At some point, many businesses find themselves having to undertake essential maintenance. Understandably, relocating the entire workplace for the duration of the works is not always possible in practice.

If renovation works are going to take place when the property continues to be used, it is important to keep your employees safe.

It is a business’ responsibility to ensure that their employees are protected from external dangers with minimum disruption to their daily activities. Here are some tips from the experts on important areas where temporary site protection is absolutely necessary, and what to do.

Noise control and hearing protection

Renovation-related noise isn’t just distracting for your employees, it can also be downright hazardous to their health. Prolonged exposure to loud noises caused by building techniques such as drilling can not only ruin your employees’ day with constant ringing in their ears, but also cause long-term damage to their hearing.

Equip everyone at the office with high quality earplugs or earmuffs to protect their ears and enable them to work without distraction. In addition, it is also crucial to ensure you do whatever you can to control and reduce noise pollution.

Containing contaminants and dust control

Renovation sites are full of dust and debris, and you will need to ensure that none of this contamination affects your workspace and employees. In addition, if any walls are being torn down, you need to make sure your employees are protected from the elements, as you shouldn’t expect them to work in uninhabitable conditions.

On smaller jobs, one easy way to prevent contaminants and dust from drifting in is to adhere tape around doors and windows to seal any gaps. For larger scale works separating off areas where works are taking place can be done by installing internal site segregation products such as a pre finished segregation system designed to facilitate complete segregation of work areas, these can also assist with noise control. Other options include boarding up the area or using products such as a zip wall will allow you to effectively seal up larger areas and create a safe clean contaminant free space.

Maintaining Traffic

No matter how much renovation is taking place, business has to go on as usual. It is therefore important that traffic within the building be maintained, and that any dangerous or no-go areas are appropriately cordoned off.

Your builders will be in charge of any external site segregation such as erecting protective fencing to block off all boundaries to the site and hoardings over any footpaths. But if there are any additional areas you would like to prevent access to, you will need to acquire your own protective fencing or barriers so that employees or visitors do not enter by mistake. For instance, if you have a waiting area that will be affected by the renovations, it would be best to block it off for the duration of works in case clients decide to park themselves there. Coloured barrier tape can be an economical way to mark out a no-go area.

Safety equipment

It is imperative that anyone who enters a renovation zone be properly attired with all necessary safety equipment. Many hazards can come from the ceiling, so make sure hard hats are worn by anyone who needs them.

In addition, safety boots, gloves, safety goggles or glasses and earplugs might be necessary on site. It is important to find out in advance exactly what equipment is needed before building starts. Don’t assume every site is the same, as requirements may differ depending on the type of renovations being carried out.

It may not be possible to reduce the risk of all hazards to zero, but it is your responsibility to make sure all risks are reduced to as low a level as possible. Spend a little time planning ahead and you’ll find that your property is not only offered better protection, but your employees will also be better able to do their jobs with minimal disruption.