Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
MUMBAI UNIVERSITY
MUMBAI
SUBMITTED
BY
_________________________________
_______________________________
MUMBAI UNIVERSITY
2017-2019
.
BONAFIDE CERTIFICATE
carried out the research under my supervision. Certified further, that to the best of my
knowledge the work reported herein does not form part of any other project report or
dissertation on the basis of which a degree or award was conferred on an earlier occasion
XXXXXXXXXXXX (Designation)
Table of Contents
Chapter – I Introduction
Chapter – II Review of Literature
Bibliography
LIST OF TABLES
LIST OF FIGURES
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
1.1 GENERAL
The significance of the construction industry to the economic and social life of the
country is noteworthy. The industry needs much investment and involves various types of
stakeholders and participants. From the point of view of safety the conditions normally
encountered in the construction industry does not lend themselves to the degree of control,
possible in other industries where more stable conditions are generally obtained. The
construction industry is usually very large, complex, and different from other industries.
Hence it is prone to numerous health hazards.
1.2 SAFETY
The construction industry, employing the largest labour force, has accounted for about 11%
of all occupational injuries and 20% deaths resulting from occupational accidents.
International Labour Organisation (ILO) has estimated that at least 60,000 fatalities occur
at construction sites around the world every year. This means that one fatal accident occurs
approximately every ten minutes in this sector. Most of these accidents are created due to
unsafe behaviour and unsafe conditions.
The construction industry has some special features which have a direct bearing on
the accident potential. In this trade the pattern of work is ever changing. The operations
and physical circumstances change constantly unlike in the factories where the process, the
method and the operations are generally repetive. Timings and schedules vary considerably
from place to place. The most important changing factor is the change of men themselves.
The inherent nature of construction jobs combined with the above factors make this
industry as one with accident risks. Safety is a critical item on all construction projects for
multiple reasons including protecting the welfare of employees, providing a safe work
environment and controlling construction costs. However, the importance of safety as a
cost controlling measure is often overlooked by owners and contractors. As a means of
reducing the risks associated with construction, safety can significantly impact the overall
cost. A dedicated commitment to safety by both the owner and contractor helps to ensure
the success of the project and can impact the bottom-line considerably.
Modern construction management cannot expect to discover the single, all- purpose
programs that will meet builder needs, mounting levels of concern by contractors facing
tough new laws and spiraling costs. Yet no contractor may expect to enjoy the fruits of
improved job safety without a firm, detailed, written statement of objectives, and carefully
spelled out definitions of the ways and the means for achieving this improvement. No such
policy can curb lost time accidents, hold down the compensation, or enhance worker
attitudes, and performance without being specifically adapted to each contractor’s own
attitudes and own area of work.
There are contracts of many trade involved in a construction project. Hence the
main responsibilities for safety and health are upon the principal contractor, but that each
employer is responsible for applying measures relating to workers under their own control.
The construction industry demands the attention of everyone involved. It requires the
government, trade unions, sector’s associations, developers, architects, engineers,
contractors, subcontractors and workers to play their role. All the members involved must
work together to create a safe and healthy workplace for all.
To avoid the high losses caused by injuries, contractors are required to implement
various safety procedures like fall protection, respiratory protection, confined space entry,
competent person and other programs that control the causes of injuries. If the contractor
is successful in preventing these injuries, overhead cost of insurance and hidden costs of
accidents are significantly reduced, bringing more profit to the contractor. Hidden costs of
an accident are four to ten times the actual costs of the claim and account for items such as
employee replacement costs, loss of use, increased insurance costs, damaged product, etc.
The direct cost of accidents only includes items such as doctor’s consultation fee,
ambulance, as well as medicine costs.
All contract documents signed by the owner and contractor contains various safety
clauses wherein the contractor is obligated to make provisions for the safety of men and
structures, and the consequences for failure to do so. The contractor is already mandated
by law to comply with state and national regulations. The owner has to demand that the
contractor document and implement the proper safety programs that will protect employees
working on the job site. Owners sometimes hesitate and feel that they are interfering with
the contractor’s way of doing business if they express concerns over safety at a jobsite. In
reality, owners have the absolute right to mandate that a good quality safety program be an
important part of the selected contractor’s culture. The contract documents are an effective
tool in conveying the owner’s safety requirements to the contractor. In addition, there are
many benefits to prequalifying a contractor by comparing the firm’s safety record and other
company statistics with the competition. A contractor with a good safety program is often
a better choice even if the initial bid package is higher than the firm’s competitors.
