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 your company, its customers, and visitors a good impression of your jobsite and safety practices.
Safe practices
- Keep trash and loose materials picked up and disposed of properly; put scrap in its designated place.
- Secure materials to prevent shifting or rolling.
- Remove any 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 material in exit spaces.
- Keep floors, ladder rungs and stairways dry and free from dirt, oil, and grease.
- Return tools and equipment to designated storage areas.
- 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 load capacity 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, 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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