HTML Preview Construction Site Inspection Checklist page number 1.
January 2014
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Construction Site Inspection Checklist for OHC000004
By making use of some simple Best Management Practices (BMPs) a construction site operator can do his or her share to
protect Ohio's water resources from the harmful effects of sediment. The topography of the site and the extent of the
construction activities will determine which of these practices are applicable to any given site, but the BMPs listed here
are applicable to most construction sites. For details on the installation and maintenance of these BMPs, please refer to
the current Rainwater and Land Development, Ohio's Standards for Storm Water Management Land Development and
Urban Stream Protection by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) Division of Soil and Water Conservation.
The manual is available at http://ohiodnr.com/soilandwater/water/rainwater/default/tabid/9186/Default.aspx or by
contacting your county Soil and Water Conservation District.
Temporary Stabilization
This is the most effective BMP. All disturbed areas that will lie dormant for over 14 days must be stabilized within 7 days
of the date the area becomes inactive. The goal of temporary stabilization is to provide cover, quickly. Areas within 50
feet of a stream must be stabilized within 2 days of inactivity. This is accomplished by seeding with fast-growing grasses
then covering with straw mulch. Apply only mulch between November 1 and March 31. To minimize your costs of
temporary stabilization, leave natural cover in place for as long as possible. Only disturb areas you intend to work within
the next 14 days.
Construction Entrances
Construction entrances are installed to minimize off-site tracking of sediments. A stone access drive should be installed
at every point where vehicles enter or exit the site. Every individual lot should also have its own drive once construction
on the lot begins.
Sediment Ponds
Sediment ponds are required for construction areas with concentrated runoff, when the design capacity of silt fence or
inlet protection is exceeded, or for drainage areas with 10 or more disturbed areas. There are two types of sediment
ponds: sediment basins and sediment traps. A sediment trap is appropriate where the contributing drainage area is 10
acres or less. The outlet is an earthen embankment with a simple stone spillway. A sediment basin is appropriate for
drainage areas larger than 10 acres. The outlet is an engineered riser pipe with a skimmer or similar device used to
dewater the pond at the surface. Often a permanent storm water management pond, such as a retention or detention
basin, can be modified to act as a sediment basin during construction. All sediment ponds must be installed within 7 days
of first grubbing the area they control, provide a minimum dewatering zone of 67 cubic yards per acre of total contributing
drainage area and a sediment settling zone of 34 cubic yards per disturbed acre below the level of the outlet. Sediment
basins must be designed to drain the dewatering zone over a 48-hour period.
Silt Fence
This is typically used at the perimeter of a disturbed area. It’s only for small drainage areas on relatively flat slopes or
around small soil storage piles. Not suitable where runoff is concentrated in a ditch, pipe or through streams. For large
drainage areas where flow is concentrated, collect runoff in diversion berms or channels and pass it through a sediment
pond prior to discharging it from the site. Combination barriers constructed of silt fence supported by straw bales or silt
fence embedded within rock check dams may be effective within small channels. As with all sediment controls, silt fence
must be capable of pooling runoff so that sediment can settle out of suspension. Silt fence must be installed within 7 days
of first grubbing the area it controls.
Inlet Protection
This must be installed on all yard drains and curb drains when these inlets do not drain to a sediment trap or basin. Even
if there is a sediment trap or basin, inlet protection is still recommended, as it will increase the overall sediment removal
efficiency. These are best used on roads with little or no traffic. If working properly, inlet protection will cause water to
pond. If used on curb inlets, streets will flood temporarily during heavy storms. Check with your municipality before
installing curb inlet protection. They may prefer an alternate means of sediment control such as silt fence or ponds.
Permanent Stabilization
All areas at final grade must be permanently stabilized within 7 days of reaching final grade. This is usually accomplished
by using seed and mulch, but special measures are sometimes required. This is particularly true in drainage ditches or on
steep slopes. These measures include the addition of topsoil, erosion control matting, rock rip-rap or retaining walls.
Permanent seeding should be done March 1 to May 31 and August 1 to September 30. Dormant seeding can be done
from November 20 to March 15. At all other times of the year, the area should be temporarily stabilized until a permanent
seeding can be applied.
Non-Sediment Pollution Control
Although sediment is the pollutant of greatest concern on most construction sites, there are other sources of pollution.
Most of these BMPs are easy to implement with a little bit of planning and go a long way toward keeping your site clean
and organized. Please be sure to inform all contractors how these BMPs affect their operations on the site, particularly
those that will be working near a stream.