Site Conditions · 7 checks

Environmental
safety audit checklist

Dust, noise, spills, COSHH, pollution prevention.

Every check below says what good looks like, when it passes, the regulation or HSE guidance it rests on and the defects that usually fail it. Critical checks are marked: a fail on one of those stops the activity.

  1. 1.
    Dust suppression measures in use
    What to look forWater spray on cutting/breaking/sweeping. On-tool extraction (M/H Class vacuum) for chasing, drilling, cutting. Damping down haul roads. Wheel-wash on exit. RPE (FFP3) where dust unavoidable. Silica dust risk especially for concrete, brick, stone, mortar, gypsum.
    Acceptable whenCOSHH 2002, exposure to RCS (respirable crystalline silica) WEL 0.1 mg/m³ over 8hr TWA. Construction Dust HSG (CIS36 series). Water suppression OR LEV OR M/H class vacuum on all cutting/grinding tools. RPE only as final layer.
    StandardCOSHH 2002 (Reg 7 hierarchy). CIS36, Construction dust. EH40/2005 Workplace Exposure Limits. HSG258, Controlling airborne contaminants at work.
    Common defectsDry cutting silica products (paving slabs, kerbs), gross over-exposureOn-tool extraction provided but operatives bypassing itWrong RPE, disposable mask not face-fit testedNo face-fit records on fileRoads not damped, site dust on neighbouring properties
  2. 2.
    Noise levels managed, hearing zones signed
    What to look forHearing protection zone signs (blue circle pictogram, BS EN ISO 7010 M003) where noise reaches 85 dB(A) Upper Action Level. Quieter equipment selected at procurement. Noise enclosures/screens for static plant. Toolbox talks on hearing protection. Health surveillance for operatives in regular high noise.
    Acceptable whenControl of Noise at Work Regs 2005, Lower Action Value 80 dB(A), Upper Action Value 85 dB(A), Exposure Limit 87 dB(A). Hearing protection mandatory at 85 dB(A). Health surveillance required at 85+ dB(A) regular exposure.
    StandardControl of Noise at Work Regs 2005. L108, Controlling noise at work (ACOP). HSG258. BS EN ISO 7010:2020.
    Common defectsNo hearing zone signs at face of breaking/cutting workHearing protection not worn, culture issueWrong attenuation, SNR too low for noise levelNo health surveillance records (audiometry)Static plant (compressor, generator) not screened
  3. 3.
    Spill kits available near fuel/oil storage
    What to look forSpill kit (absorbent pads, granules, drain mat, disposal bags, gloves) located within 5m of fuel store, oil store, plant refuelling point. Contents intact, not raided for general use. Operatives know location and use. Spill response procedure on noticeboard.
    Acceptable whenEnvironmental Permitting Regs 2016. Control of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regs 2001, secondary containment + spill response. PPG21 (Environment Agency Pollution Prevention Guidance). Spill kit capacity ≥ 110% of largest container.
    StandardEnvironmental Permitting Regs 2016. Oil Storage Regs 2001 (England) / equivalent in Scotland/Wales. PPG21, Pollution incident response.
    Common defectsSpill kit empty, pads used as ragsNo drain mat for storm drain protectionOperatives don't know spill kit locationNo incident reporting procedure if spill occursKit located 50m from fuel store, too far to reach in time
  4. 4.
    No pollution risk to watercourses/drains
    What to look forNo discharge of silty water, concrete washout, paint, fuel to surface drains or watercourses. Concrete washout in lined pit or self-contained skip. Wheel-wash water settled before discharge. Drains protected with mats during high-risk works. Site drainage plan understood.
    Acceptable whenEnvironmental Protection Act 1990. Water Resources Act 1991 s.85, offence to cause/knowingly permit pollution of controlled waters. PPG6 (works near watercourses) / PPG5 (works in/near water). Concrete pH >12, no direct discharge.
    StandardWater Resources Act 1991 s.85. Environmental Permitting Regs 2016. PPG5 / PPG6. CIRIA C648, Control of water pollution from linear construction projects.
    Common defectsConcrete washout into surface drain, pollution offenceSilty groundwater pumped direct to ditch / no settlementDrain inlets unprotected during washdownNo site drainage plan, operatives don't know which drain goes whereDiesel storage on bare ground above culverted stream
  5. 5.
    COSHH assessments available for substances in use
    What to look forCOSHH register lists every hazardous substance on site. Each substance has SDS plus written assessment of exposure, controls, RPE/PPE, first aid. Substances in original labelled containers, kept in COSHH cabinet. Decants labelled with name + hazard. Operatives briefed on assessments relevant to their work.
    Acceptable whenCOSHH 2002 Reg 6, risk assessment before any work with hazardous substance. Reg 7, control hierarchy. Reg 8, controls used as intended. Reg 9, maintained. Reg 10, exposure monitored. Reg 11, health surveillance.
    StandardCOSHH 2002. EH40/2005 Workplace Exposure Limits. INDG136, Working with substances hazardous to health. L5, Approved Code of Practice.
    Common defectsCOSHH assessments missing for products on siteDecanted products in unlabelled containersSDS available but no written assessmentNo operative-level briefing, assessment in office onlyWrong RPE specified for the substance/exposure
  6. 6.
    Bunding in place for fuel/oil storage
    What to look forIntegrally bunded tank or external bund holding 110% of contents (or 25% of total if multiple tanks). Bund clear of rainwater. No taps, sight glasses, valves outside the bund. Tank locked when unattended. Drip tray under hose nozzle. Storage min 10m from any watercourse or 50m from a well/borehole.
    Acceptable whenControl of Pollution (Oil Storage) (England) Regs 2001, applies to >200L containers. Bund min 110% of largest tank, or 25% of aggregate. Equivalents in Scotland (Water Environment (Oil Storage)(Scotland) Regs 2006) and Wales.
    StandardOil Storage Regs 2001 (England). PPG2, Above-ground oil storage. PPG7, Refuelling. CIRIA C736, Containment systems for the prevention of pollution.
    Common defectsSingle-skin tank with no bundBund full of rainwater, capacity reducedTap outside the bund, leak goes straight to groundMobile bowser refuelling without drip trayStored within 10m of stream / 50m of well
  7. 7.
    Waste transfer notes available
    What to look forWaste Transfer Notes (WTNs) or season ticket for non-hazardous waste, kept for 2 years. Hazardous Waste Consignment Notes (CNs) kept for 3 years. Carrier registration number on every ticket. Waste descriptions with EWC code accurate. Site of origin and destination shown.
    Acceptable whenEnvironmental Protection Act 1990 s.34 (duty of care). Hazardous Waste Regs 2005 (England & Wales) / Special Waste Regs (Scotland). Waste (England & Wales) Regs 2011. WTN retention 2 years, CN 3 years.
    StandardEPA 1990 s.34. Hazardous Waste Regs 2005. Waste (England & Wales) Regs 2011 reg 35. EA / NRW / SEPA carrier registration.
    Common defectsNo carrier licence checked, fly-tipping riskEWC codes wrong (mixed waste shown as inert)WTNs not retained on fileHazardous waste consigned without CNSkip changes hands without paper trail

