I'm Trying To Work Safe But My Job Site Is Cluttered - What Can I Do?

Poor housekeeping is on ongoing battle at construction sites.  Wouldn't it be great if job sites were always empty rooms with nothing on the floor?  The fact of the matter is they aren't.  Construction job sites are ever changing.  Each job site is different depending on the number of contractors on site at a given time, depending on the general contractor running the project, depending on the contractors that are present including their materials and equipment brought with them.  You may be doing the best you can to keep your own housekeeping matters under control.  Your equipment, tools and materials are organized, your debris is picked up but your work area is still cluttered with other contrator's tools, equipment or materials.  What can you do in this case?  It's pretty much all about communication.  If other contractors tools, equipment and/or materials are cluttering your work space and are presenting slip, trip and fall hazards, don't just accept those conditions and work in them as it could lead to a serious injury.  Discuss the hazard with your Foreman and/or Superintendent.  The Foreman should then communicate the poor housekeeping hazard to the general contractor and seek out assistance in having the other contractor's get their items cleared out and organized.  If this step in the process doesn't go well, the Foreman should then contact our Safety Director, Peter Graham, to seek out additional assistance.  He will then offer up other solutions and he will probably come out to the cluttered project and take some photos and have a sit down discussion with our Superintendent and the general contractor to discuss a housekeeping plan and implementation of the plan.  What we don't want for you to do is to start moving other contractor's heavy equipment and materials yourself as that has the potential to cause an injury to you.  Again, it's about communication.  If you have any questions regarding poor housekeeping issues, please call our Safety Director, Peter Graham at (847) 417-1689.

Have a Safe Day!