This also extends to work pertaining to public roads, as road works require particular safety standards in order to secure the health and safety of all involved. 

 

A risk assessment must be conducted on the public road work to ensure that any and all hazards associated with it are identified and control measures are put into place to reduce the likelihood and risk of these hazards as far as reasonably possible. Any pre-existing services must be looked into via survey drawings of the area and appropriately located with CAT scanners, marked and sectioned off to avoid the risk of contact with services. 

Health and safety requirements for work sites ensure the limitations of noise exposure, from the lowest levels to the excessive which would result in permanent damage over time. Noise is measured in decibels (dB(A)), with the lower exposure action value (accepted lower noise limit) is 80dB(A), while the upper exposure action value is 85dB(A). 87dB(A) is the exposure limit value; it must not be exceeded as repeated exposure will surely affect hearing. 

 

Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 state that it is the employer’s responsibility to assess the risk of noise while employees are a work, reduce exposure to these risks, provide hearing protection, maintain the protection and noise limit, provide training to employees and finally to carry out health surveillance on employees. 

 

Loud noises that can affect workers while being used can include power tools, machinery and plant. Hearing loss can occur gradually over time from exposure to noise at work over long a period of time, or from extremely loud sudden noises. This can split into temporary and permanent hearing loss, with temporary loss being a sign that if continued noise exposure occurs, it will result in permanent loss. A side effect of hearing loss can be tinnitus, characterised as a ringing or buzzing noise. If workers have trouble hearing others from at close proximity, it is a sign that ear damage has been sustained. 

While electrical equipment can be useful in site activities, it presents just as much risk of harm and even death if it is not assessed before use. 

 

It is important when working with electrical equipment that the system is isolated and turned off when not in use, as doing so reduces the risk of accidents involving electricity. An electric shock can vary from a minor injury to fatal, especially depending on whether low or high voltage is used. A risk assessment and a safe isolation procedure must be put in place before any work with electrical systems are conducted. 

 

Fuel on site can be flammable liquids, which can spill or leak out and could result in fires and Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosions, and flammable gases that can result in a confined or unconfined explosion. 

 

All fuel must be kept away from all hot works or other activities that could introduce heat to the canisters and thus help to create a fire or explosion. This would include screens for hot works and keeping fuel away from cables which could result in electrical arcs in equipment. Bowsers and tanks are to be typically used for storage of plant fuel, with bowser to be sufficiently grounded so that there is no risk of an imbalance and toppling over, thus reducing the potential hazard of damage to the environment. 

It is therefore important to implement necessary safety precautions as identified on risk assessments, even when working near power lines for a short period of time. 

 

Where it has been identified that power lines are within or immediately next to a site or across any access routes, contact is made with owners of the lines to discuss safety precautions. It may be necessary that power lines need to be diverted or made dead. 

 

Risks from power lines can be eliminated by: 

 Avoidance – can work be undertaken away from power lines? The HSE provides the following advise 

“Make sure materials (such as bales or spoil) are not placed near overhead lines, and 

temporary structures (such as polytunnels) are erected outside safe clearance distances”. 

 Diversion – make arrangements for overhead lines to be diverted away, made dead or isolated before 

work begins. Ensure that work is planned and time is given to arrange diversion of power 

lines. 

In the first instance, it is a legal requirement that employees are competent to undertake required tasks in a safe way. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act (HSWA) 1974 states that employers need to provide whatever information, instruction, training and supervision is necessary to ensure, "so far as is reasonably practicable", the safety of their employees and others affected by their activities. 

 

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations (MHSWR) 1999, outlines where safety training is most important, e.g. when people start work, on exposure to new or increased risks and update skills and knowledge where needed. The MHSWR require employees to consider the capabilities, training, knowledge and experience of workers and ensure that the demands of their work do not exceed their ability to carry out their role without risk to themselves and others.