Poor safety compliance increases the owner’s risks and often inflates the final costs of a
completed contract, and it is the final cost that need to be considered into this decision
making process.
1.7 LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
Safety at construction sites is covered under many legal enactments. The Building and other
Construction Workers Act, 1996 is a comprehensive piece of legislation that provides for
registration of contractors, setting up of construction labour boards, regulation of working
conditions, health and safety of construction workers etc. many other statutes are applicable
to construction sites.
The repair workshops of contractors or those attached to construction sites are covered
under the Factories Act, 1948. Quarries operated are covered under Mines Act, 1952.
Vehicles plying to and fro at construction sites are subjected to Motor Vehicles Act, 1951.
A contractor’s office is covered under the Shops and Commercial establishment Act, 1962.
The Contract labour Act, 1971, regulates the employment and working conditions of
contractors labour. The immigrant labour is regulated under the Inter-State migrant
Workers Act, 1971. The Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923 is applicable to all
construction sites throughout the country. It makes the employer liable to pay
compensation and provide medical care to workers who meet with accident out of or in the
course of employment. Child labour and maternity is dealt with under separate statutes.
Thus comprehensive safety legislation for the construction industry is yet to be framed.
However, over the years, through practice as well as the decision handed down by various
courts a set of ground rules describing safety practices that must be ollowed at construction
sites have emerged.
There are four sources of legal requirements regarding safety as applicable to construction
sites and construction industries. They are
1. Standards laid down by Bureau of Indian Standards.
2. Statutory provisions framed under various labour laws.
3. Contract conditions written into the contract document signed by the client and
the contractor when the work is awarded.
4. Decisions, judgements and awards made by the judicial authorities from time to
time.
Document
Are inspection reports filed out?
Generally, most companies follow established safety guidelines and policies that
meet OSHA guidelines. However, most incidents and injuries on construction sites are a
direct result of not adhering to the established safety procedures .Therefore, to ensure a
successful safety program, three conditions must exist:
• Management commitment and leadership,
• Safe working conditions, and
• Safe work habits by all employees.
Some of the risks that are caused due to accidents both to owners and to contractors
are listed below:
• Employee injuries and fatalities
• Cost and time over-run
• Damage to property
• Unidentified repairs
• Contract extensions
• Bad publicity caused by incidents
• Increased insurance costs.
Many of the research efforts in construction safety have been focused on safety
management. These efforts have identified a variety of ways that supervisors and managers
of construction companies can impact the safety performance on a construction project.
For instance, as early as in1931Heinrich suggested that unsafe acts are the cause of a high
percentage of accidents. His study found that 88% of all accidents were caused by people,
while10% of accidents were attributed to unsafe conditions. Heinrich is the first to state
that incidents are symptoms of a lack of management commitment to safety, and that 98%
of accidents are preventable by management.Komakiin1986 reemphasized Heinrichs
theory and suggested monitoring and providing feed back as attributes of effective
management .Komaki added that the performance of management might affect workers
performance and attitudes. Similarly, many studies have concluded that management’s
commitment is a precursor to a successful safety program.
ORGANISATION
Safety management
systems and
objective audit JOB
Behavioural safety and
safety programs
For many years safety professionals have been aware that the majority of workplace
accidents are triggered by unsafe behaviours, and that their control is one of the keys to
successful accident prevention. However, many organisations, even those companies with
low accident rates have been frustrated by their inability to control unsafe acts. Traditional
approaches have tended to focus on raising the safety awareness of employees through
publicity campaigns, safety training or disciplinary actions in an attempt to change both
behaviour and attitudes. Although each of these approaches has its place, they are not in
themselves efficient methods for managing change in either attitudes or unsafe behaviours.
The fact that changing behaviour leads to a change in attitudes enables management to
focus attention on these behaviours, utilising techniques of goal setting and performance
feedback, which result in significant and lasting improvements. The combination of goal-
setting and performance feedback is a powerful management tool that has previously been
used to good effect of improve a whole host of safety performance factors. By harnessing
these motivational forces, behavioural safety approaches offer an effective alternative to
traditional methods such as safety raining or
safety information campaigns, because they have to take into account the interrelationships
between the organisation, the job and the individual. Thus behavioural safety initiatives
meet the needs of both the individual and the organisation, while also positively impacting
on safety culture.
Over many years, regardless of the industrial sector, scientific evaluations have
typically found that implementing a behavioural safety initiative leads to: improved levels
of safety performance, significant reductions in accident rates and associated costs.
