Deciding to build a granny flat is simple, designing and building the extension can be a lot harder. You'll have a lot of questions to answer along the way. Can you use a general contractor or is is better to use one who has built a lot of granny flats before? Is a template design better than a customised one? Should you let the person who'll live in the flat have a say in what it looks like? Luckily, I'm here to help. My name is Maria. We moved my Mum into a purpose-built granny flat last year, so I've had to answer all these questions and more. I thought it'd be useful for other people to see how we managed the process, so here we are — get reading!
General Safety Requirements for Contractors Undertaking Civil Work
Construction is one of the biggest industries in the world today. Every year, you witness a countless number of structures coming up in form of houses commercial buildings, bridges and many others. Civil works is a branch of the construction industry, focusing on setting up infrastructures such as water treatments systems, highways, sewers and bridges.
Certainly, putting up any of these structures on your property requires a good contractor. The contractor has to meet some general safety requirements for them to carry out the work assigned to them. If you want to hire one, here are some of the general requirements they must meet regarding civil works.
Emergency Plans
Civil works have inherent risk elements that come with carrying out the construction works. The danger threatens the safety of both workers and the people inhabiting the areas close to the civil works. A contractor must provide a detailed safety plan for how they are going to handle emergencies whenever they occur. The plan must cover all the elements considered risky such as fire and flammable gases.
Electric shock also falls in this category. Suitable insulation must be in place to prevent the possibility of shock to unsuspecting workers or passers-by. Lastly, the contractor must also have actionable rescue plans including stand-by personnel with the right resources to carry out the rescue operations.
Suitable Lighting and Safe Access
The safety of the workers is a top priority for the successful completion of any civil works project. Therefore, the contractor must provide suitable lighting and safe access, especially when the project involves tunnelling and underground construction. For instance, installing underground pipelines and waterways requires a contractor to provide enough lighting in the underground tunnels with standby units for any contingency.
Warning Signs
Visible warning signs are elemental for protecting the public against injuries. Preferably, the warning signs should be in local dialect so that the people can interpret them easily. The signs may be permanent or temporary depending on the nature of the work. They should also be in place as long as the civil works pose a threat to the safety of the people.
Employee Training
It is also a requirement for contractors to train their employees on all the regulations regarding the civil works project in question. The training should aim at equipping the employees with all the skills requires besides what they are able to do on the job. They should be in a position to avoid any manner of a breach in the course of their work.
When you hire a contractor for civil works, they should meet the requirements discussed here before they start working for you. Do not settle for anything less.