Safety Measures to be taken at construction site

■ Safety infrastructure

■ Precautions to avoid collapse of any building

■ Safe handling of explosives

■ Separate walkways and driveways

■ Safe usage of hoisting equipment

■ Adequate lighting facility

■ Precautions to prevent inhalation of dust/gases

■ Safe stacking/ un stacking

■ Safe guarding all machinery/ fencing

■ Safe handling of pneumatic equipment

■ Precautions in case of Fire

■ Safe transport

■ Rescue from drowning

■ Safe usage of electrical equipment

■ Safety nets, shields, belts

■ Stds for scaffolding, ladders, stairs etc

■ Pile driving, excavation, concrete works

■ Health facilities

Measures to be taken to promote safety

■ Safety legislation and stds

■ Safety in technology

■ Safety in project management

■ Safety in education and training

■ Data and surveys

■ Supportive role of other agencies

Accident Prevention and Safety

■ Accidents

– can be defined formally as 'an undesired event, which results in physical harm and/
or property damage’

■ Information gathering about accidents

 • Death

• Fatal injury (broken leg, amputation)

• Non-fatal injury (finger cut)

• Occupational accidents (eye injury, hearing loss)

• Absence from work ( >1 day, > 3 days etc)

• Near misses

•Working days lost – days off work lost due to workplace injuries & work-related ill health

■ The safety programme

• Reactive measures

– Accident recording & reporting

– Accident investigations

• Proactive measures

– safety policy

– safety programs /plan

– safety induction/training

– Tool-box talk

■ Suggested accident prevention programme

• Information gathering and preventive measures

• Machinery and equipment safety

• Safety training

• Follow up on safe operations

• Supervision

• Safety campaigns

Construction Safety Management

Role of various parties

 Designers

 Safe planning and design of structures

 Practice of codes and standards

 Due consideration on safety

 Employer
  Safe work place

 Safe plant and machinery

 Competent supervision and/or suitable training

 Care in the selection of employees

 Laws and regulations

 Workers

 Daily inspection of workplace and equipment

 PPE

 Safe during working in height and underground

 Safe work practices

 Manufacturer/ Dealer

 Safe equipment, materials, tools etc.

 Safe chemicals

 Adequate training and instructions

Site safety management

Work places and equipment

• Adequate and safe means of entry

• Measures to control smoke, steam and flames

• Adequate and suitable lighting

• Provision for circulation of air

• Avoid loose stacking of material

• Projected nails to be bent

• Avoid throwing of scraps and nails in workplace

• Clean passageways

• Fire extinguishers, water supply

• Adequate overhead screens

Structures and equipment

• Lifting appliances -of strong material and quality, free from defects, properly
constructed

• Structures -free from cracks, rust or corrosions, inspected regularly

 • Maintained in safe condition

Scaffolding

• Personal fall protection gear (belts, harness)

• Proper guardrails

• Safe access using with integrated ladders

• Check for proper platforms, planking, walkways

• All working decks must be fully planked

• Ensure proper erection, dismantling, moving, etc.

• Fall protection on sides, edges, guardrails (Top Rail, Mid Rail), and toe board

• Safe means of access and egress

• Suitably tied with the structure

• All four side Bracing

• Competent person should formally inspect scaffolding after initial erection,

after significant alteration, after any destabilizing event, and at least once 7 days

Working Platforms

• Properly fixed safe guards

• Safety harness and belts

• All electrical wires and cables –insulated

• All metal parts of the safety belts- forged steel or equivalent

• Fall protection- safety nets- quality fibre, wire or woven fabric

• Scaffolds should be securely fastened

• All scaffolds should have proper working platforms

• Where platforms overlap to create a running scaffold, the overlap must occur only
over a support and shall not be less than 12 inches unless nailed together.

Suggested measures to ensure safety

■ Legislation

■ Cost of Safety

■ Incentives to workers

■ Training

■ Management should consider

– Group insurance
 – Safety bonus

– PPE

– Campaigns

Motivation

■ Management

Safety professionals motivate using

– System approach, Training approach, Team approach etc

– Accident prevention proposals by highlighting benefits

– Cost benefit analysis

■ Supervisors

– Training

– Role perception

– Reward system

– Recognition, chance for advancement, Improved status

■ Workers

– Influencing the attitudes

– Selection and placement process

– Special Training

– Special rewards

Safety in Construction Operations

Excavation

• The location of underground utilities and other hazards must be determined before starting
an excavation.

• The sides of excavations must be properly shored or sloped to the angle of repose to prevent

• Avoid the operation of equipment near the top edge of an excavation because this increases
the chance of slope failure

• The storage of materials near the top edge of an excavation, vibration, and the presence of
water also increase the chance of slope failure

• If workers are required to enter the excavation, no spoil or other material may be stored
within 2 ft (0.6 m) of the edge of the excavation.

• Ensure that workers are not allowed under loads being handled by excavators or hoists.
 • Watch out for buried lines and containers when excavating. -Possible hazards include toxic
and flammable gases, electricity, and collapse of side slopes due to sudden release of liquids

• Do not attempt to extinguish the fire because an accumulation of unburned gas poses a
greater threat than does a fire

• Properly guard all openings above ground level

• Provide guard rails, safety lines, safety belts, and/or safety nets for workers on scaffolds or
steelwork

• Ensure that temporary structures are properly designed, constructed, and braced

• Warning signals and red tapes on sides

Fire Safety

■ Provide an adequate number of well-maintained fire extinguishers at each work area and
qualified operator shall inspect all fire extinguishers on a regular basis.

