A guide to protecting your temporary construction site

Sam Richards
Authored by Sam Richards
Posted Wednesday, July 31, 2019 - 9:08am

Companies can face numerous challenges when building a temporary construction site, especially if they are setting it up in an urban, busy area. 

Not only will they need to ensure safe traffic across the building site, but it is also imperative to protect workers’ safety and eradicate risks to the general public.

To improve its onsite and surrounding safety and security, read this informative guide to protecting your temporary construction site.

Notify Pedestrians and Vehicles with Traffic Cones

Brightly-coloured traffic cones are ideal for short construction projects, as they can inform pedestrians and vehicles to steer clear of your site. This way, it will indicate dangerous work is taking place to passers-by. If you are working outside or nearby roadways, you should use traffic cones that feature reflective sleeves to alert the public effectively.

Protect the Public with Worksite Barriers

If your construction staff need to dig deep holes and ditches, work with various hazardous materials or use dangerous machinery, you must use a prominent, temporary worksite chapter 8 barriers to protect others, as it can prevent people from entering the site. It is also wise to select a barrier with reflective tips for outdoor use.

Introduce an Advanced Temporary Alarm System

Installing CCTV systems can be rather expensive for construction firms, especially for temporary sites. Thankfully, there is a more affordable alternative, as you could introduce an advanced temporary alarm system into your operations, which can improve construction site security and scaffolding security. Find out more about short-term construction site surveillance from Raidervision to support onsite health and safety.

Erect a Reliable Construction Tent

Unpredictable British weather could potentially cause construction delays, which can slow a business down and eat away at a company’s profitability. As you will want to finish a project as soon as humanly possible, you should erect a reliable construction tent to protect your site from the elements, such as intense heat, rain or snow.

Plus, the temporary tent can support your construction site’s health and safety standards, as your employees will not endure:

  • Dehydration
  • Sunburn
  • Heatstroke
  • Heat exhaustion
  • The flu

So, your employees can avoid various weather-related illnesses while enjoying greater job satisfaction. Plus, you will not need to contend with employee absenteeism, which can slow down your company’s operations.

Develop an Effective Traffic Management Plan

Construction firms are also primarily responsible for managing all traffic surrounding a site. If you are embarking on a short-term project, you must redirect traffic while minimising inconvenience for all residents.

The company’s traffic management plan will also need to be approved by a local council, who will determine whether your business has taken the appropriate steps to improve safety around a construction site. 

After all, a poor traffic management plan can increase the risk of a serious accident, traffic jams and residential frustrations. If the plan doesn’t meet their standards, it is unlikely a local council will allow you to move forward on the project, regardless of its length of time.

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