Site housekeeping, signage, communication and environmental control
This domain tests the everyday controls that prevent slips, trips, falls and pollution: housekeeping, signage, communication and environmental protection.
Core rules
- Housekeeping: keep walkways and stairs clear, stack materials safely, remove waste, clean spills and maintain access to fire equipment. Poor housekeeping is a common root cause of incidents.
- Signage: use prohibition, warning, mandatory and safe-condition signs correctly. Signs do not replace controls; they support them.
- Communication: induction, toolbox talks, clear instructions and language that workers understand. Use barriers, banksmen and radios where needed.
- Environmental control: control dust, noise, silt water and waste. Segregate waste, store chemicals safely and have spill kits ready.
Worked example
A drum of hydraulic oil leaks near a drain. The correct response is to stop the source, contain the spill with absorbent or a bund, block the drain, notify the supervisor, clean up and dispose of the waste as scheduled waste. The reasoning is that oil can pollute water and create a slip hazard; containing it at source is cheaper and safer than cleaning a drain later.
Traps
Do not block escape routes with materials. Do not use a sign instead of a physical guard. Do not assume workers understand English-only instructions. Do not hose a spill into a drain.