Improvements in co-operation, involvement and communication between management and
the workforce improvements in safety climate ongoing improvements to safety
management systems ownership of safety by the workforce enhanced acceptance of
responsibility for safety better understandings of the relationship between safe behaviour
and accidents. Clearly, these motivational techniques are central to the improvement of
safety culture as they impact upon behaviour, perceptions and attitudes, and on safety
management systems. Nonetheless, the degree to which they are successful is dependent
upon many factors, such as the mechanisms used to set goals, how committed people are
to reaching the goals, how confident people are in their abilities, whether or not safety goals
conflict with other goals, the methods used to deliver feedback, the prevailing safety
climate, and the current status of the safety management system.
Policy documents outline, in broad terms, the commitment to measurable goals and
form the framework for the development of detailed procedures and safe work method
statements. Policies, procedures and safe work method statements help form the safety
management plan.
1.16 THE IMPACT OF SAFETY CULTURE ON QUALITY
A good safety culture can also contribute to competitiveness in many ways. It may
make the difference between winning or losing a contract it may affect people’s way of
thinking and lead to the development of safety features for the project activities which are
then used as marketing means and it positively impacts on employees’ commitment
and loyalty to the organisation, resulting in greater job satisfaction, productivity and
reduced absenteeism.
1.19 THE IMPACT OF SAFETY CULTURE ON PROFITABILITY
1.20 BENCHMARKING
Benchmarking can be carried out against any organisation or target that is deemed
to be best in class. A full benchmarking exercise will involve not only the collection and
comparison of data, but will include fact-finding studies to unearth the reasons for superior
performance.
The following are the three types of benchmarking.
• Internal Benchmarking
• Competitive Benchmarking
• Generic Benchmarking
Although the major focus of benchmarking is usually planning and organizing, one
of its main objectives is to introduce new ideas to an organization. One of the implications
of the benchmarking process is that organization needs to overcome their internal
boundaries in order to assess opportunities and threats in the external environment. In this
context, benchmarking can be used to identify innovation by helping management
understand the external environment and by promoting organizational learning.
Organisations that use benchmarking successfully report that the cost of benchmarking is
repaid at least ten-fold. Benchmarking can be used to help identify which processes to
improve that is, the area we aim to achieve the best.
It ought to help set targets - that is, what is the gap between our organisation existing
processes and the best practice found in other organisations. It can also help when used in
conjunction with a number of performance improvement techniques, such as business
analysis and redesign of business processes. The knowledge transfer model is shown in
figure 1.4
Transmission of knowledge
Abstraction Application
Learning
• Acquire the skills. People who undertake benchmarking require a small amount of
training and guidance. An experienced in-house facilitator or external consultant
will probably be required to provide technical assurance and encouragement in
making use of reference models.
The method can be applied at various levels from relatively straightforward in-
house comparisons through to industry-wide search for best practice. It comprises four
basic stages: planning, analysis, action and review.
1.24.1 Planning
• Selecting the broad business process or function to benchmark Within that process
defining the activity to be benchmarked Identifying the resources required for the
study
• Confirming the key performance measures or indicators to measure the
performance in carrying out the activity
• Documenting the existing way in which the activity is carried out
• Identifying appropriate reference models as a starting point for your assessment;
you may also find supplier intelligence information useful
1.24.2 Analysis
• Collecting information to identify the scope for improvement
• Comparing the existing process with that of appropriate reference models to
1.24.4 Review
• Reviewing performance when the changes have been bedded in
• Identifying and rectifying anything which may have caused the organisation to
fall short of its target
• Communicating the results of the changes implemented to the organisation
• Considering benchmarking again to continue the improvement process.
1.25 OBJECTIVE
It is clear from the construction industries safety record that there is room for
improvement in the implementation of safety procedures and guidelines. However, no
attempts have been made to define what is really meant by management’s commitment to
construction safety and what steps must be followed to achieve an effective commitment
to safety. The problem becomes further complicated in case of small and medium level
establishment. The top level contractors are growing while the medium level contractors
are lagging behind mainly because of their quality and safety standards.
The objective of the present study is to find the construction safety factors affecting
the medium level contractors and to improve their safety performance.
Therefore, the main objectives in this study are:
1. To find the safety factors affecting the small and medium level contractors.
2. To identify the relationship between managements commitment to safety and the
safety record of a company.
