Scope of construction activities
The range of activities involved in a construction project will vary between projects and will typically include those shown here.
Site clearance
This may involve demolition activities, removal of overgrowth, groundwork, removal of waste, and ground remediation.
Cleaning
Clean ‘as you go’ and good standards of housekeeping are important during a construction project. In preparing a completed building for occupation and sale, cleaning activities may involve working at height, the use of high pressure water jetting, and hazardous cleaning chemicals. The use of shot-blasting for cleaning structural stonework or timber creates a hazardous silicate dust (free silica is prohibited as a substance for such blasting operations).
Decoration
Painting of internal and external surfaces involves working at height. Paint and other finishes may be hazardous to health on skin contact or by inhalation.
Decommissioning
This involves bringing an area from its fully operational status to one where all live or charged systems are rendered dead or inert and reduced to the lowest possible hazard level, and is an essential early stage of a demolition project.
Excavations
This is work carried out below ground level, including any earthwork, trench, well, shaft, tunnel or underground working. Excavations are used for laying foundations and installing site utilities. Excavation hazards and controls are discussed in Element 11.
Fabrication
Steel erecting, welding and form-working are common in commercial construction projects. Mechanical lifting of structural steels, welding and working at height are all hazardous activities.
Landscaping
Groundwork to modify site levels and contours ready for laying lawns and the introduction of trees and shrubs etc. is one of the last stages of a project, readying the site for occupation or sale. Landscaping will involve the use of earthmoving plant and mechanical and manual handling activities.
Vehicle movements
Movement of heavy plant and other site vehicles presents a danger to site workers and others. Ground and weather conditions and the dynamic nature of a construction project can make for a high risk working environment. The particular hazards associated with site vehicles including dumpers, 360° excavators and all terrain fork lift trucks are discussed at Elements 3 and 4.
Site services
Site utilities (e.g. electricity, gas, water and telecommunications) will usually be delivered to a new structure underground. Installing cables and pipework throughout a building involves work at height and confined space work.
Demolition and dismantling
The safe demolition or dismantling of a structure, or part of a structure, requires effective planning and control to prevent danger from a variety of safety and health hazards. Demolition activities are discussed in Element 12.
Loading, unloading and storage of materials
The delivery of structural materials and the removal of wastes, the manual and mechanical handling activities, and the storage of valuable, flammable or otherwise hazardous materials all present safety management challenges on a construction site.