Preparing a Site for Construction

When a site is being prepared for construction, one of the very first things that need to be addressed is making the site as safe as possible. This helps to keep employees and visitors to the site protected and can help to ensure the construction project runs smoothly. There are several key factors that need to be considered, and actions that should be taken, when thinking about safety:

1. Walk through the site to identify any hazards

This is the first thing that should be done at any site because it will help to identify any immediate action that needs to be taken. Once this walk through has been completed, any issues that are found can be addressed before work begins. When the walk through is being planned, ensure that enough time is given to deal with any problems before work is due to start. This will make certain you have time to put in place any safety measures properly and that they are not rushed through.

2. Ensure hazardous materials are labelled correctly

Any hazardous materials should be clearly labelled so that everyone is able to see what they are and how they should be handled. If any special training is needed, then employees should receive this before work begins. It is also important that these materials are stored correctly as well, and that people are made aware of any precautions that need to be taken if these materials are to be transported to a different location.

3. Inspect any equipment before it is used 

Before any equipment is used for the first time it should be tested to ensure that it is in good working order and that there will be no problems with operating it. If there are any obvious problems that may prevent the equipment from working correctly, then it should not be used until these issues have been dealt with. Equipment should also be monitored regularly once work begins and it is being used more often.

4. Provide employees with PPE (Personal Protection Equipment)

All employees should be provided with PPE so that they are able to carry out their work as safely as possible. The equipment that will be needed will depend on the actual work that the employee is doing, but as a minimum items such as hard hats, hi-vis vests and safety shoes should be provided. It may also help to mark out areas where PPE must be worn so that everyone is aware that they will need this equipment before they can visit these particular parts of the site. 

5. Ensure everyone knows what to do in the event of an emergency

If an emergency situation does arise, it is important that everyone who is on the site should know what they need to do. This can prevent any situation escalating further, and will also ensure that those who need help receive it as soon as possible. If there are any visitors to the site, then these procedures should also be made clear to them.

Once these things are adhered to they provide a solid starting point for construction work to begin. The safety of all employees and visitors to the site is of paramount importance. Therefore ensuring that there are measures in place that will keep people protected is a vital first step in preparing any site for construction.