7 Factors That Make or Break a Construction Site

From new homes and apartment buildings to hospitals and skyscrapers, countless construction projects are underway across the world at any given moment. That’s a lot of hard hats, jackhammers, and excavators!

The typical construction site sees a variety of personnel come and go. General laborers, subcontractors, contractors, engineers, and developers all play key roles in the construction process.

Regardless of what’s being built and who’s involved, all construction projects rely on a handful of factors in order to take blueprints and turn them into a safe and reliable structure. Let’s take a look at seven factors that make or break a construction site:

Supplies

All construction sites require a steady stream of supplies in order to operate. The vast majority of these supplies are cataloged as building materials. As you can imagine, it’s hard to erect a building if you don’t have the materials needed for construction. Without them, the construction project grinds to a halt. With this in mind, it’s easy to see how supplies are perhaps the single most important factor on every construction site. 

Security

Construction sites are a popular target for thieves for obvious reasons. The equipment, supplies, and power tools are often worth a lot of money, even when sold on the black market. There’s also the risk of trespassers who either knowingly or unknowingly place themselves in harm’s way by poking around an active construction site. With this in mind, it’s easy to see how security is a top priority for many construction projects. From chain link fencing around the perimeter to security cameras to watchmen standing guard through the night, security measures are often a requirement rather than a recommendation due to the risks involved.

Safety

Construction is consistently cited as one of the most dangerous lines of work that exist. The list of hazards includes falls from dangerous heights, blunt force trauma from fallen objects, exposure to dangerous chemicals, and the risk of electrocution. As a result, safety must be a top priority for every construction project. While accidents happen – and eliminating the risk of death or serious injury is impossible – doing everything possible to reduce the chances of a worksite accident is essential.

Hygiene

Cleanliness is not something most people think of when it comes to active construction sites. However, providing personnel with the means to practice proper hygiene is critical, especially in the age of COVID-19. Generally speaking, construction site hygiene comes down to lavatory access. Most cities and states have laws regarding the number of portable toilets per number of workers.

Thus, it’s no surprise the majority of porta potty rentals in Boston and other major cities are destined for construction sites. Failure to provide construction site personnel with adequate lavatory access can lead to hefty fines, labor strikes, and the spread of disease.

Equipment

Access to equipment is absolutely essential for construction projects to finish on time and to budget. From power tools like jackhammers and rivet guns to heavy machinery like bulldozers and scissor lifts, nothing snuffs out the momentum of a construction project like lacking the equipment required to get the job done. You should also keep in mind that even if you have all the equipment you require to hand, you’ll also have to keep on top of both routine and emergency maintenance of these tools, and depending on the size of your heavy machines, these repairs could be costly. Some companies like Blue Removal have, however, designed a system that could help you circumvent some of these maintenance issues, minimizing the chance of downtime. 

Power

It’s no surprise that power tools require power…it’s in the name. However, access to a reliable local source of power is no guarantee on a construction site. That’s where gas and propane-powered generators enter the picture. While not an ideal source of power given the cost of fuel and logistics of refueling, generators help keep progress going in the event the power grid is temporarily inaccessible.

Talent

Everyone relies on buildings and other structures, but very few of us know how to design and construct them. That makes talent the number one factor that makes or breaks a construction site. Without laborers who know how to get the job done, contractors to manage the process, engineers to assess progress, developers to lay the financial and legal groundwork, and architects to conceive the structure in the first place, nothing would ever get built.

Construction projects are underway all around the world. The next time you see a construction crane or bulldozer in motion, stop and think about all the factors that must come together in order to turn blueprints into buildings.