3. To identify what are the factors affecting construction safety.
4. To identify what attributes are presenting a successful commitment.
5. To prepare a booklet of minimum safety precautions to be followed in
construction activities.
CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF LITERATURE
A vast review of literature in the field of construction safety and benchmarking
initiatives in construction were available. The author deals with few of literature that was
collected.
Ron Sharpe et.al (1995) have developed an "assessment tool or model" to identify risk
factors for employees that will identify personnel whose understanding of safe work
practices is such that it places them, and those with whom they work, at a higher risk of
being involved in an accident. They have developed further tools to bridge the gap in safety
including motivational, personal skills and other support systems to improve their safety
awareness and to provide the appropriate personnel with the safety tools and thereby
minimise the likelihood of them being involved in an accident. They have tracked the
effectiveness of the program against key performance indicators. They have urged to
automate as much information handling as possible via computer based systems to assist
in the delivery of the assessment and training program and also help the industry overcome
access and resource problems, reaching sub-contractors and aiding cost effectiveness.
Tang.S.L et.al (1997) worked out a method which will help improve construction safety
proactively by correlating the two auditing scores (quality and safety) with safety
performance. The principle objective of this work was to develop two indicators. The first
indicator is the relationship between accident rates and quality auditing scores and the
second one is the relationship between accident rates and safety auditing scores. The
indicators would be in the form of simple graphs relating accident rates with the scores
achieved in quality audit and safety audit exercises being used by local construction
contractors. Both problems inherently reflect the insufficient effort input by management
of the construction contractors.
Helen Lingard et.al (1998) have aimed to test the effectiveness of Behavioral Safety
Methods (BSM) by applying goal-setting and feedback interventions to specific areas of
safety performance on Hong Kong Housing Authority construction sites. Using a within-
group experimental design and with the use of a proportional rating safety measurement
instrument, data were collected on the effectiveness of BSM on Hong Kong sites. The data
were analyzed using autoregressive moving averages models, and the results were mixed
in that a significant improvement in safety performance occurred in the housekeeping
category of intervention but no improvement was observed in the access to heights and
bamboo scaffolding categories. They concluded with a goal setting/expectancy theory
model of site safety improvement has been synthesized, and the lack of provision of an
adequate safety infrastructure has been identified as a serious impediment to improvement.
Edwin Sawacha et.al (1999) have discussed the factors influencing safety on construction
sites. The impacts of the historical, economical, psychological, technical, procedural,
organizational and the environmental issues are considered in terms of how these factors
are linked with the level of site safety. The historical factor is assessed by the background
and characteristics of the individual, such as age and experience. The economic factor was
determined by the monetary values which are associated with safety such as, hazard pay.
The psychological factor is assessed by the safety behavior of fellow workers onsite
including supervisors. The technical land procedural factors were assessed by the provision
of training and handling of safety equipment on site. The organizational and environmental
factors are assessed by the type of policy that the management adapts to site safety.
Information regarding these factors was correlated with accidents records in a sample of
120 operatives. The top five important issues found to be associated with site safety were:
(1) management talk on safety; (2) provision of safety booklets; (3) provision of safety
equipment; (4) providing safety environment and (5) appointing a trained safety
representative onsite.
Albert W.K. Kwok. et.al (2000) outlines the results of research conducted with Civil
Engineers regarding their views and knowledge on Construction Design and Management
(CDM) regulations. The CDM regulations were introduced in the United
Kingdom on 31st March 1995 in compliance with European Directives. The objectives of
this regulation were to improve construction safety by enhancing co-ordination and
communication among project parties through out all stages of the construction project.
The results revealed that more than 95% of the respondents did not know about the
requirements of CDM regulations.
Joe M. Wilson. et.al (2000) presented a discussion of the methods of safety management
employed on a small to medium sized project in the northwestern United States. It was
stated that the principles behind safety management are fairly simple in concept; it was
during the implementation of such a program that construction companies may encounter
their most difficult obstacles. Therefore, the process must be constantly monitored and
adjusted to achieve the desired goals. They had highlighted several of the problems
encountered and the solutions utilized to overcome these problems.
Christopher Auld .M. et.al (2001), have measured the impact of on-site safety inspections
on the frequency of work-related injury and death in the Alberta construction sector. The
data were disaggregated by sub industry allowing different risk levels to be associated with
different work activities. In the sample study, there was a dramatic decrease in inspection
activity, which allows us to assess the necessity for continuing with current levels of
inspection effort. It was concluded that the on-site safety inspections have no effect on the
risk of accident and injury but have a positive effect in reducing the number of work-related
fatalities.
