A skilled dry liner will ensure a perfect finish every time. They literally make the inner workings of a building disappear. But what they can’t eliminate is risk!
Here are Tradesman Saver’s top three tips for avoiding a claim on your dry liner's insurance.
1. Check your trestles
Working from height is considered high risk and steps should be made to ensure the environment you work in is safe. If you’re using trestles to fix plasterboard follow these steps to keep risk to a minimum:
• Clear the area by removing waste and any materials you don’t need to complete the job
• Create safe routes to and from the location. This will prevent trips and falls
• Place the trestle on a flat surface and check it’s secure and level before use
• Fix a guard rail to reduce the impact of a fall
Once set up, a manager should check the trestle, and work should be supervised throughout the process.
If you need to move the trestle to a new location the above steps must be repeated.
2. Secure your ladders
Ladders are a breeze to set-up and move around site, but it’s this convenience that often catches tradespeople out. The next time you step onto your ladder, ask yourself the following - when was the last time I checked its condition? If the ladder is damaged, or doesn’t function correctly, don’t use it.
As with trestles, a flat surface is also crucial and ladders should be fully extended before use. It’s also important to avoid carrying materials and equipment up ladders as they can become unstable or you may not be able to maintain three points of contact (two hands and one foot, or two feet and one hand).
50% of construction injuries are caused by falls from height, followed by something collapsing and overturning. Take precautions, make the necessary checks, and use it correctly. Don’t risk it.
3. Don’t over do it
Your greatest asset is your health and wellbeing. All the years of lifting, carrying, dragging, stepping up, stepping down, exposure to dust, cuts, abrasions, and sprains compound over time. One day your muscles and bones will say, enough is enough.
Simply put, if you don’t take care of yourself you can’t take care of those who depend on you.
If a machine can lift materials, use it. If a colleague can help carry equipment, ask them. If PPE blocks the hazard, make sure it’s fit for purpose.
Of the 74,000 work-related injuries reported in 2021, 54% were musculoskeletal issues. This number is for all sectors, with the construction industry top of the list.
That fall on site might seem minor when it happens, and you may be tempted to shake it off and carry on working. However, injuries that are ignored can lead to more serious issues down the road. If you’re injured and need time to recover, take it.
Reality Check
In an ideal world the safety checks and measures mentioned above, would be carried out on every construction site.
But what can you do if you’ve arrived on site first and want to catch up with the work you’re behind with? Or maybe the apprentice called in sick and you’re on your own today. Or you’re a sole trader and work alone most days.
The same hazards exist if you’re on a site alone, or part of a bigger construction project with many employees. But it’s not always possible to carry out a thorough risk assessment.
So what options do you have?
Start with what you can do. Equipment can be checked. The site can be kept tidy. You can give yourself more time when the work gets challenging. And make sure you have the correct insurance.
No one likes paying for more than they need, which is why Tradesman Saver tailor their polices for your trade. This means dry liners are protected against the risks that are specific to the work they carry out.
Tradesman Saver also believes that the cover you need should be included as standard. So all our policies come with the following, at no extra cost:
• £1 million products & public liability (£5 million available)
• £10,000 cover for financial loss
• Work abroad cover for up to 14 days
• Legal expenses up to £250,000
• Free counselling helplines, business and tax advice
• Free accidental death cover
For more info on public liability, employer’s liability, and dry liner’s insurance, visit tradesmansaver.co.uk
