Before you start

• •All crew members accounted for before close begins
• •Tool inventory list for the site — posted at the job trailer or available in the foreman's phone

The procedure

Step-by-step, in order. Each step has the action and the reason it matters.

1. 1

   Last-hour safety walkthrough — before crew starts close

   Walk the entire site 45 minutes before quit time. Open trenches must be barricaded or covered. OSHA requires: trenches over 5 feet require protective systems (shoring, sloping, or box) — no crew in a trench without them. Any trench left overnight must be barricaded with reflective barriers.

2. 2

   Power tool lockout — all cords coiled, blades guarded

   Every power tool gets its blade guard re-installed before going into the gang box. Cords coiled, not wrapped around the tool. Circular saw blades do not get left in the saw overnight — remove and store in the blade case. A theft of tools is a morning of no work.

3. 3

   Gang box inventory — count before locking

   Run the tool inventory list before locking the gang box. Any tool unaccounted for: make the crew find it before leaving. Small tools missing at close are gone by morning. Lock the gang box and the site lock — not just one.

4. 4

   Material protection — tarp all open material and exposed framing

   Any lumber, drywall, or insulation not installed gets tarped. A rained-on stack of 2x6s can warp 30% of the load overnight. Attach grommets with tie-downs — a tarp that blows off at 2am is the same as no tarp.

5. 5

   Waste management — no material over OSHAs housekeeping standard

   Cut ends, tie wire, wrapping, and waste must be contained. Protruding nails in scrap lumber must be removed or bent — OSHA 29 CFR 1926.250(b)(3). One puncture wound from job-site scrap is a recordable incident.

6. 6

   Check for active utilities — water, temp power

   Water supply: confirm no open lines left pressurized overnight if pipe work was done. Temporary power: GFCI-protected outlets — test by pressing the test button. Any tripped GFCI that won't reset = isolate the circuit before leaving. GFCI failure overnight on temp power = fire risk.

7. 7

   Next-day prep note — leave it in writing

   Leave a 3-bullet next-day note at the gang box or in the crew group text: (1) first task in the morning, (2) any open deliveries expected, (3) anything the crew needs to know before starting. This eliminates 20-minute morning standup confusion.

Verify when done

• ☐Open trenches barricaded
• ☐Gang box counted and locked
• ☐All material tarped
• ☐Protruding nail scrap removed or contained
• ☐Next-day note written and left

Common mistakes

• ✕Locking only the gang box without locking the site lock
• ✕Skipping the tarp because 'the weather looks fine'
• ✕Not pulling saw blades before locking up
• ✕Leaving protruding nails in scrap lumber

Trainer notes

The gang box count is the step new foremen skip because the crew is tired and wants to leave. Do it every day regardless. A $4,000 compressor that walks off the site at night is on the foreman, not the crew.

Common questions