Running a parking lot construction company can be a rewarding experience for professionals who understand how to do it properly. There are important safety steps that must be taken to keep parking lot construction operating smoothly and efficiently and to make sure the lot and your workers are safe.
While many of these steps are common-sense things that you should be doing for any construction project, there are others that are specific to parking lot construction. Take a look at these ideas below to ensure that you run your parking lot construction company properly.
Properly Mix Materials
There are many types of high-quality paving options on the market today, including concrete and asphalt. However, asphalt is probably the most popular. According to the National Asphalt Pavement Association, over 94% of the 2.6 million miles of paved roads in the United States are surfaced with asphalt. As a result, it’s important for paving companies to understand how to mix each of these types of materials correctly. There are varying guidelines that must be followed to ensure that this process goes smoothly.
Add More Workers for Bigger Jobs
Trying to save money on big jobs by using fewer workers is a safety disaster. Even simple paving tasks can be exhausting and cause employees to pass out or even faint if not allowed to rest. As a result, it’s important to balance your workload. Try to have at least 10 workers per 100 square feet of a parking lot. That ensures that they are safe and minimizes any potential health risks as a result.
Pave on Appropriate Days
While you might have a pretty tight paving schedule with your team, it’s important to avoid paving on inappropriate days that might not be suitable for your project. For example, most pavement materials like concrete and asphalt need at least one to three days without rain to avoid getting damaged. If you run into potential rain situations, don’t risk it. Simply reschedule or put a tarp over your pavement to avoid issues.
Use Heavy Machinery Properly
There are a handful of pieces of heavy machinery that you’ll need for paving, such as mixers and spreaders. These machines must be carefully operated and maintained to not only keep your workers safe but to also avoid damaging the pavement. Give each of your team members extensive training to ensure that they understand these devices to avoid serious issues.
Properly Assess Sites
Before starting any paving job, it’s important to assess a site to ensure that it’s safe. For example, you need to check the soil quality and make sure that it drains properly. If it doesn’t, asphalt can be easily damaged by pooling water and other issues. It’s also critical to make sure that the soil is strong enough to support the pavement using soil-strength tests and other gauges.
Properly Train for Safety
It’s crucial that you train your team properly for any issues that may arise. For instance, you might work on a busy freeway and need to understand safe cone placement to keep cars away from your workers. Effective lifting methods may also be essential because these can minimize potential back injuries that may otherwise impact your workers.
Teach First Aid Courses
When one of your employees suffers a serious injury while paving, it’s important for your whole team to know first aid training. First aid can include how to dress wounds or stabilize broken bones caused by paving injuries. Even basic first aid topics, such as putting on sunscreen before working outside on a sunny day, are critical to ensuring that your team is safe and protected.
Provide Proper Hydration
Paving in the hot sun for hours can be a major health risk that your company needs to avoid. Thankfully, providing on-site water can help avoid dehydration and other problems. Make sure that the water is easily available for your whole crew and provide individual drinking containers for each team member.
By understanding these important safety steps, you can run a parking lot construction company with little to no trouble. It’s important to reach out to various safety professionals in your area if you don’t have experience with these steps to discuss topics like proper safety training and machine handling. To get started with an experienced parking lot construction company, call our team at Ford Asphalt Company today. We would love to assist you!
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