By Jeff Eriks and Evan Williams, Cambridge Companies
February 1, 2018
Here are some tips for planning safety into a project while in the pre-construction phase.
Site safety is a big concern at project sites. Before beginning any project, the contractor, owner, and design team need to fully evaluate the impact of the construction on the actual site and the surrounding areas. This needs to be a group effort to build and manage the plan. A single entity cannot complete an effective safety program by itself. Everyone has different perspectives and roles, and their input is invaluable to the overall safety program.
The basic premise and assumptions for this article are that the project:
- Takes place in a more urban area with a lot of vehicle traffic but little foot traffic.
- Is a ground-up construction project with additional operations onsite.
- Employees will visit the project daily to work at the other buildings.
- Visitors will be onsite periodically.
Owner Safety Requirements
Any design and construction firm must fully read and understand the owner’s safety requirements and incorporate them into the project safety plan. Some owners have strict safety procedures that must be followed, which can include:
- Construction worker parking areas
- Drug testing
- Access controls
- Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)
- Sign-in/sign-out procedures
The contractor must agree to these conditions and pass them on to the subcontractors so that everyone understands what must get done daily to comply with owner requirements. This is the most important step in the process because the owner’s insurance may require these items. If an incident occurs because one of these requirements is not followed, it could lead to lawsuits down the road.
Read the full article on Waste Advantage Magazine
