THE NEED FOR CLEANLINESS AND ORGANIZATION ON CONSTRUCTION SITES

They say cleanliness is next to godliness. Maintaining cleanliness and orderliness at every point in our lives, including construction sites, is essential. You heard me right. Your construction site should be kept neat and orderly at all times.

These have many benefits, but to mention a few

1. Safety of employees and visitors on site.
   Accidents and injuries are less likely to occur at a clean location. Loose wires can be hazardous, while dust and dirt can create trip hazards. Routine cleaning can also help avoid fires by ensuring flammable items are stored securely and disposed of appropriately. You want to ensure the work environment is safe for your employees, clients, and visitors.

2. Efficiency
   Employee productivity may increase with a clean workplace. Employee productivity can increase when the workspace is well organized, and tools are easily accessible. A clean and organized workspace helps the mind. Time is not wasted looking for tools or materials around the site.

3. Little to no financial waste
   There will not be much material waste at a tidy site.  Proper inventory becomes easy when materials are well organized, and preventing waste becomes much easier. This aids in the organization’s efficient use of finances and helps the organization avoid pointless spending on materials and equipment.

4. Reputation
   A clean site says a lot about the project’s contractor or company. It tells your client and people around who are potential clients that your organization is put together.

5. Visibility
   A clean and well-arranged site helps you see the works going and adequately assess these works. For example, if there is a broken pipe somewhere on the floor, it will be difficult to see that rectify in good time if the site is covered in debris.

My advice to contractors and project managers

1. Always include an estimate for site cleaning in your bills. Because cleaning should be done as often as possible, ensure that the estimate is sufficient to cover the cost of cleaning.
2. Ensure that your workers clean after every day’s work. Clear concrete or mortar that spilled on the ground at the end of the job. It is harder to clean when debris accumulates.
3. Sensitize your workers and site supervisors to the need to keep the site clean at all times.
4. Establish systems and mechanisms to ensure that people working on-site always adhere to the culture.