Green construction: worker safety concerns.

As green construction grows in popularity, more and more people are expressing concerns about the safety of workers handling these projects.  While green building strategies are meant to improve and protect the future occupants of the building, there are serious questions regarding the safety of green construction for contractors and workers.  To understand the full scope of these safety concerns, here are some of the pros and cons of worker safety on green construction.

• Safety Pros

One of the major benefits of green construction is that it emphasizes the use of safe building materials and reduces the number of pollutants produced during the construction process.  This is excellent for workers because they are less likely to be exposed to pollutants and other hazardous materials during the construction process. Another safety benefit is that workers are more likely to receive health and safety training when working on a green construction process.  This is because the technologies and methods used in green construction are less familiar to the average construction worker.  The mandatory safety training ensures that workers know which processes and protocols they should adhere to and lowers the number of accidents that take place on the site.

• Safety Cons

While there are some safety benefits to working on a green construction site, there are negatives to consider as well.  For instance, studies have shown that workers are more likely to suffer injury when working with recyclable materials and completing unfamiliar building tasks.  For instance, some of the risky techniques include installing atria, vegetated roofs, and photovoltaic panels.  Because workers are completing jobs that they don't have experience with and using materials that they aren't familiar with, they are more likely to make a mistake.  Their missteps can cause them serious injury or illness.  As mentioned above, managers can reduce the number of employee injuries through health and safety training.  By carefully reviewing the processes and equipment that workers will be using during the construction process, you can reduce the chances of accident-causing errors. These are some of the worker safety pros and cons to consider when it comes to green construction.  Are you looking for assistance with your next green construction project?  If so, then contact Nikki Fox at Parkwest General Contractors at Nikki@ParkwestGC.com.  Our dedicated team is eager to assist you with all your building upgrade needs today.