We know what you’re thinking – how is it Christmas again?
With the festive period in full flow, your team are no doubt counting down the days to a well-deserved break. And, with the poor weather conditions, freezing cold temperatures and shorter days, working on a building site can be especially hard this time of year. So, please do try and enjoy the chance to rest and recuperate for a couple of weeks.
However, when you’re away from site, things can go wrong. Site break-ins are not uncommon, and adverse weather conditions can damage fencing and disrupt temporary or incomplete structures. That’s why a little well-thought out preparation can go a long way in ensuring your Christmas dinner isn’t interrupted – and you return to site in January doesn’t come with any nasty surprises.
Planning your site shutdown over the festive season should be a high priority. That means the last-minute shopping and wrapping is going to have to wait if you want to do things properly.
Here’s a Christmas shutdown list, to check not once, but twice…
- Check and secure all boundary fencing
- Lock all gates
- Secure all entrances
- Remove all valuables
- Lock all containers
- Secure all temporary structures
- Move all equipment and materials to storage
- Immobilise all plant
- Cover or blockade all excavations
- Remove all access to scaffolding and platforms
- Remove all waste and flammable materials
- Install CCTV (if you can)
- Display out of hours emergency contact details prominently
A word to the wise, under CDM regulations, as an occupier, it is your legal duty to secure your building site and prevent unauthorised access. So, before your break, ensure all fencing is robust, durable, and undamaged, all relevant signage is prominently displayed, and all entrances are locked and secure.
Depending on the location of your site, you may need further security provisions. Every site is different and will have its own security risks, and unfortunately it is your responsibility to make sure you’ve got this covered. City centre sites and those within occupied premises, may have increased risk as opposed to those in rural areas. For those high-risk locations, consider regular patrols or installing CCTV.
Finally, to further reduce the risk of theft, trespassing or arson, it’s highly advisable to remove all valuables, equipment, and materials from your site – unless you want it to turn into some kind of black-market Santa’s workshop
With enough preparation and by following the list above, you should enjoy an uninterrupted, restful, stress-free, and well-earned Christmas break with your friends and family.
And if you’re already thinking about upcoming projects in the new year, you can get a clear picture of exactly how much a project costs – and in real time – with ProntoCalc. Price any project, of any size, in any location in 2 hours or less, giving you the headspace you need to focus on the bigger picture – the future of your business.
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