Site Conditions · 7 checks

Housekeeping
safety audit checklist

Walkways, storage, waste, general tidiness.

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.
    Walkways clear of obstructions and trip hazards
    What to look forDesignated pedestrian routes minimum 1.0m wide (1.2m where two-way passing). No materials, hoses, cables, offcuts left in walkways. Trip hazards (changes of level >10mm) removed or marked with hazard tape. Snow/ice cleared in winter.
    Acceptable whenCDM 2015 Reg 17, traffic routes for pedestrians suitable, sufficient, kept free from obstruction. Workplace Regs Reg 12, every floor and traffic route kept free from obstructions/articles which may cause a slip, trip or fall.
    StandardCDM 2015 Reg 17. Workplace (HSW) Regs 1992 Reg 12. HSG155, Slips and trips: guidance for the construction industry.
    Common defectsWelding leads, air hoses, extension cables across pedestrian routeOff-cuts and pallets stacked on walkwayMud, oil or water on smooth surfaces, slip hazardNo edge protection on raised walkway / kerb step unmarkedRoutes not gritted in icy conditionsWalkway too narrow (under 1m) for two-way passing
  2. 2.
    Materials stored safely and not blocking routes
    What to look forStack heights stable, max 4x base width (or per manufacturer). Heavy items at low level. Bands and shrink-wrap on pallets intact. Pipes/round goods chocked or racked, not just lying loose. Min 600mm clearance from fire exits and electrical panels.
    Acceptable whenCDM 2015 Reg 25, materials stored safely so they cannot fall, collapse or strike persons. PUWER 1998 where racking systems used (regular inspection by competent person, SWL marked).
    StandardCDM 2015 Reg 25. PUWER 1998. HSG76, Health and safety in retail and wholesale (storage principles). SEMA Code of Practice for storage racking.
    Common defectsPallets stacked too high, stack leaningRound materials (pipes, scaffold tubes) not chockedMaterials blocking access to fire extinguishersRacking with damaged uprights / no SWL plateLoose materials on top tier of racking, fall risk
  3. 3.
    Waste segregated and skips not overflowing
    What to look forSeparate skips/bins for: general, wood, metal, plasterboard, hazardous. Skips covered or netted to prevent windblown waste. Filled to no higher than skip rim. Hazardous waste (paint tins, oil filters, fluorescent tubes) in lockable container.
    Acceptable whenEnvironmental Protection Act 1990, duty of care for waste. Hazardous Waste Regs 2005, segregation required. Waste (England and Wales) Regs 2011, written waste hierarchy. Skips not loaded above rim per Highways Act 1980 if on highway.
    StandardEnvironmental Protection Act 1990 s.34. Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005. Waste (England & Wales) Regs 2011. SR2010 No.4, site waste management.
    Common defectsPlasterboard mixed with general waste (must be separate)Skip overloaded above sides, material falling outNo hazardous waste container, paint tins in general skipSkip on highway after dark with no lights/markingsAsbestos suspected in mixed waste skipBurning of waste on site (banned)
  4. 4.
    Cable routes protected or overhead
    What to look forCables routed overhead (min 2.5m clearance) or protected by cable ramps/yellow covers where they cross routes. Cables off the ground in wet areas. No cables under stored materials or vehicles. Joins protected with proper IP-rated couplers, not gaffer tape.
    Acceptable whenElectricity at Work Regs 1989 Reg 4, systems constructed and maintained to prevent danger. PUWER 1998. BS 7671 (IET Wiring Regs 18th edition). Cable ramps for any cable in vehicle path.
    StandardElectricity at Work Regs 1989. BS 7671:2018+A2:2022 (IET Wiring Regs). HSG141, Electrical safety on construction sites.
    Common defectsCables draped over scaffolding scaffold tube, chafingJoints wrapped in insulating tape, not IP-rated couplersCable ramp missing, cables run over by telehandlerSub-mains lying in standing waterOverhead height below 2.5m, struck by mobile plant
  5. 5.
    General tidiness acceptable
    What to look forWork area tidied at end of each shift. Tools returned to lock-up. Materials issued to point of use, not stockpiled in walkways. No accumulation of packaging or offcuts. Clean-as-you-go culture visible. No food debris encouraging vermin.
    Acceptable whenCDM 2015 Reg 25, site kept in good order. Workplace Regs Reg 9, workplace and equipment kept in clean state. End-of-shift cleardown in RAMS.
    StandardCDM 2015 Reg 25. Workplace (HSW) Regs 1992 Reg 9. HSG155, Slips and trips.
    Common defectsPiles of offcuts at workstation, no clean-as-you-goTools and materials left out overnightEmpty bottles, food wrappers across siteWorkshop benches buried under offcutsNo daily housekeeping briefed in toolbox talk
  6. 6.
    No protruding nails, rebar, or sharp edges
    What to look forUsed timber denailed before stacking. Vertical rebar capped with mushroom caps or bent over. Fixings, dowels, bolts protruding above floor cut flush or marked. Sharp metal edges (cut sheet, banding) bagged or guarded.
    Acceptable whenCDM 2015 Reg 19, work area kept safe. Specifically rebar starter bars must be capped (HSG224 / starter bar guidance). All puncture/laceration hazards removed or guarded.
    StandardCDM 2015 Reg 19. INDG401, Construction (Design and Management) Regs 2015, what you need to know. NHBC Standards Ch 4.4 (steel reinforcement protection).
    Common defectsUncapped vertical rebar, falls onto can be fatalNails left in pulled-out shuttering timberBanding strap cut off and left coiled on floorCut sheet metal stored with sharp edge facing routeCaps blown off rebar, not replaced
  7. 7.
    Adequate lighting in work areas
    What to look forMinimum 100 lux general work area, 200 lux on tasks requiring perception of detail (rebar fixing, fitting out), 300 lux on close work (joinery, electrical 2nd fix). Task lighting at face of work, not overhead glare. Halogen replaced with LED festoon where possible.
    Acceptable whenBS EN 12464-1:2021 (indoor) / 12464-2:2014 (outdoor). CDM 2015 Reg 44, suitable and sufficient lighting; preferably natural where possible. Backup/emergency lighting where loss of light creates risk.
    StandardBS EN 12464-1:2021 & 12464-2:2014. CDM 2015 Reg 44. HSG38, Lighting at work.
    Common defectsSingle 500W halogen, heavy glare and dark shadowsLighting points missing in stairwell during 2nd fixFestoon damaged with bulbs outNo emergency lighting in below-ground areaTask lighting on extension lead with frayed cable

Questions people ask

How often should a housekeeping 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.

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