These are Main Consideration for site Layout planning and designing

Main Consideration for site Layout

The main items that must be considered in laying out a new site include the following:

Ø Access to the site and on site roads;

Ø Storage of materials;

Ø Plant requirements and movement of plant;

Ø Temporary buildings for contractor’s team and other persons resident on the site;

Ø Temporary services;

Ø Fencing and hoarding.

Ø Security and safety



Access to Site and On Site Roads

Access to the site will normally be described in the contract. If the site has more than one point of access, each entrance should be identified by either a letter or a number and instructions should be clearly displayed to where visitors and material deliveries should report on arrival.



The movement of plant on site must be planned for efficient and economic operation of the machines. The decision on what type of roads are to be used, e.g. rough access, water bound or bitumen sprayed, will depend upon the type of plant to be used, the ground conditions of the site and the cost effectiveness.



Generally, rough access roads are used by on-site traffic and water-bound or bitumen sprayed roads for on-off site traffic. Where off-site vehicles cross over or use on-site vehicle roads, warning signs must be posted or be supervised for reasons of safety.



Storage

Storage on site will be needed for the following items:

(i) Materials

(ii) Tools and equipment

(iii) Spare parts for mechanical plant

(iv) Manufactured goods for incorporation in the works.



Storage of Materials and Handling

Stores for materials should be situated so that the flow of materials and work will be kept orderly and will involve the minimum movement to the position of final job, because in many cases there is a lot of wastage and loss due to bad handling and poor storage or theft which lead to the increase of costs for materials. The following point should always be kept in mind by site Agents when storing materials:

Ø The distance for carrying the materials should be kept to an absolute minimum.

Ø The materials should not be liable to damage by weather conditions nor placed in direct contact with the ground.

Ø Materials should never be damaged by bad stacking and must be protected from pilfering.

Ø The storage of materials should be so positioned as to avoid double handling and awkward access for the delivery trucks.

Materials represent a major component of cost of most construction projects and therefore sensible precautions and use will be needed. It is important to:

• Reduce double-handling of materials to a minimum

• Protect materials from damage by weather

• Prevent damage arising through carelessness or proximity to building operations without suitable protection

• Prevent losses arising through careless stacking and handling.

Careful thought should be given to the location of materials in relation to their ultimate position in the job. Reducing the distances that the materials have to be transported on site will make a very positive contribution to a reduction in overall costs. A building itself can very often be used for storage, particularly after it has been made weatherproof, so use of existing buildings or parts of the constructed building might be considered. Timber and steel reinforcement should be stored in a dry safe place and in a way which makes it easy to extract the required pieces, i.e. size and/or length. Special stores are needed for some items, for example fuel oils are determined by the requirements of legislation.



Plant Requirements and Movement of Plant

The location and working procedure of plant should aim to minimize3 the repositioning of the machine, and maximize the coverage area that the plant is required to operate over. This is particularly so for cranes. Unless they are mounted on rails, derricks and cableways, tower cranes should not have to be repositioned during the contract as the process is costly, and it will also disrupt work.

Excavating plant, particularly on extended sites such as roads and airfields should ‘work as they go’. Concreting plant should be positioned to give minimum delivery distance to the areas of the site that require the bulk of the concrete output.



Temporary buildings

Accommodation should be provided for the following:

For Site Staff, etc.

Ø Site manager,

Ø Clerk of works,

Ø Site engineer,

Ø Quantity surveyor,

Ø Time keepers and wages clerk,

Ø Typists and telephone Operators,

Ø Production control and bonus surveyors,

Ø Meetings and conference room,

Ø Toilets and cloakroom.

For Operatives and Subcontractors

Ø Canteen and rest room,

Ø Drying room,

Ø First Aid room,

Ø Toilets and washing facilities.