Jobsite Safety Checklist: Template For Mechanical Contractors

OSHA is a regulatory body specifically designed to ensure safe working conditions for professionals, and this is especially pertinent for mechanical contractors. Contractors and other construction workers should pay special attention to these standards, considering that the fatal injury rate in this injury is far higher than even other trades. One of the first things any construction contractor should do is create a plan to help ensure that every project is up to OSHA standards before work even begins. So, with this in mind, here’s a basic jobsite safety checklist. Because of the sheer volume of considerations, we’re going to break this checklist up into key sections for easier reference. There are going to be more safety considerations than we mention here, so be sure to look into your local OSHA regulations to be sure.

Jobsite Safety Checklist: A Helpful Template

Recordkeeping/Jobsite Preparation

This list covers more of the preliminary steps that go into creating a safe mechanical contracting environment.

— Are any occupational injuries, deaths, or illnesses reported in keeping with OSHA standards?

— Are relevant standards posted in a conspicuous area?

— Do you have a plan to notify OSHA within 8 hours of a workplace fatality or accident that requires hospitalization?

— Are employees trained on how to recognize unsafe conditions?

— Are employees handling poisons, caustics, and other potentially harmful substances trained in handling and use?

— Is any debris kept removed from passageways, stairs, and other work areas?

— Are there first aid kits made available to workers? 

— Are these first aid kits stocked with appropriate equipment?

— If the first aid kits are not sufficient, is there a plan/professional on-site who can help administer advanced first aid?

Personal Protective Equipment for Jobsite Safety Checklist

This section covers individual protective gear for workers.

— Are protective helmets worn in any scenario with a risk of head injury or electrical shock?

— Are hearing protection devices (earplugs, etc.) used when it’s not possible to reduce noise levels?

— Do employees have eye/face protection whenever an injury is possible?

— Are employees working near items like electrical hazards or falling/rolling objects wearing appropriate footwear?

— Are respiratory protective devices provided as needed?

— Are employees working near water provided with work vests and ring buoys, keeping with Coast Guard standards?

Tools/Equipment

This covers best practices for handling construction tools.

— Are any hand/power tools provided by the employer kept in a safe condition? 

— Are electrical power tools operated with grounding or double insulation?

— Are any employees using power-actuated tools properly trained in their use?

— When using circular saws, is there an exhaust guard/hood to avoid accidental contact with the blade?

Fall Protection

This illustrates how to minimize the risk of falls, the most common accident on construction sites.

— Are all walking/working surfaces strong enough to support your employees?

— If walking surfaces have unprotected edges/sides, are there safety nets, guardrails, or other measures present?

— Do employees in hoist areas have guardrails or personal fall arrest systems available?

— Is there a fall risk from skylights or other holes? If so, are there covers or warning signs available?

— If holes, pits, or shafts are obscured by shrubs or plans, are there guardrails or barricades to protect employees?

— When scaffolds are required, are they set on stable land, used in ideal weather conditions, away from components like power lines?

Ladders

This governs best practices for handling ladders.

— Is there a ladder or stairway available at any point of access with a break in elevation exceeding 19 inches?

— Do all buildings or structures have one clear point of access?

— Do unprotected sides/edges on stairway landings have a guardrail system available?

— Are ladders regularly inspected by a competent professional?

— Are any ladders discovered to have structural defects marked as such so they can be removed from service?

Fire Protection

This entails how to minimize the risk of fires and handle fires should they arise.

— Is there a formal fire protection program?

— Is any required fire fighting equipment placed in a conspicuous location?

— Is there a regular inspection and maintenance program for all firefighting equipment?

— Has your company installed an educational program to familiarize employees with fire safety and how to use fire safety equipment?

— Are all flammable liquids stored in appropriate containers and tanks?

Materials Handling

This covers how to handle/transport different construction materials.

— Are any materials stored in tiers secured to avoid falling/collapse?

— Are materials stored under power lines getting moved/unloaded?

— Are safe procedures being used when unloading pipes?

— Are your teams keeping all passageways/walkways clear and in good condition to ensure safe movement for equipment?

— Is all rigging equipment used for material handling being inspected before each shift?

— Is there a plan for disposing of all waste materials safely and in compliance with environmental regulations?

As a final disclaimer, we must reiterate that this is not an exhaustive list of every single provision you need to make for OSHA compliance. In addition, guidelines can change, so construction managers should always be paying close attention to new information.

Your OSHA jobsite safety checklist can be the difference between a successful project and an accident, along with the fines and public opinion hits that come with it. This means a lot of responsibility is placed on how you handle that particular document. For one thing, you need to be sure that your commercial construction jobsite safety checklist OSHA standards are up to current code, even as that shifts. In addition, you want to have a quality control practice in check, so your office and leadership can make sure that teams are following the guidelines you’ve set in place.

Final Thoughts on Jobsite Safety Checklist

One way that you can make sure your jobsite safety inspection checklist is not ignored is through using project management software like eSUB. We employ cloud data storage to make sure that every team sees the most recent version of your jobsite safety checklist. In addition, we have labor tracking software that lets you see as they mark off each item on your checklist.