The construction industry is booming in the UK with building activities in full swing. This rapid expansion is great for the sector, the economy and the livelihoods of all stakeholders. However, this progressive growth comes at a cost, raising questions about the negative impact of infrastructure activities on the workforce and the environment as a whole.
Additionally, of all the sectors, the building and infrastructure sector is considered one of the most dangerous in the UK with downsides including, but not limited to, work-related accidents, long-term injuries, and environmental harm. It is about time construction firms employ a renewed approach to ensure increased safety onsite.
As a project manager or a construction business owner, you may want to address these pressing industry issues with readily available alternatives and mitigate the downsides.
In this article, we address the 4 things building and infrastructure sites need to stay away from to tackle these concerns.
- Avoid Traditional Concrete
Perhaps the first step to take when moving towards a more sustainable construction practice is to use green and eco-friendly building materials. Traditional concrete is the most common and preferred material produced and used for construction projects. However, it is far from being environmentally friendly as its production releases dust and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Instead of concrete, there are other eco-friendly alternatives available, like rammed earth, ashcrete, ferrock, timbercrete, and hempcrete. Green concrete as a sustainable material, in addition to natural alternatives like wood, bamboo, and straw bales, is steadily finding its footing and acceptance among engineers in upcoming modern construction projects. Instead of rebar and concrete, straw bales are used to provide insulation from hot and cold weather conditions, provided they are sealed correctly.
Although green building materials are often created from recycled materials and aggregates, it does not affect their strength or dependability. While the acceptance of these alternative materials may be slow, it is certainly here to stay in the future of construction.
- Avoid Portaloos
Construction projects employ a substantial amount of workers. These onsite workplace environments need to have the necessary amenities for everyone. As per Health Safety and Welfare or HSE regulations, construction sites need to have readily accessible and comfortable sanitary facilities for all workers.
It is common industry practice to have the bare minimum number of portable loos to meet HSE’s toilet regulations. You’ll often find these portaloos flouting compliances and raising issues. Some of the most common issues are –
- Too few toilets
- Inaccessible toilets or placed too far away
- Improper ventilation and lighting inside toilets
- Shared toilets without proper locks on the inside
- Improper sanitary waste disposal
- Inadequate and infrequent cleaning and maintenance of toilets
- Handwashing facilities near eating and drinking locations
These can potentially put your construction company on the radar of the HSE and invite hard penalties for openly disregarding the rules.
The better alternative to portaloos is welfare units for your staff. A welfare unit hire means you cater to all of the basic needs of your workforce whilst adhering to HSE regulations.
Welfare cabins are available in different sizes to accommodate different numbers of staff on the site. These cabins come with essential amenities and comforts including office spaces, kitchenettes, toilets, mobile and laptop charging areas, comfortable seating and dining areas. Not only are these units easy to set up but also easy to move around. The eco-friendly technology used in these units is an added plus.
One vital choice can make a huge difference to the well-being and comfort of your workforce.
- Avoid Makeshift or Open Storage Spaces
Any construction project uses a lot of material, expensive machinery and tools to increase productivity. Depending on the size and scale of the project, materials, tools and machinery in varying sizes and quantities are brought to the site.
When construction activities are in full swing, these equipment and materials are looked after. What do you do when they are not in use? How do you protect them when the site is abandoned?
It is common practice to keep the machinery in an open area or a makeshift storage space on or near the project site. However, this opens the possibility of expensive equipment and tools being stolen or vandalised.
The more secure alternative is to invest in a large shipping container on the site and store all of your valuable machinery and equipment there. Often available in sizes up to 40 feet, these containers have enough space for storage as well as to create a makeshift office space or workshop. You can choose from new or old containers or design one according to your functional requirements. Repurposing these containers is a brilliantly economical and eco-friendly substitute.
You don’t need to look too far for these containers. You’ll find many service providers meeting your requirements within your locality. If you are looking for shipping containers for sale in Newcastle, a quick search with the right location should do the trick.
- Limit Use of Conventional Energy Sources
It is a known fact that construction sites are major contributors to greenhouse gas emissions like carbon dioxide. These sites consume high amounts of power to operate heavy machinery, lighting, electric tools, and heating.
With carbon emissions on construction sites coming under the scanner, stricter regulations are now being enforced. At the same time, advances in renewable technology have made these alternative energy sources more accessible, affordable and efficient. Both these factors welcome alternative energy sources like solar, hydroelectric, wind, etc to power construction work.
One of the inexhaustible sources of renewable energy, solar power is a great alternative to energy sources powered by fossil fuels. Reach out to manufacturers who specialise in heavy machinery and equipment powered by solar energy. Using excavators, diggers and loaders running on solar power is a game-changer to not only reduce greenhouse gas emissions but also drastically reduce pollution levels.
Solar power lighting is a great way to illuminate construction sites. With photovoltaic panels and windows on buildings, you can generate electricity as well as control the light entering the living spaces.
To Sum Up
Contractors and engineers alike are warming up to building more energy-efficient, sustainable and environmentally sound projects. Construction companies are also invested in worker welfare and in providing a safe and secure working environment.
With a few tweaks and openly accepting alternatives to conventional practices in the construction industry, a more wholesome construction process can be built.