Every construction jobsite needs regular housekeeping performed. Poor housekeeping contributes to slips, trips, and falls. Everyone on the jobsite is responsible for keeping work areas clean and safe and should work together to prevent accidents. Good housekeeping also gives customers and visitors a good impression of your jobsite and safety.
Safe practices
- Keep trash and loose materials picked up and disposed of properly; put scrap in its proper place.
- Secure materials to prevent shifting or rolling.
- Remove tripping hazards.
- Store materials so there is always a clean path around and between work areas and in and out of the jobsite. Do not place objects in ways of exits.
- Keep floors, ladder rungs and stairways dry and free from dirt, oil, and grease.
- Put tools and equipment in areas where they belong.
- Do not store loose materials on scaffolds.
- Do not store more than one shift of material (e.g., block or brick) on scaffolds.
- Store material for stable removal.
- Leave space for workers and equipment to load and unload stored materials.
- Ensure the platform, scaffold or support has adequate strength for the weight of material.
- Keep the height of stored material low for stability and line of sight.
- Store pipe and rods in building racks.
- Clear scrap lumber with protruding nails from work areas, passageways, and stairs in and around buildings or other structures.
- Remove combustible scrap and debris regularly.
- Provide containers for the collection of waste, trash, oily and used rags, and other refuse.
- Ensure containers for oily, flammable, or hazardous wastes (such as caustics and acids) are equipped with covers.
- Do not leave materials outside the exterior walls/doors of the building or structure.
- Enclose material chutes if dropping materials more than 20 feet below.
- Guard openings and discharge of material chutes.
- Do not leave open containers of flammables: gasoline, paint, oil, grease, adhesives, etc.
- Ensure the site has good lighting. Replace lights immediately when they burn out.
- Remember if waste accumulates for just a few days, the job becomes messy and unsafe
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