Landscapers insuranceAs a builder, you understand the hazards of working on construction sites. Protecting yourself and your employees and contractors from harm and reducing these risks while working is best practice and also extremely important as you have a legal obligation to provide a safe working environment.
It is also essential, however, to take appropriate steps to protect any heavy machinery, valuable equipment or expensive materials from damage while on-site.
If anything were to happen to these valuable items, it could have both a financial impact and also result in significant downtime if you had to pause the project until items are repaired or replaced. This could have a flow on effect and in addition to a potential loss of income it could impact completion timeframes.
Accidents are sometimes unavoidable. In the event that damage does occur, and having appropriate Builders’ Insurance in place will help to reduce loss and assist you to repair or replace items as soon as possible. To reduce the risk of accidents and damage, here are some ways you can protect your valuable property and materials.
1. Secure the area
Making sure your site is secure is an effective way to prevent theft. Installing a fence around the perimeter is always a great option to make it more difficult for unauthorised people to enter the area. Installing security cameras and ensuring there is adequate lighting will also deter criminals.
2. Maintain proper storage
While moving and locking all equipment and materials away at the end of a long day of construction can be tiring, it is an essential step to avoid more tiresome dealings and headaches if anything were to happen to these items. Any heavy machinery should be secured when not in use and ideally fitted with GPS tracking or any other location device. Any materials should also be secured in a weather-proof location to prevent damage, with hazardous and non-hazardous materials separated.
3. Machinery & equipment maintenance
Regular checks to ensure all machinery and equipment is operating at its best and assess for any wear and tear is important to prevent accidents or serious damage from occurring due to unnoticed operational concerns. This will also help to prolong the life of your equipment and ensure longevity, saving you from the cost of frequent machinery replacement and also helps to ensure the safety of any operators.
4. Site monitoring
Adequate staffing and supervision helps to create a safety culture. Having adequately trained employees available to field queries and assist in the formulation of risk management onsite, will help to prevent accidents from occurring and create a more secure job site.
5. Worker education
Any on-site workers should be provided appropriate training for safe operation of machinery. It is important that all who engage with machinery and equipment are educated in safety processes and always follow guidelines. Double-checking WorkSafe Victoria’s OHS laws couldn’t hurt.
6. Extreme weather conduct
One of the biggest threats to any site are unforeseen weather events. Whether this be heat, cold or wind all can cause significant damage. Taking appropriate steps to protect your site from these elements will reduce damage and minimise any financial impact that these perils could represent. Covering materials with tarps or sheeting, installing windbreaks and ensuring proper storage will help to maintain weather protection.
7. Fire prevention
Fire can be catastrophic for a construction site, posing great risk and causing damage to equipment and structures. To prevent fires from occurring, one suggestion is to store any flammable materials far from any heat sources. You should also ensure any electrical wiring or equipment is properly stored and maintained, and have fire extinguishers on-site as well as a fire response plan that is widely known among workers.
8. Environmental protection
Sites can pose a significant environmental risk, so it is important to take the appropriate precautions to prevent damage to the surrounding landscape. Sediment barriers are one such tool that can help to prevent soil erosion. Environmentally friendly materials and practices should be utilised, and any hazardous materials safely and suitably disposed of.
9. Traffic control
To prevent accidents and damage to nearby traffic, it’s essential that designated areas for equipment and vehicles are clearly marked, and safe traffic management practices are adopted.
Be protected against worksite incidents with Builders’ Insurance
The right building and construction insurance cover will ensure that if anything were to happen to your site, equipment or materials, you would be able to receive compensation and replace them or fix damage and minimise any potential downtime.
There are many types of insurance policies for builders. Construction or Contract Works Insurance will cover you for material damage and legal liability, while Public & Product Liability can protect you against third party claims of property damage due to negligence.
The experienced team at Atlantic Insurance has been catering to the various insurance needs of builders for over 25 years. Contact us to discuss your specific needs with a reliable Client Manager and ensure you are prepared for all construction risks.
Any information contained on this page of the website is general advice only and has been prepared without taking into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Your should consider these, having regard to the appropriateness of this advice and the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (‘PDS’), Target Market Determination (‘TMD’) and Financial Services Guide (‘FSG’), which will be provided following any formal recommendation to you.
