A construction site inspection report gives a snapshot of health and safety compliance in the workplace.
What is included in a Construction Site Inspection Report?
On a construction site, the conditions of the site and the way people work should be inspected. Common items to check are:
- Paperwork
- Welfare Provision
- Dust Management
- Working at Height
- Workplaces
- Housekeeping
- Public Protection
- Traffic Management
- Fire Precautions and Management
- Plant and Equipment
- Training and Information
- Noise and Vibration
Who’s Responsible for Site Inspections?
Every employer has a duty to ensure their employees have a safe workplace. The Principal Contractor will produce a construction site inspection report to comply with the Construction (Design and Management) or CDM Regulations.
Subcontractors have duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act to ensure their employees are working safely in a safe workplace. Insurance companies often instruct that site inspections must be undertaken, usually after personal injury claims are settled.
Who Can Do a Construction Site Inspection Report?
The person doing the inspection must complete the report. There is no set format and a good inspection will look at more than the items on the list. A good inspector will observe their surroundings and make notes on items of concern.
Anyone can complete a health and safety inspection report. It is presumed that a greater detail in terms of liability and breach of law will be given by a qualified Health and Safety professional, but Directors and Safety Rep inspections are just as valuable. Directors will see different hazards and risks than a safety professional, and likewise so will a safety rep.
The Inspection Report is valuable as it is a record of conditions but also a point of learning, where improvements can be identified. Construction site inspection reports can form part of the company’s health and safety management review, which is also a legal requirement.
Are Construction Site Inspections a Legal Requirement?
Yes. Although there is no specific “You must inspect your site every x amount”, there is a legal requirement to provide a safe workplace and to monitor and review health and safety management. A site inspection report provides evidence that you have done so.
Keep updated with my free weekly newsletter.