■ Allow only duly trained people in the use of fire extinguishers

■ Smoking on worksite is not allowed, “No Smoking” signs shall be displayed at prominent

■ Flammable/combustible materials, oily rags, wastes etc. must not be left lying on the floor or
accumulated.

■ Fire drills shall be held at regular intervals to ensure that personnel get familiarized with the
location, operation and uses of the various extinguishers used at site.

■ All machines such as welding machines, generators, and cutting machines should be arranged
in such a way that fire risk is eliminated and equipment protected.

■ If welding/cutting operations are to be carried out close to flammable or combustible

materials, non-flammable screens and blankets shall be used to confine sparks hot metal or
slag.

■ Chemicals and other such products shall be stored in stable racks properly labeled as
prescribed mutually reactive chemicals should be stored separately from each other.

■ Storage areas must not be built with flammable or combustible materials such as wood,
cardboard, paper, etc.

Vehicle Maintenance and Inspection

■ Vehicles must be frequently inspected and properly maintained. Each vehicle must be
equipped with the required safety features which will enable them to function properly.

■ Preventative maintenance shall be performed on all vehicles on a regular basis as prescribed

by the manufacturer. All safety features shall be checked on a daily basis and repaired as
necessary to ensure proper operation.

■ All owned or hired vehicles working on the project shall have a valid – Fitness Certificate,
Comprehensive insurance coverage and Emission Certificate, while entering the site. (Not
required for delivery vehicles).
 ■ Drivers and operators shall perform pre-start checks of their assigned vehicles and equipment
at the start of each working shift.

■ Each driver shall keep a record of the daily and monthly pre-operational vehicle and
equipment checks.

■ All site vehicles should have following as a minimum:

– First Aid kit (as designated by the EHS Manager).

– Fire extinguishers

– Parking brake and brake light

– Reverse horn and light.

– Tires in good conditions

Vehicle safety

■ No vehicles will be allowed to the site without proper Vehicle Entry Permit issued by EHS
Department.

■ The vehicles shall enter the site and go to the work area or storage yard on designated and
identified access roads.

■ Ensure the safety of pedestrians, workmen and people at the construction site and
equipment in the worksite.

■ Vehicles shall be parked only in designated location and shall not be parked so that they
block the regular traffic or it becomes unsafe.

■ Proper road safety signs and street lighting shall be provided and maintained during the
construction phase

■ Use barriers and warning signs to separate vehicles and people.

■ Create clearance around slewing/slewing vehicles.

■ Avoid reversing – and where you cannot, use a flagman.

■ Make sure that the trucks are not overloaded and loads are secured

■ Do not use vehicles on dangerous slopes

■ Only take passengers on vehicles designated to take them

■ Vehicles will be driven by drivers with license for heavy vehicles, (relevant to the vehicle).

■ Diesel/Petrol filling facility for vehicles operated inside the site shall be in the designated
location, are to be safe and approved by the Owner.

■ Empty diesel or petrol drums should not be used for any other purpose and should not be
stored in a non-designated location and Gas cutting the lid of empty petrol or diesel drums
or any solvent drums is prohibited and is a serious safety violation

LIFTING OPERATIONS
 ■ Lifting machine, chains, ropes and lifting tackles used on site must conform to the following,

■ All parts must be of good construction, adequate strength and free from defects.

■ Must be properly maintained, thoroughly examined and load tested regularly.

■ No lifting machine and no chain, rope or lifting tackle should, except for the purpose of test,
be loaded beyond safe working load and this safe working load must be plainly marked on the
gear concerned.

■ Need valid Test- Certificates from Govt. approved Competent Engineers for all of the lifting
gear and hoists (Slings, chains, hooks, chain-pulley blocks, winches, hoists, cranes, etc.) as well
as Electrical, Pneumatic and Hydraulic equipment and appliances

■ These certificates shall be retained at the site with the contractor’s Supervisor/ Site-in charge
for subsequent spot checks also.

Crane

■ Crane Should be capable of lifting the load, in the given / known working radius

■ The condition of the ground at the crane location should be satisfactory to support the crane
and the load;

■ Study the rotation of the cab and the boom

■ All slings, shackles, hooks, etc., of the correct rating are available and in good condition (i.e.
without lapping, knots or artificial extensions).

■ Crane hooks shall be fitted with properly functioning latches to prevent the displacement of
the sling from the hook during the lift

■ Loads must always be slung with the center of gravity directly beneath the crane hook and at
all times, be kept as close to the ground as possible.

■ A ‘trial’ lift shall be carried out, raising the load a short distance above its pick-up point, to
check the stability of the crane, and the efficiency of the brakes.

■ Only one person, usually the Supervising Rigger, shall give instructions to the crane operator.

■ At no time, whilst the crane’s machinery is running, shall the operator leave the cabin.

■ Whilst a load is suspended, shall not perform any works directly beneath.

■ Consideration shall be given to prevailing weather conditions, and where a greater than
normal risk exists, the lift shall be postponed until more favorable condition develop.