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SCAL Seminar 2014

Case Studies of Incidents on Formwork
04 Dec 2014

Azzalina Zainuddin
Specialist
Construction Technology & Engineering
OSH Inspectorate

A Great Workforce A Great Workplace

Understanding the Duties and Roles in Erection/ Use/

Dismantling of Formwork (Simplified*)
(a) > 9 metres
(b) > 2 tiers
(c) > 300mm slab / beam

Occupier

- Ensure that formwork:

a) Is properly constructed i.e.
is free from patent defect, is
safe for intended use etc.
b) Has safety factor of 2
c) Is designed by a PE if
criteria exceeded
d) If altered, is re-checked by
PE
e) Has safe means of access
for inspection
f) Has adequate bracings /
shores
g) Is dismantled only when the
concrete has gained
sufficient strength
h) Has adequate reshores if
required

PE

Formwork
Formwork
Supervisor

Employer

- Appoint formwork sup

- Ensure that formwork sup
is trained
-Ensure that formwork
construction is supervised
by formwork sup

- Check installation of
components of formwork
- Inspect formwork structure
upon completion
- Notify occupier if unsafe
Register
- Enter inspection into
register

-Provide design
calculations, drawings and
construction procedures for
the formwork
- Issue a COS if the
formwork is safe for use

Suppliers

- Provide information on safe use

- Ensure equipment supplied is
safe when properly used

*Simplified for purpose of illustration

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Recent Spate of Formwork Related Accidents

Accident cases related to Formwork - 2013

An external wall formwork

toppled onto the Deceased
during the dismantling of the
wall form. He was trapped
between the toppled formwork
and the cantilevered work
platform behind him.

The Deceased was standing on

top of an L-shaped half of a
column formwork that was being
erected at the edge of the
building, when the column
formwork toppled over the
edge. He fell together with the
formwork to the ground level.

The Deceased was rectifying a

leak to a column formwork at the
edge of the building when he fell
over the building edge and landed
at the ground level.

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Accident cases related to Formwork -2013

Workers were tasked to pull up a

formwork panel using an
improvised pulley system. The
Deceased joined the group of
workers to pull a formwork panel.
The Deceased lost his balance and
fell off the edge of the work area.

The Deceased was carrying out

formwork erection for a beam
soffit, whilst doing so, he fell from
the edge of the formwork and
landed at the 2nd storey block
under construction

Accident cases related to Formwork - 2013

Casting works were being carried

out when portion of the formwork
collapsed. Collapsed caused the
falsework beneath the formwork
around the area to buckle.

Workers were carrying out

casting works for a slab when
an area which had been cast
earlier gradually gave way due
to buckling of the supporting
falsework.

A crane was deployed to load

formwork materials onto the
formwork deck, and when the load
was unrigged, the said section of
the formwork structure tilted
sideway and collapsed, causing all
the 5 workers working on the
formwork to fall from height.

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Accident cases related to Formwork - 2014

The Deceased and his co-workers

were tasked to lift a tableform from
one storey to a higher floor of a
building under construction. The
Deceased and a co-worker were
standing on top of the tableform
when it suddenly tipped over the
building edge. The Deceased
fell off the tableform.

A group of workers started to pour

concrete for a post-tensioned
beam when the formwork structure
collapsed. During the transit to
hospital, 1 of the workers
succumbed to his injuries.
The Deceased and co-workers were
tasked to perform concreting work of
the columns and beams of a skylight
roof. The formwork collapsed
inwards into the void area of the
skylight opening. The Deceased fell
together with the formwork.

Accident cases related to Formwork - 2014

The incident happened when the

concreters were casting the topping
on the precast formwork. The
falsework structure gave way during
concreting.

A group of formwork workers

started to concrete the floor slab
of a light industrial building. A
portion of the slab being casted
started to sink slowly and
eventually collapsed.

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Observations from Operations

SWOs related to Formwork (Apr 2014)

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SWOs related to Formwork (Apr 2014)

SWOs related to Formwork (Jan 2014)

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Common Contraventions leading to Issuance of SWO

Formwork lapses

Poor construction of formwork

Formwork with patent defects
No PE design for the mixture of
conventional formwork and system
formwork
No means of access and egress for the
different levels of formwork

Working at Height
Lapses

Open sides
Ineffective barricades
Unsecured cover or no covers for floor
openings

Scaffold lapses

Scaffold without adequate guardrail

and toe-board
No stairs or ladders for access/egress
for scaffold
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Contraventions during inspections Working at Height without fall protection

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Contraventions during inspections No safe means of access / egress

Contraventions during inspections Inadequate Bracings

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Contraventions during inspections Patent Defects

Contraventions during inspections Deviations from PE Design

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Contraventions during inspections Mixed and Matched Formwork

Recommendations
Provisions for Work At Height

WSH Guidelines- Anchorage, Lifelines and

Temporary Edge Protection Systems
Link:
https://www.wshc.sg/wps/portal/resources?action
=detailedInfoStop&fInfoStopID=IS2013050600735

WSH Guidelines - Personal Protective Equipment for

Work at Heights
Link:
https://www.wshc.sg/wps/portal/resources?action
=detailedInfoStop&fInfoStopID=IS2012120600720

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Recommendations
Supplier training for erection, transportation, use and
dismantling of formwork both practical and hands on

With particular attention to be placed on:

a) Installation or dismantling of components at the edge
of buildings and structures
b) Processes and procedures for rigging and
transportation of formwork
c) Proper erection of connections, supports etc.

Gaps and Issues relating to Formwork Construction

ADVISORY FOR
PROFESSIONAL
ENGINEERS ON
FORMWORK SAFETY

PRESS RELEASE ON
STEPPED UP
INSPECTIONS

Ensuring that formwork design is in

accordance to regulatory requirements
meeting:
a) FS of 2.0;
b) Provisions of horizontal and diagonal
bracing in both longitudinal and
transverse directions unless the
formwork structure has been designed
to be stable and rigid without bracing;
c) Is designed by a PE for formwork
covered under the requirements stated
in WSH (Construction) Regulations 63(1)

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