Fortunately, you're in luck. As of April 2007, there are new regulations in place that are meant to improve safety on construction sites and to help ensure that accidents are minimal during construction jobs. These new regulations replaced pre-existing regulations set in 1994 and 1996.
Safety as a concern in construction careers
All of us are concerned about safety on our jobs, of course, but if you're in construction, you should be even more concerned, because even with the previous safety regulations in place, construction sites were still considered to be quite dangerous, unnecessarily so. These new regulations address that concern, both for the individuals subject to injury or even death and his or her colleagues, friends, family, and the companies themselves as well, not least because of the legal implications this can cause for the companies in question.
The new regulations are meant to ensure that first and foremost, health and safety are priorities with building projects, from beginning to end. Every segment of a project and everyone involved must have as part of his or her focus to health and safety of all involved. This includes not just construction workers, but also contractors, designers, and those in a supervisory capacity, including management.
Red tape, too, is to be kept at a minimum with these new regulations so that on-site issues get a major focus and hazards are eliminated at the earliest stages of design possible.
Be advised, though, and that if you are a ''small'' client who does his or her own construction, even as regards maintenance, you, too, are subject to these new regulations.
What does that mean for you in construction?
If you are looking for construction jobs, you can be assured that your health and safety will be paramount at all times. If you are focusing on construction careers in management, design, or another area that may not be entirely ''hands-on,'' you are still charged with safety considerations from the earliest stages of planning and design. Therefore, having a safety background or having had safety training is going to be a plus for you as a potential employee, because employers will be looking for construction workers and other construction employees who consider safety among their main concerns, not just cost savings or efficiency.
Experience
If you are looking for construction employment and you have not yet gotten much training in it, start by going to school in your chosen area of study. After that, you can usually apprentice to get on-the-job experience before you move full-fledged into your area. Other areas like engineering will require significant schooling and in some cases may also require a graduate degree, although your employer may help you get further schooling once you have earned your undergraduate or equivalent education. Most construction jobs require some previous experience and may require specific licensure as well. Again, check with your chosen area or you have expertise to find out what the requirements are for you.
