out with a minimal amount of disruption to the progress of the job.

In addition, outsourcing this task allows the contractor to keep his crew working on the productive aspect of the project.

When you consider that every hour your crew spends picking up debris, cleaning the site, and hauling and disposing of the material, is an hour NOT spent generating revenue on a project. And the bigger the job, the more the opportunity costs add up, which makes the benefits of outsourcing these tasks become more attractive.

There is more to proper junk removal than simply throwing stuff into the back of a truck. Knowing what can be disposed of legally and where constitutes a large part of what makes a professional firm the better choice.

Finding the Right Firm is Essential

Once you have made the decision that outsourcing a series of site clean ups is cost-effective and will increase the safety factor, you need to determine which firm is the right one for the job. And while you can certainly find plenty of guys with trucks willing to do a “cheap” job, going that route will end up being anything but cheap.

Junk King provides an efficient, safe and eco-friendly construction waste disposal services so you don’t need to worry about the pick up or disposal of the debris after your project is complete. Whether you need our services several times during a construction project or just once after it is complete, our hauling professionals will ensure that the construction debris is out of your way so that you can get on with the job.

Our team specializes in construction trash removal. We can be at your facility in mere minutes, so call us today! Our crew is fully insured and well-trained, so you can trust them to get rid of your unwanted items in a professional and courteous fashion.

One of the best things about hiring Junk King is that we recycle much of the material we pick-up. Recycling is proof of our commitment to being an eco-friendly removal service. If you have questions about what we do or what we believe, give us a call at 1-888-888-JUNK (5865).