Demolition and Construction Site Etiquette

Whether you’re working on a demolition of construction site, meeting customers or even showing clients around, it’s important that you are aware of, and follow, site etiquette.

Guidelines are in place across all construction and demolition sites to protect workers and visitors from accidents and injuries. As well as site-specific rules and regulations, there are several general pieces of etiquette that you should follow when visiting any construction or demolition site.  

Here’s our guide to some of the rules you must follow:

Know who you’re meeting

If you are a site visitor, make sure you know who you’re supposed to be meeting, when, and where. Construction and demolition sites can be large and difficult to navigate, so it really helps to know where you need to be. You also will not be permitted to enter the site without having this information.

Check in and check out

When you’re visiting a demolition site, you must always check in and check out. This is because it’s vital that the site management team is able keep track of who is on and off site in case of emergency, accident, or theft. Projects will also require all visitors to complete a site induction that includes Health and Safety measures and, to further ensure safety, you will be escorted around the site by a member of the project team.

Don’t interfere with the works

If you don’t have authority to direct or comment on a project, you shouldn’t be interfering with any works whilst you are present on site.

Compliments and concerns are always welcomed and should be directed to Site or Project Management following a site visit.

Don’t take videos or photos

Unless you’ve been told you can take a video or photo during your site visit, you should not be using your phone or any other device to record or take images.

The vast majority of sites contain equipment and materials that are extremely expensive, making privacy a big concern. There may also be confidential materials around the site.

Don’t touch anything

Building sites can be extremely dangerous, so Health and Safety is always a top priority. With this in mind, never touch or remove anything from a site. At the same time, you should always be alert when on site and look out for hazards such as exposed nails, low overheads, wet cement and uneven ground. Always follow the site’s specific guidelines and requirements.

Safety first

When you’re visiting a site, it’s vital that you wear the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) including a hard hat, a safety vest, safety glasses when required, hard sole boots, a long sleeve top and long trousers.

Depending on the nature of a project, there may also be further site-specific PPE that is required. You will be informed of this prior to your visit or during your site induction.

Finally, make sure you treat all your colleagues with respect and always follow the site’s safety guidelines.

Here at Hughes and Salvidge, we take Health and Safety extremely seriously across all of our demolition sites. To find out more about how we keep our teams, visitors, and customers safe, please get in touch.