Checklist guidance

Consideration for the safety of the local community, vulnerable road users and the workforce are of the upmost importance.

As part of the Considerate Constructors Scheme’s monitoring process, the Checklist encourages sites, companies and suppliers to consider an awareness of relevant issues including the location of the site (close to a school) and promoting road safety week to the community.

Specific local safety issues should also be identified, considered and communicated to all those delivering to site to ensure that work related road risks, e.g. cycle and pedestrian safety, are tackled appropriately.

Consideration should be given to supporting regional or national initiatives such as CLOCS (Construction Logistics and Community Safety).

CLOCS features as a prompt on the Monitors’ Checklist within the safety section:

Question 4.7 What is done to ensure that the movement of vehicles and plant outside the site is not a risk to pedestrians, cyclists and other road users?

As part of this, Monitors will consider the type and size of each site and this may lead to discussions about speed limits, driver visibility, the site entrance, delivery times and place, and whether a banksman or traffic marshall is employed.

The standard of vehicles delivering to the site should be checked for safety features via formal and documented inspections. Driver attitude/awareness should also be considered and drivers should receive appropriate training.

Sites should also consider all access and egress points to ensure they do not present any risks to operatives or members of the public, with appropriate processes in place to ensure vehicles enter and leave sites in a safe manner at all times.

Vehicles and plant should be of a suitable standard, ideally with safety enhancements including side protection, warning sounds/lights, sensors and CCTV. Any fleet operators should also be encouraged to register with FORS (Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme).

The Monitors’ Checklist also considers the impact on local neighbours, businesses and the public in the community section:

Question 2.2. Are all reasonable efforts being made to minimise the impact of deliveries, parking and work on the public highway, cycleways and footpaths?

The impact of traffic, deliveries and parking are one of the biggest causes of frustration and complaints for the construction industry.

Sites should ensure that a carefully considered off-site traffic plan with appropriate routes and diversions selected, is clearly signed and communicated.

Deliveries should be coordinated to minimise disruption and unloaded on site as much as possible and delivery slots should be used to ensure that lorries are not waiting at the site entrance for lengthy amounts of time.

Questions relating to CLOCS are also included at the back of the Monitors’ Checklist in the ‘Site-specific data’ section:

• Is the company a CLOCS Champion?
• Is the site operating to the requirements of the CLOCS Standard?

Information gathered from these questions is used to capture key details and identify trends within the industry.