• June 26, 2023

Management of construction works – Accessibility

Construction sites offer different challenges when it comes to accessibility. This is due to the fact that there is a massive movement of men (work), as well as carriers of material. These range from pickup trucks to trailers. Depending on the items being moved, the weight is different and as such the capacity of the route to and from the site must meet these requirements. There will also be visitors in light personal vehicles, especially consultants and potential property buyers in the case of commercial projects or potential tenants in the case of residential or rental spaces. The access available or provided must satisfy these requirements to the extent possible. Different site conditions include;

Virgin Sites: This refers to a new site where no other construction activity has taken place before. This means that there is no access to the specific build point. Where such a route may be available, it may not be sufficient and may need improvement. This may include work such as felling trees, cutting high sections and filling low ones, pouring murram or other suitable material. It will also include the compaction, moistening and curing of the spilled material. Being a new route and sometimes temporary, it will need maintenance. When such access must pass through other people’s property, the appropriate permits must be sought. Local authorities should also be notified and provided with plans as ways to warn of problems such as ecological disturbances. It is generally desirable that the construction access route also be the permanent access to the permanent route to access the finished facility.

· Existing sites: These are sites that have already been built previously. They can have existing access. The only hurdle would be when that access is still in use by others, as it will create an inconvenience and delivery usage could be throttled only for periods of low demand. The need to provide alternate routes for existing users might also arise. A good example here is road maintenance or improvement works, whereby diversions are created and maintained in good condition during the construction period. Appropriate arrangements must be made to minimize inconvenience and prevent accidents.

· Tight Sites: These are unique sites in that they have minimal room for maneuvering. Here are examples in urban centers or institutions. The regulation here is very strict and as such, strict measures must be put in place to follow such regulations. These sites are very difficult to manage when it comes to accessibility. An example is when the concrete is to be delivered to the site already mixed (in ready-mix trucks). This introduces the synchronization headache and avoids inconvenience to other users.

Providing access to sites should be a well thought out activity. Maintenance should be a top priority. The design of said access roads must also take into account the traffic foreseen for said project. Road markings and other similar furnishings must also be provided and kept in good repair.

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