Preventing unauthorised access to construction sites
The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 requires that employers take reasonable steps to ensure the health and safety of persons other than their employees, which implies a duty to ensure people are safe from activities on construction sites.
In addition, the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (the CDM Regulations) require the prevention of access to construction sites by unauthorised persons, and that ‘… where necessary in the interests of health and safety, a construction site must, so far as is reasonably practicable, and in accordance with the level of risk posed, comply with either or both of the following; have its perimeter identified by suitable signs and be arranged so that its extent is readily identifiable; or be fenced off.'
The principal contractor must take necessary steps to prevent access by unauthorised persons to the construction site and contractors must not begin work on a construction site unless reasonable steps have been taken to prevent access by unauthorised persons to that site.
Principal contractors should liaise with contractors to define the site boundaries using suitable barriers and take steps to ensure that only those authorised to access the site do so. For projects involving only one contractor, the contractor must do whatever is proportionate to prevent unauthorised access before starting work on the site.
Special consideration will be required for sites that have:
- Rights of way through them.
- Other work areas next to them.
- Occupied houses next to them.
- Children or vulnerable people nearby.
There may also be may be planning conditions attached to a planning permission setting out specific obligations in relation to the site perimeter.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
The Building Safety Act 2022 today.
Many provisions came into force on June 28, 2022.
With room to expand.
An information packed session at the BSRIA conference.
Refurbishment, Energy Efficiency, Indoor air and process.
Considering building acoustics with the AT Journal.
Why building acoustic considerations must be non-negotiable.
Create a profile, write informed product articles and share.
Aluminium Composite Panels (ACP) is one example.
Top 50 Women in engineering 2022.
Inventors and innovators at ICE.
Life, death and art at the Stuart court. Book review.
Real estate, place adaptation and innovation.
Review and comment on the revised draft before July 11.
We are indeed now 10 years old, so go on and be bold !
Write about something you know, help us build and grow !
IHBC's 25th anniversary 2022 Aberdeen School.
A blended event and triumphant return.
New Construction Leadership Council Co-Chair selected.
Mark Reynolds succeeds Andy Mitchell as Co-Chair of CLC
Designing Buildings is 10 years old.
Types of work to existing buildings.
From alteration to deconstruction on DB.
Publication available
In the sunshine things get hotter.
Understanding temperature in buildings on DB.
Giving power to the consumer on the road to net-zero.
A call for home energy management to be modernised.
How many different types can you think of ?
50th anniversary of the first Pride parade UK.
Looking back and fourth to what still needs to be done.
Balkrishna Doshi wins Royal Gold Medal 2022.
Pioneering Indian environmental design Architect.
The greenest building is the one already built.
History of Temple Meads rewritten.
UK crying out for female tradespeople says CIOB research.
Currently standing at just 1%.
Find out more with BSRIA.
Changes come into force for F,L,O and S.