Health & Safety Services
Construction
Site Audit
Health and safety in construction is a comprehensive assessment of safety practices, procedures, and conditions on a construction site.
It looks at the site to make sure you are complying with health and safety regulations, helps to identify potential hazards and ensures the implementation of appropriate safety measures to protect workers and others present at the construction site.
An audit of construction site health and safety, also known as a construction site inspection or construction site risk assessment, is crucial in maintaining a safe work environment and preventing accidents and injuries.
What we look at when considering construction site health and safety
These are just some of the things we consider when completing an audit for construction health and safety:
Work Permits and Safety Documents: Review the documentation related to work permits, including hot work permits, confined space permits, and any other permits required for specific tasks. Ensure that safety documents, such as risk assessment and method statement, health and safety policies and procedures are in place and being followed. Ensure that the documentation is up to date, comprehensive, and accessible to all workers.
Hazard Identification: Identify and assess specific hazards associated with the construction activities being conducted and ensure control measures are in place. This may include evaluating risks related to working at heights, excavation, heavy machinery, electrical installations, confined a, hazardous substances, or any other construction-specific hazards.
Work at Height: Focus on work at height activities, such as scaffolding, ladders, and working platforms. Evaluate the adequacy of fall protection systems, guardrails, and other measures to prevent falls. Ensure that workers are trained in safe work at height practices.
Work Practices: Observe work practices and procedures to determine if safe working practices are being followed. Assess compliance with established protocols for tasks such as working at heights, lifting and handling materials, scaffolding, working in confined spaces, and hot work activities.
Machinery and Equipment: Inspect machinery, equipment, and tools used on the site to ensure they are in proper working order, regularly maintained, and used safely. Verify that operators are adequately trained and competent to operate the equipment.
Excavations and Trenches: Assess the safety of excavations and trenches, including proper shoring, trench boxes, and access/egress points. Verify that precautions are taken to prevent collapses and that workers are trained in excavation safety.
Emergency Preparedness: Evaluate the effectiveness of emergency response plans, first aid facilities, fire safety measures, evacuation procedures, emergency exits and fire protection systems. Ensure that necessary equipment, such as fire extinguishers, fire alarm, and emergency exits are accessible and in working order. Verify that workers are trained in emergency procedures and that drills are conducted regularly.
Site Conditions: We will inspect the construction site to identify potential hazards and unsafe conditions. This includes evaluating the general layout of the site, organisation, housekeeping, storage areas and accessibility of the site. Looking for potential trip or slip hazards, obstructions, uneven surfaces, or any other factors that may pose risks.
Analyse the Sequence of Events: Leading up to the accident. Identify any contributing factors, such as unsafe acts, unsafe conditions, equipment failures, human error, lack of training, or communication breakdowns. Consider both immediate and underlying causes.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): We will review the use and availability of appropriate PPE for workers, such as hard hats, safety glasses, high-visibility vests, gloves, and safety footwear. Ensuring that workers are wearing and using PPE correctly, and that it is maintained, inspected, and replaced as needed.
Electrical Safety: Review electrical installations, equipment, and wiring to ensure compliance with electrical safety standards. Verify that circuit breakers, grounding, and lockout/tagout procedures are in place. Assess electrical safety training provided to workers.
Training and Competence: Evaluate the training and competency levels of workers, including their understanding of health and safety procedures and regulations. Verify that appropriate training has been provided, documented, and regularly updated.
Compliance with Regulations: Verify compliance with relevant health and safety regulations, codes, and standards applicable to the construction industry. This includes compliance with local, national, and industry-specific regulations, as well as any specific requirements stipulated in permits or contracts.
Contractor Management: Assess the management of contractors and subcontractors on the site and review the selection process, contract agreements, and communication channels. Ensure that contractors are complying with health and safety requirements, have appropriate insurance coverage, and are adhering to site-specific safety rules.
Reporting our findings
Following the audit, we will produce a comprehensive report, detailing the findings, observations, and recommendations for improving construction site health and safety.
It is essential to ensure that any corrective actions are promptly implemented to address any identified issues and maintain a safe working environment.
Audits for construction site health and safety should be conducted regularly throughout the construction process, with particular focus during critical stages or when significant changes occur, due to the dynamic nature of construction sites and the potential for new hazards to emerge quickly.
Involving construction health and safety consultants, experienced in building site health and safety can provide expertise and ensure a thorough compliant assessment.
Our construction health and safety consultants will be able to advise you on all aspects of your building site health and safety.
Our Popular Construction Health and Safety Packages
Our clients often tell us that they would benefit from a package of our construction health and safety services, rather than using each service individually. That’s why we have put together our most popular Construction Health and Safety services into easy-to-understand packages for you here
CONSTRUCTION
Essential
£60/month
CONSTRUCTION
Enhanced
£90/month
Most Popular