Major construction site mistakes that you should avoid

Mistakes happen. We get it.  Even with all of the best planning and will in the world, errors can still occur. 

The most common mishap on construction sites, however, comes in the form of not providing enough portable toilets for the volume of contractors and visitors you have on your site. 

As well as not having enough toilet facilities on-site, maintenance of the toilets you do have can also often fall behind, resulting in an overflowing, and somewhat messy toilet situation. 

The good news is that Health & Safety guidelines are in place to help support employers in ensuring the right facilities are available and supporting employees by making sure basic needs are met. 

When it comes to portable toilet hire on construction sites, the recommended guideline is one toilet for every seven employees/contractors working approximately a 40 hour week. 

Not supplying these minimum requirements or indeed the right toilet facilities can result in: 

• An overflowing toilet system 
• Additional costs to you 
• Fines from the HSE for inappropriate facilities 
• Unsanitary working conditions 

Trust us when it comes to mistakes on construction sites; these can go from annoying to stressful in a nanosecond. 

Construction Management Mistakes 

For all construction projects, you need to make sure that accurate project plans are drawn up and that every last and finer detail is taken into consideration before any project gets underway. 

Involving and communicating cross teams with different trades, suppliers, etc. is key.  Knowing their timescales, requirements, and specifications from the start helps to avoid and certainly minimise, the chances of mistakes happening. 

This detail to planning helps with budgets, project timescales, and completion dates, and if an error does crop up, you’re most definitely in a better position to deal with it. 

Major construction mistakes: 

Having sketchy budgets.  What is your expectation for the project?  What is your budget, and do you have clear itemised costs of everything along the way – as well as the budget set aside for contingency? 

Ring around – don’t hire your portable toilets from just anyone!  Make sure to check the company out.  Check out their customer reviews, their guarantees, what is their customer service and response times like, etc.? 

Check insurances – all contractors whom you use should all be insured and work within all Health and Safety guidelines.  You need to have 100% peace of mind that you have covered all eventualities and that you and your project are protected. 

Toilet maintenance isn’t that simple if you’re thinking of doing it yourself.  It might save you a few pounds in the short term, but it will cost you more in the long run.  It also takes you away from the day job, and trust us, cleaning site toilets isn’t everyone’s cup of tea! 

Not speaking up – if you have questions or concerns, then you should raise them asap.  This allows the contractor to work with you to get the best solution.  Festering on these problems can often lead to much bigger and often costlier problems for everyone involved. 

Not checking delivery and collection dates – this is where good project management comes in.  When you need to know exactly when you want and need portable toilets to be delivered and when they should be collected.  Of course, most professional contractors can be flexible on dates, but the sooner these can be scheduled and booked, the better this is for all concerned. 

Not being prepared – you never know what will happen until a project begins, and for this reason, you should always plan for the unexpected.  The just in case.  With budgets set aside for just so contingencies. 

Things to consider when hiring your portable toilet facilities:

• How many people do you have/will have on-site? 
• Book in regular facility maintenance and cleaning 
• Regularly check stock levels 
• Review the types of facilities available and which will be most suitable for your project. 

Different types of portable toilets available: 

• Mains connected portable toilet 
• Coldwater chemical toilet 
• Hot water chemical toilet 
• Luxury toilet cabins 
• Mains toilet block 
• Urinals 
• And more! 

If you’re looking for outdoor portable toilet hire for your building or construction site – look no further than Addplant.  Based in Yorkshire, we have large volumes of stock, loaded and ready to be delivered to your site asap. 

Call us on 01482 867 227 to find out more.

Find out more here!