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Best Practice Guide to a Tidy Site

8th, January 2018

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Tidy sites increase the safety of personnel, improve project efficiency and minimise the impact of construction on local communities. In this blog, we explore some best practice solutions to maintain a tidy site and reduce the risk of injury to staff and the general public.

A Tidy Site. Reverie or Reality?

If you are one of the many people who finds keeping a construction site clean and tidy is harder than it sounds; and in often case is just something to dream about, then you are probably glad to know that you are not alone.

Keeping a construction site tidy and organised is one of the most important things to aid safety on site. Over the last year, work-related incidents killed 137 workers. The industry with the highest fatalities was Construction, with 30 workers killed.*

We need to consider that a messy site may not have necessarily killed these 30 people; in fact, moving vehicles trapping workers actually caused the highest percentage of deaths. Also, the number of fatalities in construction in 2016/17 was the lowest number on record for the sector. However, regardless of the circumstances, these 30 fatalities were 30 too many.

Untidy sites are dangerous.

Tidy Site Blog Image

There is no argument about that.

Even though many of the fatalities we referred to above were not directly related to the condition of the site, this statistic does not take into account life-changing or less serious injuries. According to an article on Planning & Building Control Today, of the 65,000 non-fatal construction accidents reported in 2014 and 2015, 23% of them were due to slips, trips and falls on work sites caused by materials or tools being left in the wrong place.* That’s nearly 15,000 injuries that could have been avoided if the equipment had been tidied up after use.

There are simple methods of keeping sites tidy, it just needs everyone to be aware and take responsibility. According to the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, the employer must protect the health, safety, and welfare of their employees and others who might be affected by their business. However, the Act also states that employees must take care of their own health and safety, as well as that of others who may be affected by their actions at work. They must cooperate with employers and co-workers to help everyone meet their legal requirements. We can conclude from this then that everyone is responsible, no one is exempt.

5 Easy Steps to Improve Site Organisation

1. Raise Awareness

Ensure that everyone on site knows the dangers of an untidy site and what they are responsible for keeping clean. Encouraging tidiness on site shows that you care about workers’ welfare and sets a good example for the whole team.

2. Lead by example

Project managers and leaders on a construction site must receive proper briefings and training in all health and safety aspects of maintaining a tidy site so they can demonstrate best practices and actively instruct others on the job.

3. Provide the right tools

Don’t forget that clean work area is a safe work area. Ensuring everyone on site has the right equipment to do the job, this will help reduce the amount of equipment that is left lying around.

4. Apply lean production methods

While maybe considered too abstract for a site, some of the basic principles of ‘kaizen’ or lean management are directly applicable to a construction site. Introducing designated tool and equipment storage areas in strategic places around the site can reduce distances that workers must walk to get the equipment they need and can encourage storage of equipment immediately after to use.

5. Invest in site storage equipment

Although it may seem like an extra investment, purchasing or renting specifically designed storage equipment helps you save money and keep the site better organized. For example, use a chain storage rack to store lifting chains and lifting gear safely and securely along with inspection notes, so you can clearly see when inspections and testing are due.

There Are No Disadvantages of Tidy Sites.

As well as the safety aspect, which is obviously the most important, there are other major benefits of keeping your construction site clean and tidy. Environmental and community impacts, efficiencies and security are a few.

Keeping a site clean can minimize the impact on local communities and the environment by reducing air and visual pollution and preventing the accidental release of harmful waste into soil and water. Strict regulations bind construction sites regarding the types of wastewater they can release into the environment, and authorities can impose significant penalties on companies that violate these rules.

One other major advantage of having a tidy site is the impression it leaves. A messy site can give an impression of bad workmanship and disorganisation, but in contrast a well-ordered, neat building site will give an excellent portrayal of your company and the work that you do. This, in turn, could lead to repeat business and word-of-mouth recommendations. And who doesn’t want that?

We Love to Help!

Site Storage Blog GiIF

To increase efficiency we have introduced storage equipment that can be forklifted and crane lifted to reduce moving tools or materials excessively. For safety and tidiness we have introduced a wide range of general storage equipment, including chain storage and wide range of COSHH storage solutions.

To help clients reduce their impact on the environment and the local community we have introduced cleaning and dust suppressing equipment such as forklift sweeper attachments, wheel wash and bootwash systems.

References

Health and Safety Executive, Fatal Injuries Arising from accidents at work in Great Britain 2017, HTTP://WWW.HSE.GOV.UK/STATISTICS/PDF/FATALINJURIES.PDF

PBC Today, Health & Safety News, HTTPS://WWW.PBCTODAY.CO.UK/NEWS/HEALTH-SAFETY-NEWS/KEEPING-BUILDING-SITE-CLEAN-IMPROVED-SAFETY-EFFICIENCY/24146