When it comes to construction considerations on industrial sites, it doesn’t start and end with the buildings themselves. In order for a project to be truly successful, it requires safety at every stage, coordinated construction, erection and commissioning efforts — and a keen attention to detail. In other words, it requires proper site services.
In a recent BIC Magazine article, Hunter Site Services’ HSE Manager, Joann Delao, and Operations Manager, Dustin Brown, laid out the benefits quality site services can bring to a project, and detailed how to find a team that’s up to the task. Read on for the full article text.
Solid Site Services Make for Successful Building Projects
Safety forms the cornerstone of every successful operation, and its reach spans far beyond the need for proper PPE and ongoing OSHA training.
For an industrial build to start off in the smartest manner possible and result in a successful finished product, it takes a strategic approach at every stage — from initial design renderings to foundation work, construction, installation and beyond.
The problem comes, of course, from the fact that construction projects involve countless crew members across multiple companies, all tackling many tasks at once. Because too many “cooks in the kitchen” can lead to confusion, we recommend hiring a trained site services firm that can help oversee such projects, coordinate efforts and ensure safe, streamlined practices every step of the way.
What does site services work entail? “Site services” is something of a blanket term for processes related to the installation, removal and relocation of a structure on a jobsite. The work can include everything from foundation work to construction of the building itself, electrical terminations, HVAC repairs and beyond. At Hunter Site Services, for instance, we provide full-scale support at every stage of blast-resistant building construction — even on-site training and ongoing maintenance once commissioning is complete.
How can having a dedicated site services company help? It’s all about bringing strategy and organization to what can otherwise be something of a chaotic process. A site services company can help coordinate your construction project as a whole, handling tasks in ways that ensure work isn’t just completed in the proper order, but in the proper manner as well. It can also offer peace of mind that important facets of your building — weatherproofing measures, mate-line welding, HVAC, and fire and gas systems, for instance — are installed correctly and adequately understood by the building’s end user. Such companies can also free up your team’s time, reducing communications down to a single point of contact.
What should you look for in a qualified site services company? Each site services company will operate in a slightly different manner. It’s important to find a team that can handle the job correctly and with whom you can easily work. Here are a few traits to look for:
- Quality, consistent communication regarding your project.
- Proper certifications and licenses for your specific project work.
- The ability to diagnose and resolve issues within a single site visit.
- Low site crew turnover rates.
- A solid safety record.
How can you be sure a prospective company is trustworthy? It isn’t easy to make sweeping assessments at first glance. Consider requesting references, so you can ask your prospective company’s past clients about their experiences. Online reviews can also speak volumes about a company’s work, while an in-depth discussion can not only help answer your questions, but also allow the site services company to cover any additional ground you should know. At Hunter Site Services, our team maintains specialized certifications that allow us to carry out work in refinery/plant environments, and we are available to our clients 24/7. In addition, our safety record has led to our involvement with the Houston Business Roundtable’s Safety Excellence Awards program for seven years. We find that being able to talk through such points with potential clients puts minds at ease and can help get projects moving forward more quickly.
How else can companies ensure safer construction, installation and commissioning? Make an effort from the very start to map out a project’s full scope of work, who is responsible for what and where various teams should report. Make it a point to not only understand the safety processes in place at a project’s various facilities, but to adhere to them. Remember, communication is key. Ensure that any changes are passed down to the proper people and in the proper manner. Doing this keeps everyone on the same page and helps keep work moving forward as it should.
