The construction industry is a vast field, with thousands of companies comprising the backbone of various levels of building, developing, and maintaining infrastructure. For this reason, all manner of plans, deals, long-term projects, and developments are made.
When navigating employment in construction, it’s not always easy to know where to begin. Many get their start as day laborers, but going to trade school for various skills and developing from there can also be beneficial, and a worthwhile approach to take.
That being said, not all employment or work opportunities are alike. For a field as wide and as varied as the construction space, sometimes hazards exist. From rogue outfits to mislabeled employment opportunities, it’s key to be mindful and know what threats to look out for.
In this post, we’ll discuss a few of those, how to spot them, and what countermeasures you can take should you find yourself in that position.
Scam Contracting
Sham contracting refers to the practice of being treated like an employer (control over your work, intensive time management, and singular working contracts) without any of the employment protections companies need to give (such as a regular salary, insurance, and adequate working conditions). Unfortunately, this is common on construction job sites and in the gig economy of trades, especially with temporary labor. It’s always worth reporting a firm to the employment authorities if you believe this practice is being conducted, or seek individual legal advice with details about your working conduct, practices and pay.
Illegal Employment
Undocumented workers are commonly trying to provide a better life for themselves, however, it’s also true that hiring them is not only a crime, it can expose others in the company to risk such as financial liabilities or insurance being voided just to name a few. Again, it’s unfortunate but some firms will opt to hire undocumented workers because they’ll often work longer hours for less and have little leverage to negotiate on the job they do. This can even lead to human rights abuses, even if they’re being fairly compensated, which is rare. This is by no means a common problems, but it can and does occur in construction as it does in the hospitality space, and it’s worth reporting an issue if you suspect one.
Safety Shortcuts
Any site manager or construction firm worth its salt will place safety first and foremost in their priority list. From furnishing staff with hard hats to high-vis gear to appropriate lighting systems for working in darker hours, the health and safety manager will be a vocal presence and will regularly inspect the site for difficulty. Sometimes, and not always perniciously, a construction firm may cut corners in safety in the interest of efficiency or simply as a mistake. Always, always escalate these issues when you notice them and refuse to work for a firm that neglects to rectify the issue promptly. Document the issue if that conflict occurs. You never know how far these difficulties could go or how deeply rooted they are in planning if nothing else is done to fix them.
With this advice, you’re sure to watch out for construction hazards when navigating employment in that space.
