BEH/Specific/TBT-BEH-030

Safety of Persons on Site

Behavioural Safety & Leadership › Specific › Safety of Persons on Site

Presenter		Project
Location		Date

Every person on a construction site has the right to work in an environment that does not put them at risk.
HASWA 1974 Section 3 requires employers to protect non-employees affected by their work activities.
This includes visitors, delivery drivers, client representatives, utility workers, and members of the public.
All visitors must be inducted, accompanied, and provided with appropriate PPE before entering active areas.
Delivery drivers are particularly vulnerable — they may be unfamiliar with site hazards and traffic routes.
CDM 2015 requires the principal contractor to control access and manage interfaces between all site users.
Vulnerable persons including young workers, pregnant women, and disabled persons need additional risk assessment.
Trespassers, especially children, must be prevented from accessing sites through secure fencing and signage.
The duty of care extends to people on adjacent properties affected by noise, dust, and vehicle movements.
A robust induction process is the primary control for ensuring all persons understand site-specific hazards.

Legal duty to all	The employer's duty of care extends to everyone affected by their activities — not just their own employees.
Visitor vulnerability	Visitors and delivery drivers lack site familiarity and are at significantly higher risk of injury than regular workers.
Child trespass	Children are attracted to construction sites — secure fencing and locked access prevents tragic trespasser incidents.

Don't

Ensure all visitors are inducted and accompanied at all times in active work areas.
Provide appropriate PPE to every person entering the site including visitors.
Brief delivery drivers on the site traffic route and unloading procedure on arrival.
Maintain secure perimeter fencing and locked gates to prevent unauthorised access.
Assess additional risks for vulnerable persons including young or pregnant workers.
Escort client representatives and inspectors through active areas with awareness of hazards.
Display clear signage at all entry points warning of construction hazards and PPE rules.
Log all visitors in and out to maintain an accurate roll call for emergency evacuation.
Report any signs of attempted trespass or perimeter breaches to the site manager.
Consider the impact of your activities on neighbours and the general public at all times.

DON'T allow anyone onto site without completing the visitor induction process first.
DON'T leave site gates open and unattended during or outside of working hours.
DON'T let delivery drivers wander the site unaccompanied looking for the unloading area.
DON'T assume visitors understand construction hazards — brief them on every specific risk.
DON'T allow children or unauthorised persons onto site under any circumstances.
DON'T forget to sign visitors out when they leave — roll call accuracy depends on it.
DON'T ignore perimeter fence damage — repair it immediately to prevent trespass access.
DON'T carry out high-risk activities near site boundaries without protecting adjacent users.
DON'T treat the visitor induction as a quick formality — it is a genuine safety control.
DON'T allow visitors to refuse PPE — no hard hat, no entry, no exceptions.

See also: Site Induction Requirements | Protecting the Public

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