Guidelines for the provision of facilities and general Safety -HSSE WORLD

Guidelines for the provision of facilities and general safety in the construction industry provide general guidance on how to keep workers safe and healthy. As well as providing tips for managing occupational safety and health, it offers guidance on washing facilities, toilets, public, and general safety.

Construction sites can have limited access to basic services such as electricity and water supplies. Certain facilities for workers are required at construction sites.

We have produced guidance on what facilities to provide workers plus general health and safety advice for working on a construction site.

While this guidance has not been updated to reflect current work health and safety legislation (the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015 and regulations), it may still contain relevant information and practices to keep workers and others healthy and safe.

Please read this guidance in conjunction with all relevant industry standards that apply to you as a PCBU. This guidance will be progressively reviewed and either updated, replaced with other guidance or revoked. These guidelines will apply to all construction workplaces.
They are part of a series aimed at different industries. Other guidelines have been produced for the following industries:

Commercial and industrial premises
Agriculture
Forestry
Machinery
Woodworking machinery

In addition, separate regulations cover mining, petroleum, hazardous equipment (boilers,
pressure vessels, cranes, and passenger ropeways) and tractor safety frames.

In the case of places of work not covered by the separate guidelines on industrial and commercial premises, agriculture, or forestry (or by mining regulations), these “general” guidelines will provide useful information to assist principals, employers, and employees to comply with their duties under the Act and regulations.
These guidelines are a guide to the regulations and to good practice in particular situations or hazards. Guidance on the Act is available from other OSH publications, such as A Guide to the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, or A Guide to Managing Health and Safety to Meet the Requirements of the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992.

The content of Guidelines for the provision of facilities and general safety in the construction industry

These guidelines contain three categories of information on safety and health:

Relevant sections of the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 and regulations;
The guidelines themselves — based in part on standards contained in the former legislation and on generally accepted good practice; and
References to further information in support of the guidelines.

Part 1: Amenities and facilities
- 1.1 Washing facilities 12
- 1.2 Toilets 12
- 1.3 Drinking water 13
- 1.4 First-aid facilities 13
- 1.5 Accommodation for clothes and meals 14
- 1.6 Lighting 15
- 1.7 Maintenance of facilities 15
- 1.8 Ventilation 15
- 1.9 Site facilities for works of short duration 16
Part 2: Work at heights
- 2.1 Working at heights over 3 metres 18
- 2.2 Perimeter of working platforms or places of work 18
- 2.3 Guardrails/ toeboards 18
- 2.4 Safety nets 19
- 2.5 Individual fall arrest systems 19
- 2.6 Working on roofs 20
- 2.7 Brittle roofs 21
- 2.8 Ladders 22
- 2.9 Abseiling23
- 2.10 Scaffolding24
Part 3: Electrical
- 3.1 Electrical supply 28
- 3.2 Temporary supply switchboards 28
- 3.3 Inspection of equipment 29
- 3.4 Clearance from power lines 29
Part 4: Hazardous chemicals and materials
- 4.1 Personal protective equipment 32
- 4.2 Skin hazards 33
- 4.3 Safe use of chemicals 34
- 4.4 Explosives (blasting) 35
- 4.5 Asbestos 36
- 4.6 Flame cutting and welding with compressed gases 37
- 4.7 Lead 39
Part 5: Machinery
- 5.1 Portable mechanically-powered nailers and
- staplers 42
- 5.2 Portable power tools 42
- 5.3 Personnel/materials hoists 43
- 5.4 Cranes and lifting appliances 45
- 5.5 Power-operated elevating work platforms 46
- 5.6 Roll-over protective structures for earthmoving machines 48
- 5.7 Powder-actuated hand held fastening tools 50
Part 6: Special work situations
- 6.1 Confined spaces 52
- 6.2 Working on roads 54
- 6.3 Excavations 56
- 6.4 Underwater diving58
- 6.5 Demolition 59
Part 7: Public and general safety
- 7.1 Noise 62
- 7.2 Manual handling63
- 7.3 Fire protection 64
- 7.4 Housekeeping (general) 65
- 7.5 Public safety 65
- 7.6 Restriction on the employment of young persons 67
- 7.7 Duties of designers, manufacturers, suppliers and
- sellers of plant 67
- 7.8 Duties of designers, manufacturers, suppliers and sellers of protective clothing and equipment 68
Part 8: Sample construction site safety and health checklist