How to Use This Resource: Site Welfare & Set-Up Inspection Record

Purpose and outcome (what “good” looks like)

The Site Welfare & Set-Up Inspection Record is a repeatable check sheet to confirm your site basics are in place and being kept up to standard: welfare (toilets, washing, drinking water, rest area), access and walkways, signage, security, emergency arrangements, temporary electrics/lighting, and housekeeping.

Good completion means:

• Every section is checked (or marked N/A with a clear reason).
• Any “Fix” item has a clear action, owner, and due date in the Actions Log.
• Anything unsafe is dealt with immediately (stop and make safe), not just written down.
• The sheet is signed and filed so you can prove ongoing monitoring.

Who uses it (roles and responsibilities)

When to use it (timing and frequency)

• Mobilisation / first set-up: complete once welfare, signage, boundaries, and emergency arrangements are established (or to confirm what is missing).
• Routine monitoring: use at the frequency you set in the CPP (common choices are weekly, fortnightly, or daily on higher-risk or fast-moving sites).
• Also use it when something changes: new phase of work, change of access route, new welfare location, new subcontractor, public interface changes, after bad weather, after an incident/near miss, or after complaints.

Tip: Pick a day/time and stick to it (e.g., “every Monday before start”). Consistency is what makes it work.

Before you start (what you need to have to hand)

• Construction Phase Plan (CPP): especially your welfare arrangements, traffic/pedestrian plan, emergency plan, and inspection frequency.
• Site layout / access plan (even a simple sketch is fine).
• Emergency info: site address, assembly point, emergency contacts, first aider names, nearest A&E if you use it on your sites.
• Current site rules and induction info (what should be displayed and communicated).
• Fire and first aid provision details: where kits/extinguishers are and what’s required for the job (including hot works arrangements if used).
• Any recent issues: last inspection record, open actions, recent near misses, housekeeping problems, welfare complaints.

How to complete it (step-by-step)

Step 1: Fill in the site and inspection details

• Complete the top section (project/site, date/time, inspector, weather/conditions, stage of works).
• Write the inspection frequency and the next inspection due so it’s clear what “good” looks like for your job.

Step 2: Walk the site in a sensible order

Do a quick, practical route so you don’t miss anything:

1. Welfare (toilets, washing, drinking water, canteen/rest area, drying space)
2. Access & walkways (entry, pedestrian routes, deliveries, work-at-height access points)
3. Signage & information (site rules, mandatory signs, emergency info, briefings)
4. Security & boundaries (fencing/hoarding, gates, storage, visitors)
5. Emergency arrangements (assembly point, first aid, fire, hot works, spills)
6. Lighting/power/temporary electrics (cables, RCDs, charging area)
7. Housekeeping & waste (tidy site, storage, skips, dust and slips/trips)

Step 3: Mark each check as OK / Fix / N/A and add notes

• OK = it’s in place and working today.
• Fix = it’s not right and needs action. Write a short note explaining what’s wrong and where.
• N/A = not relevant today. Use this properly (e.g., “No hot works on this project” or “No temporary power—battery tools only”).

Make notes useful: include location (“welfare cabin sink”), the problem (“no soap”), and what “done” looks like (“refill soap and paper towels”).

Step 4: If it’s unsafe now, stop and fix it

If you find a serious issue (e.g., blocked fire route, missing edge protection, exposed live cable, unsafe public access), don’t wait for the paperwork:

• Stop the activity/area if needed.
• Make it safe straight away (or isolate and prevent access).
• Record what you did and what still needs doing in the Actions Log.

Step 5: Use the Actions Log properly

• Give each action a ref number (so you can track it).
• Assign an owner (a named person, not “site”).
• Set a realistic due date based on risk (today/tomorrow/this week).
• When done, fill in the done date and mark it closed.

Tip: Carry forward open actions to the next inspection until they are closed (don’t let them disappear).

Step 6: Sign off and share the key points

• Complete the overall status (OK / OK with actions / Stop & fix).
• Sign and date as the inspector.
• Get a manager/supervisor sign-off if your CPP or company rules require it, or if there are significant actions.
• Use the one-box summary to brief the team quickly (what’s good, what needs sorting, who is on it).

Review and approval (what “good checking” means)

• Routine inspections: site supervisor signs; manager reviews if there are actions, repeat issues, or higher risk.
• Escalate to management the same day if you have “Stop & fix”, anything involving public protection, fire/emergency access problems, repeated welfare failures, or temporary electrics concerns.
• Check close-out: the reviewer should spot-check that actions are actually done (not just ticked) and that the fix matches the issue.

Recordkeeping (filing, retention, audit readiness)

• Where to store: keep with your CPP / site file (paper folder on site) and/or your shared drive/job folder.
• Naming: use a consistent filename, e.g. Site-Welfare-Setup-Inspection_2026-03-05_ProjectName.pdf.
• Evidence: if you can, attach photos for key “Fix” items and close-outs (especially public protection, security breaches, emergency routes, and welfare issues).
• Retention: keep for the duration of the project and in line with your company retention period for H&S records. If you’re unsure, keep them with the job file so they’re available if questions come up later.
• Version control: don’t overwrite old inspections—file each one as its own dated record.

How often to review or update your approach

• Review the inspection frequency if the job changes pace, risk increases, or issues keep reappearing.
• Look for patterns monthly (or at key stages): recurring housekeeping, repeated missing signage, welfare not being maintained, cable management problems.
• Update “Extra checks” when you introduce site-specific risks (e.g., asbestos checks, live services, lifting operations, public interface, schools/hospitals, contaminated ground).

Common mistakes (and how to avoid them)

• Ticking “OK” without looking: do a real walk-round, including inside welfare units and storage areas.
• Using N/A as an easy way out: only use N/A with a reason (“no temporary electrics on this job”).
• Vague actions: “sort it” isn’t helpful. Write what, where, and what good looks like.
• No owner or due date: actions won’t close without names and dates.
• Not following up: carry open actions forward and check they’re done.
• Ignoring welfare because it’s “only a small job”: the basics still apply—clean toilets, washing, drinking water, a place to warm up and eat.
• Missing public protection: pay extra attention to boundaries, signage, and pedestrian routes where the public could get near the work.
• Temporary electrics drift: trailing leads and daisy-chained extensions creep in—spot it early and tidy it up.

Worked example (quick, realistic scenario)

Job: Small extension on a domestic property. Week 2. Wet weather. Two subcontractors on site.

• Welfare: Toilet is clean but no hand towels → mark Fix, action: “Restock paper towels in welfare cabin; check weekly top-up”, owner: Supervisor, due: today.
• Access & walkways: Muddy path to rear garden causing slips → Fix, action: “Put down boards/mats and grit at start of day; keep clear of offcuts”, owner: Foreman, due: today.
• Signage: Emergency contacts not posted in welfare → Fix, action: “Print and post emergency sheet by canteen door; include assembly point and site address”, owner: Site Manager, due: tomorrow.
• Security: Gate left open during delivery → note Fix, action: “Agree delivery process: one person on gate, close after vehicle in; remind team in morning brief”, owner: Supervisor, due: today.
• Sign-off: Overall status “OK with actions”. Actions entered in the log, briefed to the team, and closed out on the next inspection with a quick photo of the updated walkway and posted emergency sheet.