Things to Consider When Setting up a Construction Site

As most experienced construction site managers will know, there are many things that must be put in place when setting up a construction site. It’s important to consider how to best protect site workers and the public, what information needs to be displayed, if all relevant paperwork has been completed and where it should be stored, and more. Once planning permission has been obtained and your project is given the green light, it’s likely that everyone will want to get started as quickly as possible. However, it’s crucial to ensure that you have taken the necessary steps and implemented the correct procedures when setting up your construction site. No matter how tight the deadline to set your site up may seem, it’s important not to rush the process. To avoid creating an unsafe working environment, producing low-quality work, and damaging your reputation, it’s important to have every angle covered when it comes to setting up your site. If you’re relatively new to the construction industry, you’ll be pleased to know that there are plenty of guidelines and best practice documents to follow. Below, we’ve compiled a list of important things to consider when setting up your site… 

It’s important to establish rules and procedures that everyone on your site must follow. From regular workers to visitors, it’s your responsibility as a business owner to keep everyone safe. Implementing and clearly displaying rules is crucial. Your site rules should cover a wide range of topics including but not limited to the following; personal protective equipment, smoking, restricted areas, use of radios and mobile phones, traffic management systems, pedestrian routes, emergency arrangements, fire safety information, site tidiness, and more. It’s vital that your rules are clearly displayed and easy to understand. You should also consider any special requirements that may have to be made, for example, if there are any non-English speaking site workers, you’ll need to correctly translate any signage. You’ll also need to ensure that every site worker completes a suitable site induction and is clear on all of the relevant rules, regulations and procedures. 

Each year, there is an alarming number of accidents, injuries and even deaths caused by vehicles on a construction site. Generally, these accidents are caused by inadequate separation of pedestrians and vehicles. It’s hugely important to consider this during the planning and design stages of your construction site. It’s also important to make sure that someone is controlling vehicle operations during the construction work. 

Adequate lighting and visibility is essential for construction workers to be able to complete their tasks safely and effectively. A construction site should be arranged so that enough natural light is available for workers to do their work and move around the site safely. If the project runs outside of daylight working hours, then artificial lighting must be provided. It’s important to recognise any shadows or dimly lit areas and make sure that these are lit up. If you’re using artificial lighting, you should check to see if it appears to impact the colour or visibility of any safety signage or any other safety related items. You must also think about emergency lighting in the case of an emergency and backup or battery operated lighting if the artificial lighting was to fail.

As a site manager, you’re responsible for ensuring that members of the public are adequately protected from the works taking place on your construction site. It’s important to make sure that the site is secured and that you have considered potential threats to the health and safety of the public. Creating a clear fencing perimeter around your site can deter unauthorised access and can help to prevent injury. If you are going to have vehicles entering your site, it’s important to plan a clear pathway and adequate space for pedestrians to walk and cross. It’s useful to install signage around the perimeter of your site which clearly displays the company’s contact information, safety notices and a list of potential hazards.  

It’s important to ensure that you are complying with the rules and regulations to protect the welfare of construction workers. Every construction site worker must have access to toilets and facilities for changing, washing, eating and rest. As mentioned above, it’s also important to make sure that every site member has completed a suitable site induction. They’ll need to be clear on all of the site rules and safety procedures. Interested in finding out more about the importance of health and safety on a construction site? Check out our recent blog article. 

It’s a legal requirement to ensure that your site is kept in good condition and that every place of work is clean. When planning a construction site, you’ll need to think about waste and storage management. Each site worker will need to know where the correct waste and storage provisions are. If you’re working with hazardous materials and flammable chemicals, it’s vital that these are disposed of properly. It’s important to make sure that site workers keep all storage and work areas organised too.