Questions people ask

How often should a environmental audit be done?

Weekly is the common rhythm for a live site, plus whenever the work, the plant or the people change and after any incident or near miss. What matters is that it is scored, recorded, dated and the actions are closed out, not the exact frequency. Guidance, not legal advice.

What is the difference between a safety audit and an inspection?

An inspection looks at the site. An audit checks the system as well: is the paperwork there, do the people know it, is what was promised actually happening. On a small site the words blur, and that is fine. The checks below cover both.

What happens with a failed item?

A corrective action with an owner and a date, and a photo of the fail so nobody argues later. Where a check is marked critical, a fail stops that activity until it is put right.

Who should carry out the audit?

A competent person, and where possible not the person whose work is being looked at. The site manager auditing the site manager's housekeeping is better than nothing, but a visiting supervisor or the SHEQ lead sees what the regular eye has stopped noticing.

Is a site safety audit a legal requirement?

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 require arrangements for monitoring your health and safety measures (regulation 5), and CDM 2015 requires every contractor to plan, manage and monitor the work under their control (regulation 15). A recorded, scored audit is how you show that is happening. Guidance, not legal advice.

Score it on a phone, actions raised for you

The same 7 checks with the guidance a tap away, a score out of 100, photos against each fail, corrective actions with owners and dates, and a branded PDF. 14 days free.

Start free trial