Setting Out Video Lesson

Construction is an exciting industry. It is constantly changing; project move on and jobs get
done as a result of this a construction site is one of the most dangerous environments to work in
but many accidents that occur on sites can be avoided. So, in this film find out what the site
must do and what you must do to stay healthy and safe at work.

When you arrive for your first day on a site it won't be the first day for everyone. Before any
work begins, the site management team would have been planning and preparing the site for
your arrival. It is their job to ensure that you can do your job safely and efficiently.

So, what are five key things the site should do for you.

When you arrive, you should be greeted and welcomed by someone on site and if you're not
then make your presence known to site management. You need to know who is in charge and
they need to know who is working on or visiting their site. You may be asked to sign in or
report to someone in charge when you arrive you should also let someone know or sign out if
you're leaving.

Once you've introduced yourself you will be given a site induction. This is a legal requirement
to give you basic information so that you can work safely on site. You may be asked to watch a
video or look at a presentation. It is important that you understand what is said during the
induction. If there's something you're not sure about don't be afraid to ask for more information.
If you have not been to the site for a while you need to be sure that you're up-to-date. Check the
site management whether you need a briefing or further induction.

Whether you're just starting out or have decades of experience every job is different so it's very
important that the site induction is specific to your site. You should be told about any specific
areas of danger and what site rules are in place to control these. You will be told who the
managers are on site and what arrangements are in place for emergencies. You will also find
out what to do if there is a fire or if you need to sound an alarm. It may sound basic but there
must be good welfare facilities. You must also be able to take a break somewhere where that is
warm and dry.
Evidence shows that there are fewer incidents and accidents on sites where the workers are
actively involved in health and safety. Your opinions and ideas are important so make them
heard. Whatever the size of your site there should be many opportunities to do this. For
example, directly with managers through a daily briefing or through suggestion boxes managers
should let you know how best to do this on your site. Construction sites are constantly changing
and unplanned activities can be a major cause of accidents. The more up-to-date you are about
what's happening on site the more you can understand the dangers. The best sites keep their
people informed on daily activities. Is there a hazards board on your site, is it regularly updated
your site management must be telling you what's going-on on a regular basis?

So, to recap your site must know when you are on site, give you a site induction, give you site-
specific information, encourage communication and keep you up to date.

Your site should be doing all it can to keep you and your colleagues safe if it isn't, say
something and work together to make it better.

Site management will have planned ahead to make work on site as safe as possible for you but
once the work begins it's up to every individual to take responsibility for carrying out the plan
safely. This means following the guidelines set out but also means being alert to the continuing
changes on sites. So, what will the site expect from you?

Site rules are there to minimize the risk of particularly hazardous activities such as moving
vehicles and handling flammable substances. Moving traffic on-site is a major cause of
accidents so often rules will cover issues like how to walk through the site, where to park and
how to behave when you see a moving vehicle. They will also tell you things like where you
can smoke and remind you to tie the equipment away when it is not in use. These may feel
restrictive but they've been put in place for a reason if that reason is not clear to you ask for
more information otherwise follow the rules to stay safe.

Every task carried out on the site is unique and will have its own dangers for instance working
at height or manual handling. The site management team will put in place a plan to avoid or
minimize the dangers before the start of work. The plan may be written down in a risk
assessment, a method statement or a task sheet this will tell you what to do, the skills needed,
what to wear, what tools to use and what the dangers are. You should contribute to the planning
process using your experience and knowledge for example before working at height which is a
high-risk activity you must consider is the axis suitable for what you need to do? do you have
the right tools? do you have the right protective equipment? does it fit and is it comfortable
once you're at work?

You must apply your training skills and common sense to your tasks at all times for example if
you're building a wall you may have to move heavy loads but you must not put your health and
body in danger. To do this make sure you move the load as safely as possible as you would
have been trained to do and if you're not sure how to then you must ask for advice. Equally, it is
important to be aware of the dangers to those around you for example if someone working with
you is not wearing the correct protective equipment for a certain activity tell them so. Acting
responsibly will benefit both you and your colleagues.

In our industry saying no is not easy we are fixes and doers we can do. However, a significant
number of accidents on sites happen when people are doing things that they are not comfortable
with for example many workers have been harmed by not knowing how to identify asbestosis.
If you think there's any likelihood that there may be asbestos present where you are working
you must stop work and seek advice. If you're not properly trained equipped or briefed or if the
situation around you change the result could be an accident. Trust your instincts if things feel
beyond your control or dangerous or if you see someone else working unsafely stop the work
immediately and inform site management why you have done so. You might prevent an injury
or save a life. Your employer should be supportive if you do this because you have the right to
say no and a responsibility to not live by.

If your job requires you to have specific training to enable you to do it safely then it is your
employer's responsibility to provide it. But, to really get the best out of your career you should
keep learning about developments in machinery, equipment regulations and training. This will
not only give you greater confidence and understanding but will also ensure you remain healthy
and safe.

So, to recap you must respect site rules, safely prepare each task, do each task responsibly,
know when to stop and keep learning. Construction is so much more than bricks and mortar.
The work we do improves the world around us. It's time for us to work together to build a safer
and better industry.