The document outlines an employer's and employee's responsibilities regarding environmental awareness during construction projects. It states that employers should explain environmental issues, avoidance methods, waste disposal and storage, and emergency responses. Employees should reuse materials, dispose of waste correctly, avoid dust and noise, and know the spill kit location. Both companies and individuals can be prosecuted for not following environmental laws, and sustainability means minimizing damage through practices like conserving energy and recycling.

1. Section E: Environmental Awareness

2. What your employer should do:
• Explain specific environmental issues at induction
• Let you know about their methods to avoid
pollution
• Provide means to distribute, store and use
materials in a manner that avoids damage to the
environment
• Provide means to dispose of waste
• Provide emergency response methods (such as
spill kits)
Environmental Awareness
Section E: Environmental Awareness

3. What you should do for your employer:
• Reuse materials where possible
• Dispose of waste correctly
• Avoid creating dust or noise
• Know where the spill kit is located
Environmental Awareness
Section E: Environmental Awareness

4. • Construction firms are legally obliged to ensure that
their operations do not adversely affect the
environment
• It is the responsibility of everyone on site to be
aware of environmental risks
• Remember, both companies AND individuals can be
prosecuted if they do not follow environmental law
Environmental Awareness
Section E: Environmental Awareness

5. Sustainability means carrying out construction work in a
responsible manner with a view to minimising
environmental damage
Examples of good practice include:
• Using local products to minimise transport
• Using local labour and services
• Saving energy by turning off equipment when not in
use
• Designing out waste
• Reusing left over materials to conserve raw
materials
• Segregating waste into different types to improve
recycling
• Using reclaimed materials
Sustainability
Section E: Environmental Awareness

6. • Sustainability is about making the best use of resources
• It takes a lot of energy and raw materials to make
construction products – the more we recycle the better
for the environment
Maximum
conservation of
resources
Sustainability
Section E: Environmental Awareness

7. Damaging, disturbing or removing protected species
can result in prosecution
Construction activities can impact on the natural
environment by:
• The destruction or disturbance of birds, bats,
badgers and other protected species
• Removal of wildlife habitats
• Disturbance of aquatic wildlife or water quality
• Disturbance of wildlife by noise
• Damage to trees and hedgerows
Natural Environment
Section E: Environmental Awareness

8. Species of plant that do not naturally grow in the UK
but have been introduced are known as non-native
species
It is an offence to plant or otherwise cause to grow
plants such as:
• Giant Hogweed
• Japanese knotweed
• Himalayan Balsam
Natural Environment
Section E: Environmental Awareness

9. What are the causes of pollution?
• Deliberately or accidentally allowing substances to
soak into the ground or enter rivers or burns
• Allowing smoke fumes or dust to contaminate the air
• Causing excessive noise, light or vibration that can
affect the quality of life for nearby residents
• Mixing contaminated waste with ‘clean’ waste
• The destruction or disturbance of the habitats of
plants or wildlife
Pollution
Section E: Environmental Awareness

10. • Employers have to consider the use of spill kits
to contain and clean up spillages...
• You may have to place contaminated soil in a
separate container as well as any chemicals
themselves…
• Remember, spillages near watercourses
require particular attention – never use
detergents that may transfer into the water
Managing Spillages
Section E: Environmental Awareness

11. • When dealing with waste you must comply with
site instructions for handling waste materials
• It is good environmental practice to segregate
and separate waste – this aids sustainability and
makes recycling easier
• Remember, there are specific rules for dealing
with hazardous waste – if in doubt consult your
supervisor
Dealing with Waste
Section E: Environmental Awareness

12. • Be especially aware of any materials with a
‘hazardous chemical’ symbol….
• This symbol lets you know that a product is
harmful to the environment
• Always check the product label for instructions of
how to dispose of the product – make sure you
follow them accurately
Dealing with Waste
Section E: Environmental Awareness

13. Examples of hazardous waste include:
• Asbestos
• Batteries
• Used spill kits
• Fluorescent light tubes
• Waste solvents (white spirit, oils bitumen based
materials)
Hazardous Waste
Section E: Environmental Awareness

14. Toxic Spillages Must be Taken Seriously…
Section E: Environmental Awareness

15. …At All Times!
Section E: Environmental Awareness

16. Questions
Section E: Environmental Awareness