Site readiness checklist before contractor mobilisation

A crew that arrives to a site that is not ready still has to be paid. Idle mobilisation is one of the most common causes of a project overrunning its budget in the first week, and it is almost entirely preventable.

Access

• Gate entry arranged, with the vehicle and crew list already submitted.
• Induction slots booked for the arrival date, not requested on the arrival date.
• Working area physically available, cleared of production material and stock.
• Route from the gate to the working area confirmed for the equipment being brought in.

Permits and clearances

• Work permit system explained, and the raising authority identified by name.
• Height work, hot work and confined space clearances applied for in advance.
• Isolation requests raised, with the person authorised to isolate identified.
• Photography permission clarified, since most plants restrict it and most contractors need progress records.

Utilities and facilities

• Power point available at the working area, with the correct rating and phase.
• Compressed air and water availability confirmed if the work needs them.
• Storage space allocated for material and tools, with a lockable arrangement for tools left overnight.
• Toilet, drinking water and rest area access confirmed for the crew.

Interfaces

• Scope boundary between the contractor and the plant’s own maintenance team written down.
• Adjacent contractors identified, along with who sequences between them.
• The named person who can make a decision when something is found that was not in the drawing.

The one that matters most

The last point. Most site delays are not technical. They are a crew standing next to a problem while somebody looks for the person allowed to decide what to do about it. Name that person before mobilisation and half the delay risk disappears.