As a kid, I spent a lot of time in the water.
I was a lifeguard in Bellows Falls, Vermont, and for a few summers I taught kids how to swim. Every now and then, I’d take a deep breath and try to swim the length of the town pool without surfacing.
That feeling – lungs full, body tense, eyes locked on the far wall – is exactly what many people in our industry feel right before the construction season kicks off. The work is coming. The pace will accelerate. The pressure will rise.
So, before the season goes full force again, let me ask a simple question: have you taken a deep enough breath?
Preseason checklist
Here’s the good news: Getting your sites ready for the season isn’t complicated, mysterious or expensive.
During the season, leaders spend their time managing situations – production pressure, customer demands, weather, staffing challenges. Right now, however, you still have the opportunity to manage conditions.
And conditions matter.
What exists on your site today quietly determines how people will behave tomorrow. Poor conditions force bad decisions. Good conditions support good habits.
March is often the last calm window before everything accelerates, making it the best time to set the stage.
I’d encourage you to rip this page out of the magazine – or at least screenshot it – and use the checklist here during a deliberate walk through your site. Think of it as neutralizing land mines before the season begins.
Seasonal site readiness checklist
1. Site signage
☐ Required signs are present, readable and placed where decisions are actually made
☐ Signs are intact, visible and not blocked by stockpiles or equipment
☐ Signage reflects how the site will operate this season – not last season
2. Traffic flow and mobile equipment
☐ Traffic flow makes sense for customers, haulers and mobile equipment
☐ Routes are intuitive and do not rely on “locals knowing the drill”
☐ Pedestrian areas are clearly defined and protected
☐ Berms, road edges and sightlines provide adequate visibility
3. Personal protective equipment (PPE)
☐ Safety glasses, hearing protection, hard hats and high-visibility vests are available and usable
☐ Respiratory protection is available where required
☐ Employees know when PPE is required and where to get it without friction
4. Emergency readiness
☐ First aid kits are stocked, accessible and known to employees
☐ Fire extinguishers are in place, charged, tagged and unobstructed
☐ Spill response materials are located where fueling and maintenance occur
☐ Employees know who to call and what to do in the first critical moments
5. Guards and guardrails – “The Two G’s”
☐ Machine guarding is intact, secure and appropriate
☐ Guardrails are present where required and capable of withstanding use
☐ Temporary fixes have been eliminated before becoming permanent risks
Final thoughts
I encourage you to scour your jobsite using this checklist. This isn’t about chasing compliance – although compliance is often the byproduct. It’s about fundamentals.
When leaders consistently get the basics right, every day, something important happens. Good habits form. Expectations stabilize. Shortcuts become harder to justify. People spend less time improvising around problems and more time doing their jobs well.
Once the season starts, conditions harden quickly. Patterns and habits get locked in. Behaviors set. Deferred issues become accepted risks. March is when you still have leverage.
Take the breath. Set the conditions. And give your team the best possible chance to go home safely – every day.
Stay safe, and please send any photos you’d like spotlighted along with questions, comments or thoughts to steve@stevefullercompany.com.
Steve Fuller has worked over the past 20-plus years with a variety of industries – including aggregates – in operational and safety leadership roles. Now representing Steve Fuller Company, he can be reached at steve@stevefullercompany.com.
