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You’re about to down tools for the year but ensuring construction site safety during the holiday season is imperative before kicking back for some rest and relaxation.
“Holiday breaks, particularly over the festive season, can leave a worksite with increased exposure to risk,” says Simon Croft, HIA Chief Executive – Industry and Policy. “Builders and site managers especially should consider the importance of securing active worksites during this time.”
Potential risks include the obvious – theft and weather damage – and the not so obvious, such as injury to anyone onsite.
“Securing the site is really important for the community, particularly curious little children in the school holidays,” says Meagan McCool, Director – Metropolitan Construction Compliance at SafeWork NSW.
We’ve compiled this shutdown cheat sheet to help you have a worry-free Christmas.
Tip: Always wear the appropriate safety equipment (PPE and gloves, for example) when on the job or entering a jobsite. Always follow the instructions for the product or equipment.
A couple of weeks before the break, take the time to walk around the site and look for potential problems. “It’s switching off the power to the site, clearing debris, blocking access to floors, lifts, tools, equipment, chemicals and dangerous goods, emptying water drums, covering voids and pits, and even covering reinforcement bars,” Meagan says.
Debris from a jobsite can quickly become projectiles that damage your project or surrounding structures. “Adequately fix off or secure any temporary fixings for cladding and roofing to ensure it’s securely fastened and won’t become dislodged in high winds,” Simon says of helping to increase construction site safety. “Also install necessary capping or flashing to make the building weather tight.”
Deterring thieves is essential when tradies aren’t coming and going onsite. First, remove anything valuable from the site or secure it in a heavy-duty lock box. “Check that all loose items, such as unfixed materials, equipment and appliances, are stored out of view from the street, locked away or removed from site to minimise the potential for theft or injury,” Simon says. A fence is also a must. “Functioning gate locks will also prevent unauthorised entry.”
Tip: Let us do the heavy lifting by organising temporary fencing for your worksite through our Hire Shop.
Prioritising safety on a construction site is a legal obligation. “In respect to safe work and WHS laws, you actually have a duty to make sure the site is secure so far as reasonably practicable,” Meagan says. “If the site is on a route commonly travelled by children, such as to the school or park, put in a perimeter fence where possible, but where that can’t happen, put in other means to limit unauthorised access – if it’s a building, that could be adding the front door.”
Meagan also says all plant and machinery that might look ‘fun’ needs to be secured, locked down and disabled. Of course, security cameras can also give added security to a site.
It’s a requirement that all sites have visible adequate signage that includes contact details. “Someone might see something happening or something that looks to be dislodged in high winds,” Meagan says. “It’s also for emergency services to know who’s managing the site and how to get a situation controlled as quickly as possible.”
The HIA recommends this type of wording: “This residential building site is closed over the Christmas/New Year period. This site is not a completed structure and presents significant safety hazards. Please do not enter unless authorised. For further information or to report unauthorised entry, please contact [insert your business contact].”
A pre-holiday warning from WorkSafe NSW: be extra wary of injuries to your staff in the lead-up to Christmas holidays – rushing to meet end-of-year deadlines can come at a cost. “In the lead-up to Christmas last year we had some really significant incidents with the rushing to get closed up,” Meagan says. “We had a 22-year-old concrete worker fall two metres into an unprotected excavation and he had significant injuries needing surgery. We also had a 54-year-old painter who fell from a ladder on the first floor and he actually passed away.”
Yes, you’re on holiday, but it’s a good idea to do regular site inspections to make sure everything is okay. If you can’t do it, organise for someone in your team to check the site on a regular basis.
ACT Policing have these extra tips for keeping your site and belongings safe:
Check out our story on how to protect some of your most valuable assets.
Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page.
When following our advice in our videos, make sure you use all equipment, including PPE, safely by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Check that the equipment is suitable for the task and that PPE fits properly. If you are unsure, hire an expert to do the job or talk to a Bunnings Team Member.
