Better management of spills on construction sites
New information has been issued on preventing and dealing with spills in the construction industry.
The ‘Construction Spills Prevention Matters’ report was published last month by the Environment Agency in partnership with the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) and contains guidance on how to prevent spills and who should take responsibility – the contractor or developer.
It was compiled from a series of interviews, debates and detailed ‘white papers’ from the likes of Wilmott Dixon, Bouygues UK, Sir Robert McAlpine, Bovis Homes, Lend Lease and MACE Group.
Topics covered include: ‘Developing a spill training plan: Knowing the basics to put in place today’ and ‘How to ensure the disposal of hazard waste and liquids both during and post-construction phase’.
The Rt. Hon. Lord Smith of Finsbury, chair of the Environment Agency commented: “Sustainable growth is absolutely possible with construction and demolition alongside it. Ensuring that construction work happens in the right way is something that is very important.
“Of course, there are major potential impacts from construction work, with close to 77 million tonnes of waste generated in England in 2010 and 1 million tonnes of hazardous waste as part of that. The potential for negative incidents to occur is considerable, and making sure that everyone is clear about how best to minimise the impact of construction and its waste on the surrounding environment is what this joint work between ourselves and the construction industry is all about”
Key findings in the report include:
- Asbestos is the key hazardous waste in solid form that most contractors have to manage on site;
- From an excavation perspective, contaminated ground from fuels or oils is a key issue on site;
- Hazardous materials and liquids generated from construction activities must have the right designations, with waste areas mandatory on site
- Contractors must look down their supply chains to stop accepting non specification-compliant materials, such as soil, on to sites through a lack of knowledge;
- Key frustrations on construction sites relates to left over hazardous waste from previous contractors – pre site checks have to be done, guidelines are essential
- Spill response training is widespread but prevention plans need to be adapted at different sites, by identifying risk early on;
- Sub-contractors play a vital role in making sure spill prevention procedures are followed; and
- Overall responsibility between subcontractors and those contracting when it comes to designing an adequate spill prevention framework lies with those who are control of the site.
The full report can be downloaded from the BSIF website.
Better management of spills on construction sites
New information has been issued on preventing and dealing with spills in the construction industry.
Safety & Health Practitioner
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