Construction Site Induction Training

Workers Have to Comply with H&S.

Construction site induction is a legal requirement and will always precede a building start. Workers who have not participated in the process will be excluded from the site until they have undergone the site-specific induction.

Site Specific Issues

As construction workers will sit through hundreds of induction courses throughout their career, being fed the same information time after time, the speaker will particularly focus on site specific issues. These can include excavation and mining shafts, hidden drainage or sewage systems, or undiscovered electricity cables and gas lines. In certain European countries, a member of the bomb squad will be present because undetonated World War 2 bombs still cause a serious risk on many building sites. The workforce will also be encouraged to familiarize themselves with the site's infrastructure, assembly points and fire extinguisher positions.

Hazardous Materials

The handling and storing of hazardous materials are a major issue during induction as they will vary site to site. The instructor will go through all hazardous materials used on the specific site, explain their dangers and point out the correct storage. Correct waste disposal and its legislation will be explained

Responsible Behaviour and Clothing

The workers will be reminded of their responsibility to keep themselves and others safe by applying common sense and sticking to rules. Basic personal safety measures include appropriate clothing called personal protective equipment (PPE) which always includes hard hats, steel-toe boots and high-viz vests. Different construction trades will have varying additional PPEs such as safety glasses and gloves for ground workers, ear defenders for plant drivers and tool belts for bricklayers. Insufficiently equipped workers are usually expelled from site.

Plant Machinery

Accidents with heavy equipment are usually serious if not fatal and the instructor will specify the legal rules and regulations. The traffic management plan, usually placed in the site office, will be presented and the walkways will be pointed out. The induction course usually concludes with information about accident reporting procedures.

Resources

• hse.gov.uk: Health & Safety induction