ARE YOU SAFE ?
This
checklist identifies some of the hazards most commonly found on
construction sites. The questions it asks are intended to help you decide
whether your site is a safe and healthy place to work.
Health and Safety
Checklist
Scaffolds
Are
scaffolds erected, altered and dismantled by competent persons? Is there
safe access to the scaffold platform? Are all uprights provided with base
plates (and, where necessary, timber sole plates) or prevented in some
other way from slipping or sinking? Are all the uprights, ledgers, braces
and struts in position? Is the scaffold secured to the building or
structure in enough places to prevent collapse? Are there adequate guard
rails and toe boards or an equivalent standard of protection at every edge
from which a person could fall 2 m or more? Where guard rails and toe
boards or similar are used: Are the toe boards at least 150 mm in height?
Is the upper guard rail positioned at a height of at least 910 mm above
the work area? Are additional precautions, eg intermediate guard rails or
brick guards in place to ensure that there is no unprotected gap of more
than 470 mm between the toe board and upper guard rail? Are the working
platforms fully boarded and are the boards arranged to avoid tipping or
tripping? Are there effective barriers or warning notices in place to stop
people using an incomplete scaffold, eg where working platforms are not
fully boarded? Has the scaffold been designed and constructed to cope with
the materials stored on it and are these distributed evenly? Does a
competent person inspect the scaffold regularly, eg at least once a week;
always after it has been substantially altered, damaged and following
extreme weather? Are the results of inspections recorded?
Traffic
& Vehicles
Have
separate pedestrian, vehicle access points and routes around the site been
provided? If not, are vehicles and pedestrians kept separate wherever
possible? Have one-way systems or turning points been provided to minimise
the need for reversing? Where vehicles have to reverse, are they
controlled by properly trained banksmen? Are vehicles maintained; do the
steering, handbrake and footbrake work properly? Have drivers received
proper training? Are vehicles securely loaded? Are passengers prevented
from riding in dangerous positions?
Hazardous substances
Have all harmful materials, eg
asbestos, lead, solvents, paints etc been identified? Have the risks to
everyone who might be exposed to these substances been assessed? Have
precautions been identified and put in place, eg is protective equipment
provided and used; are workers and others who are not protected kept away
from exposure?
Plant and
machinery
Is
the right plant and machinery being used for the job?
Are all
dangerous parts guarded, eg exposed gears, chain drives, projecting engine
shafts? Are guards secured and in good repair? Is the machinery maintained
in good repair and are all safety devices operating correctly? Are all
operators trained and competent?
Roof
work
Are
there enough barriers and is there other edge protection to stop people or
materials falling from roofs? Do the roof battens provide safe hand and
foot holds? If not, are crawling ladders or boards provided and used?
During industrial roofing, are precautions taken to stop people falling
from the leading edge of the roof or from fragile or partially fixed
sheets which could give way? Are suitable barriers, guard rails or covers,
etc provided where people pass or work near fragile material such as
asbestos cement sheets and rooflights? Are crawling boards provided where
work on fragile materials cannot be avoided? Are people excluded from the
area below the roof work? If this is not possible, have additional
precautions been taken to stop debris falling onto them?
Protecting
the public
Are the public
fenced off or otherwise protected from the work? When work has stopped for
the day: are the gates secured? Is the perimeter fencing secure and
undamaged? Are excavations and openings securely covered or fenced
off? Is all plant immobilised to prevent unauthorised use? Are bricks and
materials safely stacked? Are flammable or dangerous substances locked
away in secure storage places?
Fire
and Emergencies
Have emergency
procedures been developed, eg evacuating the site in case of fire or
rescue from a confined space? Are people on site aware of the procedures?
Is there a means of raising the alarm and does it work? Are there adequate
escape routes and are these kept clear?
Fire- Is the quantity of
flammable material on site kept to a minimum? Are there proper storage
areas for flammable liquids and gases, eg LPG and acetylene? Are
containers and cylinders returned to these stores at the end of the shift?
If liquids are transferred from their original containers are the new
containers suitable for flammable materials? Is smoking banned in areas
where gases or flammable liquids are stored and used? Are other ignition
sources also prohibited? Are gas cylinders and associated equipment in
good condition? When gas cylinders are not in use, are the valves fully
closed? Are cylinders stored outside? Are adequate bins or skips provided
for storing waste? Is flammable and combustible waste removed regularly?
Are the right number and type of fire extinguishers available and
accessible?
Protective
Clothing
Has adequate personal
protective equipment, eg hard hats, safety boots, gloves, goggles, and
dust masks been provided? Is the equipment in good condition and worn by
all who need it?
Electricity
Is the supply voltage for tools and
equipment the lowest necessary for the job (could battery operated tools
and reduced voltage systems, eg 110V, or even lower in wet conditions, be
used)? Where mains voltage has to be used, are trip devices, eg residual
current devices (RCDs) provided for all equipment? Are RCDs protected from
damage, dust and dampness and checkebbdaily by users? Are cables and leads
protected from damage by sheathing, protective enclosures or by
positioning away from causes of damage? Are all connections to the system
properly made and are suitable plugs used? Is there an appropriate system
of user checks, formal visual examinations by site managers and combined
inspection and test by competent persons for all tools and equipment?
Are scaffolders, roofers etc or cranes or other plant, working near
or under overhead lines? Has the electricity supply been turned off, or
have other precautions, such as 'goal posts' or taped markers been
provided to prevent them contacting the lines? Have underground
electricity cables been located (with a cable locator and cable plans),
marked, and precautions for safe digging been taken?
Source of Information : HSE
BACK
TO MAGAZINE INDEX PAGE
PAGE