Site office
Construction sites will generally require office facilities to provide accommodation for site managers, provide space for meetings and to provide storage for site documentation. Site offices are often described as ‘site huts’ even if they are large and well fitted out.
It is important that site offices are comfortable, attractive and versatile, as well as being suitably robust and secure. Regulation 17 of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (the CDM Regulations) states:
‘A construction site must, so far as is reasonably practicable, have sufficient working space and be arranged so that it is suitable for any person who is working or who is likely to work there, taking account of any necessary work equipment likely to be used there.’
Each individual project will have different requirements for site office provision. On large projects separate offices may be provided for site foremen, engineers and the commercial and project management team.
As site offices are generally temporary in nature, only there for the duration of the construction works, they are often prefabricated, or constructed from portable, or modular, buildings, frequently referred to as ‘portacabins’ (although 'Portkabin®' with a 'k' is a trade marked brand name of Portakabin Limited). These are standard sizes and can be fitted together or stacked to form almost any configuration of accommodation required. They can include reception spaces, offices, meeting rooms, kitchens, toilets, showers, changing facilities, lockers, storage, and so on.
Site offices are easily transported on flat-bed trucks and set up on site using a crane. Typically they have four adjustable steel legs with attachments for stacking. Site office panelling is usually made of galvanised steel sheet and a rigid insulation core. A plasterboard inner lining is used for walls and ceiling. Windows are often designed to optimise light levels, with white walls and heavy-duty flooring that is easy to clean. Several manufacturers provide anti-vandal protection, such as pyro-shield windows with steel shutters and high-security steel doors.
They are often stacked with external metal stairs leading to the second floor. Large sites may have several inter-linked portable offices capable of holding hundreds of people, stacked up to three-storeys high with internal stairs and steel frame bracing.
They may be purchased or rented, and once construction is complete, either returned or take to a new site for re-use.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Lighting of construction sites.
- Main construction compound.
- Materials on site.
- Mobilisation.
- Off site materials.
- Office.
- Office definition.
- Office manual.
- Office space planning.
- Pre construction information.
- Site layout plan.
- Site facilities.
- Site storage.
- Temporary site services.
- Welfare facilities.
- Workplace definition.
[edit] External references
- ‘Building Construction Handbook’ (6th ed.), CHUDLEY, R., GREENO, R., Butterworth-Heinemann (2007)
Featured articles and news
Empowering construction with AI integration
New horizons with a human touch.
A Better Hiring Toolkit for construction
Tooling up to hire under best practice standards in the sector.
Recharging Electrical Skills in Wales
Step by step collaborative solutions.
Ireland budget announcement 2025
CIOB responds with positivity, criticism and clarity.
The continued ISG fall out, where to go?
Support for ISG contractors, companies and employees.
New HES national centre for traditional building retrofit
Announced as HES publishes survey results which reveal strong support for retrofit.
Retrofit of Buildings, a CIOB Technical Publication
Expected to become one of the largest activities in the global construction industry.
Scope determination appeals and the Building Safety Act
Process explained following release of appeals guidance.
The ECA industry focus video channel
Keeping update with the industry session by session.
Over 25 recorded informations sessions freely available.
AT Awards 2024 ceremony East London October 25th.
Revisiting the AT community at the 2023 awards evening.
The Community Housing Fund and built affordable homes
CLTN reviews the impact of the Fund and calls for extension.
The grading system of the Regulator for Social Housing
A background, an explanation and ten recent enforcements.
Construction, repair and maintenance. Book review.
Putting new life into a city with a 1900 year history.
BSRIA Briefing 2024: Sustainable Futures speakers
Redefining Retrofit for Net Zero Living 22 Nov.
Wall of support for post-Grenfell regulation of electricians
Call for a shake-up of the construction industry highlighted on radio.