This document provides guidance for construction supervisors to give a safety talk to their crew about hazards to the public near construction sites. It discusses common hazards such as tripping hazards, falling into excavations, and being cut by exposed wires or materials. Accidents involving the public can result in injuries like broken bones and cost the company money. The talk should remind crews to keep work areas clear of debris, replace barriers, and report any issues. It suggests doing an exercise where someone pretends to be a pedestrian to show how hazards can impact the public. Questions are provided to engage the crew in discussing safety issues.

1. Construction Safety Talks
Dealing Some Things To Know Before You Give Your Talk.
With The As a supervisor, you know that your crew needs to be more aware
Public of hazards to the public. It is easy to assume that anybody can
walk across a cracked sidewalk or figure out that they should stay
No. 58 clear of the counterweight when a crane parked in the street
swings. However, there are a lot of statistics proving that drivers
and pedestrians don't recognize these hazards, and many other
hazards as well.
How This Talk
Applies To My Talk to your crew about how people can get cut by broken wire
Crew: fences that stick out into the walkways. Or how they can fall into
uncovered excavations in the sidewalk. Or trip over rebar or
concrete blocks that are temporarily stored in their path. Or cut
themselves on splintered wood lining the covered walkways.
People tend to trip and fall on sidewalks, paths, and streets around
job sites for many reasons:
• Some are talking and are not looking ahead .
• Some may wear shoes that don't give adequate footing.
• Some elderly people may not see or hear well and may
have trouble moving around.
• Handicapped persons may not be able to maneuver around
hazards.
• Children running and horsing around move too fast and
take chances.
Remind your crew that people may walk along the same path for
years without anything happening to them and may not know
enough about construction sites to guard against the hazards left
by a careless worker.
Accidents to pedestrians can be quite expensive to your company
due to the nature of the injuries. People have fallen and broken
their hips, chipped their teeth, stepped on rusty nails, and broken
their ankles.
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2. These accidents can be costly in terms of dollars and physical suffering, not to mention
the public relations aspect. Owners don’t like to see their project mentioned in a
negative manner in the news.
Your crew should keep the sidewalk clear and always replace barricades. They should
repair the broken wire fence or wire gate that can be a striking-against hazard, report
any breaks that are made in the sidewalk, and make sure the sidewalk is not muddy or
icy.
Try This For Show And Tell!
Have someone from the crew stand on the sidewalk outside the job and have everyone
observe the congestion it creates as people walk by.
Ask if anyone has seen pedestrians on the job site. What signs might indicate that the
general public, particularly children, have been on site after hours?
Questions You Can Use To Get Them Talking:
• Have you noticed any areas around our job where the public could get hurt? If
so, what can we do about it?
• Can you think of anything coming up on this job that might be a hazard to the
public?
• Has anyone ever had an accident - or know of one - involving the public?
Attended By:
The illustrations, instructions and principles contained in the material are general in scope and, to the best of our knowledge, current at
the time of publication. No attempt has been made to interpret any referenced codes, standards or regulations. Please refer to the
appropriate code, standard or regulation making authority for interpretation or clarification.
© 2003 Liberty Mutual Group – All Rights Reserved 2