As we head into the Christmas holidays, many construction sites will shut down to allow workers time to celebrate the holidays with their families. Whether you are shutting down for the bank holidays or extending the time off to a week or two, there are several considerations to take into account to ensure you come back to a ready-to-work site.
Conduct A Risk Assessment For Your Construction Site Shutdown
For a successful construction site shutdown, a degree of planning should be in place. Conducting a risk assessment is part of that planning. You will need to identify the following:
- Potential security breaches.
- Possible accident or injury causations.
- Potential weather damage.
You will then need to plan and provide solutions for all of these potential issues and discuss them with your team.
How To Prevent Theft Of Tools Over Christmas
It is common knowledge that tool theft is on the rise in the UK, with many contractors having thousands of pounds of tools stolen from sites and vehicles daily. It is estimated that over £100 million worth of construction tools have been stolen in the UK over the last three years, so you must take into account some suitable security measures while your site is out of action for Christmas.
Firstly before leaving the site, you should ensure all doors, windows and entry points to the property are secure and locked. Fastbuild stocks a range of padlocks for construction sites, from small combination padlocks to larger security chains and aqua-safe padlocks.
Another thing worth noting is whether you are able to remove valuable tools from the site itself and store them in secure storage, as it eliminates the thief's ability to steal them altogether. This is recommended if you are closing the site down for an extended period of time, such as multiple weeks. Any materials or equipment that is too big to move inside over the Christmas break should be hidden from view if possible and larger items that can't be moved from the site should at least be covered and secured.
When it comes to surveillance, obviously, CCTV is the best deterrent you could install. Having both cameras and signage stating you have operational surveillance can stop thieves and vandals in their tracks and make them think twice about breaking in. Furthermore, if you do suffer from a break-in, it increases the chances of catching the culprits.
It is worth noting that for cameras to capture unwanted entries, the outside of the property should be well-lit overnight.
In summary;
- Ensure all entry points are secure
- Lock all valuable material in a safe and contained area or storage units
- Hid any materials or larger equipment from sight
- Install security cameras
- Install floodlighting
Preventing Weather Damage On Construction Sites
It is not just thieves and vandals that pose a threat to your construction site; the weather can also cause considerable damage to your site when left unattended. Wintertime in the UK brings rain, frost and sometimes even snow, all of which can cause damage to materials and equipment.
You will need to look at the weather forecast for the time your construction site will be closed and create a plan of action in accordance with your site and the weather.
For example, if it's raining, you will want to ensure the property is completely watertight. If there is a leak, multiple days of heavy rain can result in extensive water damage. Furthermore, if your site has areas at risk of flooding or water retention, ensure no materials or equipment is stored in those areas.
Checklist Before Leaving Your Construction Site For Christmas
There are a number of things you will want to go around and check before finally locking up and leaving to enjoy Christmas with your family and friends. These checks should be done as the last job on site and by the last person in attendance. We suggest a site or project manager.
- Check all electrical sockets and power points are turned off at the source.
- Ensure all lights that aren't for security are turned off at the source.
- Ensure any valuables are either removed from the site or are in the designated safe storage areas.
- Check all faucets and water points are turned off (you could even turn off the water flow to the entire site to prevent flooding in the case of a burst pipe).
- Where applicable, close any blinds or curtains to reduce visibility.
- Lock any safes and lockboxes.
- Ensure all windows, doors and entry points are locked.
- If relevant, ensure security cameras are operational.
- Finally, lock any gates or main entry points to the building or site.
Once all of these have been completed, you can head home for Christmas celebrations, safe in the knowledge that your construction site should remain safe and ready to start work come January.
