5 Ways to Improve Construction Site Safety | Checkatrade
Review a Trade

Have you completed a project recently? Let your tradesperson know how they did.

Advice Centre

Get Inspired! Check the latest industry expertise and read insider tips from our vetted tradespeople.

Search For A Trade

We interview and vet all our tradespeople to ensure they meet our high standards.

Join Checkatrade

Join us and benefit from the millions of potential customers who use Checkatrade to find reliable tradespeople.

Advice Centre

Grow your business! Check out top tips and expert advice for boosting your reputation online.

Login To Your Account

Edit your profile, view callback requests and ask for feedback from customers.

5 ways to improve construction site safety

As a tradesperson, one of the most important things you can do is ensure that your construction site is health and safety-conscious. Below are five tried and tested ways to do so.

In this day and age, there’s little room for unchecked health and safety hazards in the workplace. And when it comes to construction site health and safety, where injuries are common, a safe and secure site is paramount.

Whether it’s a small-scale extension project or a grand residential scheme, companies and tradesmen have a duty to ensure safety. We’ll be taking you through five crucial changes you can make to prioritise security and building site safety.

Who is responsible for managing construction site safety?

Although everyone has health and safety responsibilities, the site’s principal contractor is in charge of managing health and safety procedures.

To ensure site safety, the principal contractor will produce a construction phase plan for all other contractors to follow. To learn more about this process, take a look at our blog on Construction Phase Plans.

More generally, the HSE, a UK government agency, are responsible for enforcing workplace safety. Any rules followed in the workplace will be set out by the HSE. For more information on this topic, check out our blog ‘what does the HSE do?

Hard helmets for safe working

Involve staff at each level

As site safety involves everybody – from senior management to apprentices – it’s crucial that everyone is on board. Tradesmen and construction companies often fail when they keep safety at the management level – and that is a costly mistake.

Therefore, a system should be established for staff to raise concerns, whether that’s a safety officer or monthly meetings with representatives.

Appoint a construction site safety officer

While safety is everyone’s responsibility, appointing staff who are available to discuss concerns will ensure nothing is missed. This doesn’t necessarily mean hiring someone specifically. It’s often better to train an existing employee.

Whether they’re revising regulations or carrying out checks, having an officer will ensure building site safety is taken care of.

Protect your workers with Checkatrade

Checkatrade members get discounts on top branded safety gear.

Learn more

Stay organised

Because safety is occasionally seen as an inconvenience in operations, sometimes important things are missed. Organisation is therefore key. From site equipment to the procedure for raising concerns, everything must be streamlined and straightforward.

Whether that means installing lockers for PPE, or managing spreadsheets, you must make safety improvements accessible for all staff.

Set aside some resources

Site safety can be costly. This could be because of time, money or both. This makes setting aside resources to support new procedures absolutely crucial.

From a small budget to fund helmets to time allocated for safety officer checks, you’ll need money to accommodate these necessities.

health and safety clothing

Encourage younger workers

In any trade, you’ll find young workers eager to learn. It’s these youngsters who’ll make up tomorrow’s workforce. Communicating building site health and safety to them is vital if you want to create a culture where safety is respected.

Whether you develop a training structure, or set up a buddy system, setting the precedent from the start is essential.

But site safety doesn’t have to feel like a chore. By taking steps to promote the welfare of employees, you can ensure your team becomes safety-conscious by default. And by putting these tips into action, you can gain peace of mind and ensure staff welfare.

Build your business with Checkatrade

We're the UK's number one digital trade directory for reputable tradespeople.

Join today

Ensure your construction site safety with Checkatrade

Construction sites are one of the more dangerous workplaces. Therefore, it’s vital to enforce robust construction site safety measures. Implement these changes to ensure site security, staff safety, and peace of mind. This is where Checkatrade can help.

We’ve partnered with numerous well-known building brands that provide site safety gear. All our safety gear is discounted for Checkatrade members. If you’re interested in finding out more, speak with our team to learn about the sign-up process. Boost your construction site safety and join Checkatrade today.

Benefits of becoming a Checkatrade member

When you become an official Checkatrade member, you’ll soon see your business thrive. As a Checkatrade member, you become part of one of the UK’s largest and most trusted trade networks with a wide range of benefits.

Increase your leads

Every week, Checkatrade members receive over 100,000 leads. 3 million UK homeowners chose a Checkatrade member last year with a third of all work coming directly through Checkatrade**.

Build your reputation

8 out of 10 people would choose a Checkatrade endorsed trader over someone who isn’t endorsed***. When you use the Checkatrade tick, your customers will trust that you provide an excellent service.

Benefits and discounts

Checkatrade members get exclusive access to a range of deals and benefits. As a Checkatrade member you can save an average of £470 per year****. Savings include equipment, insurance, van leasing, workwear, and more.
*Estimate costs for vehicle, fuel, tools, and insurance

**Checkatrade brand tracking survey April 2021

***Claims are sourced from a survey conducted by Deep Blue Thinking on a nationally representative UK sample in November 2021.

****Year runs from April 21’ to March 22’. Saving calculation based on average spend across 12,505 members in 2020/2021/2022. Discounts differ depending on the partner. Products range from low value items to high value items. Some exclusions will apply on products.

Tell us what you think

Please note, you cannot leave a review, or contact a tradesperson by commenting.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

What others think of this article:

No comments yet!

More content like this

What tools does a bricklayer need?

Must-have bricklayer tools and their uses Maybe you’re just starting out and wondering how to beco...

Read more
Tradesman or tradesperson? What’s the best term to use?

What is a trade? As you no doubt already know, a trader is a specific type of job that requires a ce...

Read more
What roofers need to know about drone roof inspection

Why carry out roof inspection using a drone Roof inspections are an important part of any roofer’s...

Read more