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Keeping Jobsite Clean?


Jronman

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What do you guys do to keep the jobsite clean? or what is the best way to keep it clean? or how do you clean smarter not harder?

 

Do you even clean the jobsite at the end of the day? or do you wait till the last day for the current job to cleanup?

 

I suppose there is various types of jobsite cleanup. You got end of the day cleanup, cleanup after demo, cleanup before painting/finishing/staining/etc., final day on the current job cleanup.

 

Sure it doesn't have to be spotless at the end of the day but tools could at least be put away, floors could be swept, picked up, or vacuumed real quick, and trash cans dumped. I find our jobsite is filthy even after the boss nags everyone to keep it clean. I try to do my part but I don't feel as though the other guys do as good of a job. Some tools may get put back in where we designated as the "tool room" but others may be put wherever. They may clean a bit but once 4:00 hits they outa there regardless of how clean the place is. I could just be overreacting or letting it get to my head.

 

The newest trend seems to be making more tools vac ready. I'd like to use more dust collection but seems like the consensus at work is "we don't need it" or "its inconvenient" or "its a hassle". I use vacs all the time except just not on tools. I would think it would save some time especially if we have alot of wood to cut or if we are using the grinder. 

 

When it comes to demo projects that create pieces too large for a vac, I attempt to create larger pieces so cleanup is quicker because of less pieces to cleanup.

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When I was doing a gut renovation on my current house all crews cleaned up after themselves before leaving at the end of the day. Then I stayed and cleaned up even further.   A neat job site goes a long way with crews and inspectors.

 

At my job all tools get put away at the end of the day, then we sweep and clean in the morning. We also are lucky to have guys that sweep our area during the day and pick up scraps.  When the shop is rolling we probably fill 2 40 yard containers a day with various scraps. 

 

My home shop can get a bit messy at times, but I always clean up before starting new projects.

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I dunno. My dad's approach was just to have a bunch of kids and have them follow him around with a wheelbarrow picking up every nail and scrap. Our reward was being given a box of matches and being told we get to burn it all. In all seriousness though I have to do a cleanup around noon and an hour before I finish because otherwise as soon as I pull the machine out I go into a get home mindset and things don't get quite cleaned up.

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I TRY to pick up and put away as I go.

that would be things I know I am done with for the day. Throw junk in one spot and maybe clean up twice a day. I agree with @Stercorarius when it's go time, the last thing you want to do is spend hours cleaning up. If you manage "as you go" it may be easier ....

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my entire career, I worked for a couple brothers that allowed each and every employee 15 minutes a day at the end of their shift to clean their area and or shop. If we came across a re-tooling for a big job the entire shop would be in clean mode until it was spotless. I learned from them that a clean shop is more productive in the long run, 15 minutes a day is cheaper than having 27 journeymen running around looking for something 6 times a day 

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Always put your tools away, the only exception is a larger power tool you know you'll be using the next day (obviously, if it's safe to not be stolen). Blow the tools clean if you have compressed air or wipe the down as you put them away, longer life and cleaner tools. Materials should be out of the way but where you can find them.

 

I HATE wasting time looking for stuff. If I'm working, I want all my focus on what I'm working on and not thinking "WhereTF did I put *whatever*" If I need a tool, I want to walk up to or reach into my box/bag and be able to grab it without even looking. If I ask someone to grab something I want to be able to say "Second drawer from the bottom, top row, furthest pliers to the right." BTW, I just asked for a Knipex 32-31-135. ;)

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With the current employment that I have we have to clean any project once we are done at the end of the day. With that, every Thursday afternoon the entire site (including all subs) have to clean and pick up the building from 1:30 to the end of the day. I actually think this helps in having a neat jobsite.

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  • 3 months later...

I always try to pick up trash as I go, and usually I have a bin always nearby. I spend 15-30min at the end of every day cleaning up and putting tools away in their boxes/bags. My company has an smartphone app to track the time you spend working by a minute, and we get payed by the time spent, so if it takes 5 minutes longer, i get paid for it. If Im done 10 minutes "early", Im just gonna tell the app that Im leaving and be gone.

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Yeah my current employer won't buy me truck boxes so my tools are very disorganized right now. Irritating to try and do mobile service when my tools are in $2.89 Lowe's 5 gallon buckets. Hopefully things go through with this new employer because I've seen their service trucks first hand and like what I see. 

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My company builds new homes and does remodeling. Our clients refer us a lot because of how clean our sites are. Always pick up trash, don't make a trip outside empty handed if debris is laying around, broom the floors daily, run vacs with tools when possible, run Hepa air cleaners if it is a lived in remodel, plastic barriers are your friend, require subs to clean their mess, etc. A few minutes daily goes a long way.

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we are getting better. One of my coworkers ALMOST used a vac on a sander and used a dust mask a few times. I feel the boss and I are making some progress on getting them to use masks and vacs and stuff. We also put up plastic to keep dust in the work area.

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I'm a masonry contractor and my jobsites can get pretty messy at times. Usually by 2 pm the jobsite is a wreck, but I always make sure the last 30 min or so are spent organizing and cleaning. A lot of times the mess isn't totally put away, just organized better.

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  • 2 weeks later...

With being a remodeling contractor keeping someone house clean that you are working in is very important. I probably spend a hour or so everyday  covering thing keeping floors covered checking the air scrubbers and at the end of the day picking it all up to put back down the next day. When I'm finished I have a cleaning service come in and clean the house. That 150 bucks goes a long way in get referrals.   

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All the time, really keeps the dust down with drywall or demolition, and they're super cheap compared to other air scrubbers on the market ($800+). 

 

I'm still on my original set of filters, I just blow them out and put them back in. Probably due for replacement on the pleated filter now after a year. 

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