Education is ever-evolving—whether it’s the curriculum being taught, technology that’s used in the classroom, or the unique needs of the students. And because of this, educational spaces need to evolve, too. Schools can quickly become outdated and hinder the learning environment, creating an ever-growing demand for renovations and expansions.
However, schools can’t just shut their doors whenever they want to add-on a new addition. Construction companies need to be able safely work around the day-to-day operations of an educational building, prioritizing the security of the students and staff. Read on to learn more about the exclusive dangers a school site presents, and how to avoid them.
What Are the Risks of Construction Projects on School Sites?
All construction sites have some level of risk involved. However, when it comes to projects taking place on school sites, there are unique hazards that arise. When you consider the fact that you’ll be working around students of varying ages, who may not understand what dangers are present, the need for precautions becomes all the more important.
It’s your duty, as a construction company, to take steps to create a safe space for everyone inside and outside of the project. Some potential risks on a school site include:
- Students gaining access to the construction site
- Materials or debris dropping from great heights
- Excessive noise, dust, dirt, and debris disturbing students
- Dangerous equipment or tools on-site that create opportunities for harm
- Increased chances for slips or falls
- Unclear site markings that allow students and staff to end up somewhere they shouldn’t
But just because these risks are present, doesn’t mean that construction on a school site is destined to be solely dangerous. There are a lot of things you can do to overcome these concerns and create a safe and productive space for your construction site and the school to peacefully co-exist.
Steps to Practice School Construction Safety
Limit Site Access
Kids are curious, and in the middle of a long, dragging school day, it’s highly likely that some of them are going to attempt to wander onto the construction site. Don’t let this happen! For the safety of not just the students, but also the staff, it’s important to severely limit access to the site.
There are a few ways to go about this. (The more you implement, the better!) First and foremost, make sure that any construction zones are clearly marked off. Do this by putting up barriers, fences, gates, or even extra doors. Use signage, cones, and other identifiers that communicate what areas should not be accessed by outside personnel. There should be definitively outlined physical boundaries that deter anyone who shouldn’t be there, and leave no room for questions.
You can even go one step further and create a sign-in station at the site entrance, where anybody coming and going must log their names. Creating ID badges can also add another layer of security, allowing unauthorized personnel who are not allowed on the site to quickly be identified.
Other methods can include:
- A camera system set up on multiple points around the construction area
- A supervisor on site (during school hours) who knows who is supposed to be there
- An understanding among site workers to be vigilant of any outsiders
Plan for Traffic Flow
On any site, you’re going to experience foot traffic. Whether it’s from material deliveries and construction vehicles, or daily worker activity and visitors, there’s bound to be a lot of constantly moving parts. This only becomes exacerbated when working on a school site, where you also have to account for the whereabouts of students, staff, and parents.
Students will need to be able to come and go from their classes, and cars and buses will need to be able to drive in and out during drop-off and pick-up times. In order to avoid accidents, it’s important to plan ahead. Determine what times certain areas of the school will be the busiest, and when they will be empty. Consider the school’s holiday and activity calendar so that work doesn’t overlap with busy events taking place during off-hours or weekends.
You may need to create alternative routes for construction-related traffic in the case of increased school-related traffic. Remember, the first priority when working on a school site is the safety of the students and staff, while the second priority is creating an efficient construction workflow. If things take longer than usual because of this, then that’s just the nature of the job.
Assemble Temporary Buildings
No matter how much you try to avoid disrupting a school during a construction project, there’s likely going to come a point where the students will need to be moved around. That’s where temporary buildings (also known as portables, portable classrooms, or modular classrooms) come into play. These prefabricated structures are an easy way to quickly and cost-effectively create a short-term classroom space.
When assembling a temporary building, make sure that it’s located in a secure location on school grounds where it won’t be affected by construction. They should have power and HVAC, as well as safety features and emergency exits in the case of adverse weather or trespassers.
When the construction project is done, make sure to disassemble these as well. Leaving them up and empty can lead to students or outsiders trying to enter them when they shouldn’t.
Control Noise, Dust, and Debris
Unfortunately, you don’t just have to worry about people getting into your construction site. You also have to worry about things getting out!
Noise
Anybody who has been on or around a construction site for any duration of time knows how loud it can get. Although noise isn’t exactly dangerous to the students, it can certainly distract them from their work, or inspire them to come towards the source of the sound to investigate. Try and be conscious of this, and save especially loud and disruptive tasks for off-hours or weekends.
Dust
While site workers will often wear face masks to avoid breathing in harmful dust or other airborne particles, the students and staff at the school will not. Depending on what’s happening in your project, there are a lot of opportunities for dust and dirt to be kicked up. Avoid it from spreading outside of the construction zone by assembling protective barriers or tarps.
Debris
On a school construction site, you’re likely working with a variety of materials, such as wood, drywall, metal, and concrete. And as a result, there’s going to be a lot of debris lying around. Don’t let it pile up and create opportunities for it to leave the construction site or for students to come in and access it! Make sure you have a comprehensive waste management plan in place that encourages regular cleanups and proper storage.
Be Communicative With all Parties
It’s an age-old saying that rings especially true on a school construction site: communication is key! The construction team shouldn’t just be regularly communicating amongst themselves, but they should also be relaying information to people like the facilities operators, school directors, teachers, stakeholders, and more!
Communicating avoids confusion, which is important because confusion creates a space for accidents to happen. If you’re planning on having a crane on-site that day, let someone know! Teachers can be more diligent about directing students away from the area. If there’s going to be a materials delivery scheduled during student drop-off, speak with staff and see if there’s an alternative route for the parents to take.
When it comes to construction, there is no such thing as communicating too much or too often. When operating near public spaces, the importance of clear communication cannot be understated. All planning for workflow, work scopes, and work schedules must be communicated clearly and often.
Contact Us For Safe School Construction
At Jos. Schmitt, we don’t just value quality craftsmanship and expert construction methods—we also prioritize the safety of our sites and the surrounding environment. With decades of experience working on educational buildings, we understand the importance of safeguarding the well-being of students and staff.
Contact us today if you want to learn more about what we will do to protect your school during renovations or expansions.
