Today’s American construction industry is enormous, having a market value over one trillion dollars. This may not come as a surprise, since this industry is responsible for building today’s houses, shopping malls, banks, offices, and schools (and more). During a construction project, multiple contractor crews will work together and pool their resources, tools, labor, and expertise to finish the project. This requires some coordination and paperwork, and some of this pre-planning is based on preventing accidents or damage to property. Construction lawyers will be on hand to look over contracts, represent workers in injury cases, and pursue litigation for late or missing invoice payments or property damage. Meanwhile, construction crews and their managers will follow safety and fire codes and regulations to minimize the risk of injury or property damage during the project. This ranges from using stucco tape on wood or metal surfaces all the way to a dust barrier system for floors, floor protection paper, door frame protectors, and even carpet shields or window film to keep glass safe. Stucco tape and more is designed to keep a finished surface clear of contaminants while being easy to remove later. A good construction crew will have floor mats, stucco tape, and more on hand.
The Hazards
What might go wrong on a construction site? A number of hazards and contaminants will be present, and workers and their managers must work hard to minimize the chances of injury or damaged property. Blunt trauma is one such issue to face, as workers may get their arms or legs trapped in machines or crushed under heavy loads. Or, a crane’s sling will break apart and a heavy load might fall on someone. Even a mundane mishap such as slipping and falling may prove dangerous, as a worker may fall multiple stories and land on hard concrete or a palette of bricks, resulting in broken bones or worse. In fact, some construction workers lose their lives because of slipping on loose floor papers or spilled liquids and falling onto hard surfaces.
Lung and eye issues are also present on a work site, and the air may soon be a hazard in itself. Motors, paint thinner or primer, and spray foam chemicals may release a lot of dangerous fumes into the air, which may irritate the eyes, lungs, and skin of exposed workers. That, or airborne plaster dust or silicates may be inhaled and harm the lungs. Airborne silicate particles are much smaller than sand grains, and are typically created when rocks, bricks, or concrete are sawed, crushed, cut, or otherwise operated upon. Lung disease ranks first among all occupational-related illnesses in the USA, based on the frequency, preventability, and severity of workplace illnesses.
Bare surfaces might also suffer from such hazard. Wood window or door frames, carpets, tile or wooden floors, and more may get paint or primer spilled on them, or airborne dust particles may contaminate them. Carpets may soak up a lot of particles and become dangerously dirty, and a soaked carpet may emit harmful VOCs for years to come, well after the project is finished. This can cause lung and even cognitive issues to anyone exposed to that dirty carpet and the air above it. For these reasons and more, stucco tape, floor paper sheets, and more should be used.
Protective Measures
Workers may protect themselves from fumes and airborne particles when they use respirators to block harmful air and provide clean oxygen to breathe, and these workers may even wear full body suits with their own air supply in some cases. Working inside with a lot of spray foam chemicals, for example, may call for total protection. Workers may also use safety goggles to keep the eyes safe from irritants in the air.
Stucco tape is a special tape that can be applied to a wooden or metal surface to keep it clean during construction, preventing dust or liquids from getting on it. Such tape is also water resistant, and it may peel off cleanly and easily once the work is done. This may be excellent for a wooden window frame during painting, for example, or if plaster dust is being generated nearby. Floor sheets keep carpets, wood, and tile safe from materials too.