Satish.B.Mohan.et.al (2002) have prepared a checklist based on the past records and
Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) guidelines. It was observed that
over 75% of all cases brought before the Occupational Safety and Health Review
Commission (OSHRC) were serious violations or worse. This means that the standards
being violated and contested are placing employees at risk of being injured. They
concluded that to better protect employees; the employers must be made aware of what is
required for them in regard to safety. With more concise and clear language, the standards
would be easier to follow. It was also stated that the employer’s motivation is required for
providing a safety environment.
Sherif Mohamed (2003) adopted the balanced scorecard tool to benchmark organizational
safety culture in construction. He emphasis that this tool has the potential to provide a
medium to translate the organization’s safety policy into a clear set of goals across four
perspectives: management, operational, customer, and learning. These goals were then
further translated into a system of performance measures that could effectively
communicate a powerful strategic focus on safety to the entire organization. Four
perspectives have been developed to represent all stakeholders, thereby ensuring that a
holistic view of safety is used for strategic reflection and implementation. He insisted that
by selecting and evaluating the appropriate measures, in each perspective, requirements
can be identified, and actions to the identified goals can be aligned and facilitated.
He proposed the balanced scorecard approach to enable construction organizations to
pursue incremental safety performance improvements. Work-in-progress is briefly
reported to give insight into the potential applicability of this approach.
Evelyn Ai Lin Teo et.al (2004) proposed a policy, process, personnel and incentive
framework which may help project managers manage construction site safety. A postal
survey of contractors in Singapore was conducted by them to test the framework. It is found
that site accidents are more likely to happen when there was inadequate company policies,
unsafe practices, and poor attitudes of construction personnel, poor management
commitment and insufficient safety knowledge and training of workers. It is recommended
that project managers need to pay more attention to the important factors identified in this
study to help them enhance performance at construction sites and reduce the frequency of
accidents. The main finding of this study was that site safety is affected by four main
factors: company safety policy; construction process; personnel management with regard
to safety; and incentives. In terms of safety policies, it recommended that project managers
implement policies relating to safety management systems.
Ricardo Ramírez.R et.al (2004) presented the results of the first application of a
management evaluation system for benchmarking management practices in the
construction industry.
The system supports a National Benchmarking System recently established in the Chilean
Construction Industry by incorporating qualitative management aspects in addition to
quantative performance indicators. Different analyses were made to determine trends in the
industry sector by correlating the qualitative evaluations from surveys with the
performance indicators. Thirteen construction companies participated in the initial
application of the benchmarking system. A correlation analysis carried out by them and
found that safety performance was strongly related to companies having superior planning
and control, quality management, cost control and subcontractor management policies.
John A. Gambatese. et.al (2005) presented a pilot study that was conducted to investigate
the practice of addressing construction worker safety when designing a project and to
determine the feasibility and practicality of such an intervention. It was found through
interviews with architects and engineers that a large percentage of design professionals are
interested and willing to implement the concept in practice. They described the key changes
needed for implementation of the concept in practice which include: a change in designer
mindset toward safety; establishment of a motivational force to promote designing for
safety; increase designer knowledge of the concept; incorporate construction safety
knowledge in the design phase; utilize designers knowledgeable about design-for-safety
modifications; make design for safety tools and guidelines available for use and reference;
and mitigate designer liability exposure
Xinyu Huang et.al (2006) described the owner’s role in construction safety. They were
claiming that the recent improvements in construction industry were due to the concerted
efforts of owners, contractors, subcontractors, and designers. While past safety studies have
investigated the roles of contractors, subcontractors, and designers, the owner’s impact on
construction safety has not been previously investigated. Data were obtained by conducting
interviews on large construction projects. The relationship between project safety
performance and the owner’s influence was examined, with particular focus on project
characteristics, the selection of safe contractors, contractual safety requirements, and the
owner’s participation in safety management during project execution. By identifying
practices of owners associated with good project safety performances, the author has given
guidance on how owners directly impact safety performance.
Guidelines for safety management plans published by the workplace standards Tasmania
deals with the importance of safety management plans in construction industry. It had
clearly discussed the factors that have to be added in safety management plan. The factors
include management commitment, policies, legal requirement, resources, training and
competency, inspection and auditing etc.
.
CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY
3.1 METHODOLOGY
The effectiveness of the designed questionnaire was checked with the help of a pilot
survey carried out in the first phase of the project work. The pilot survey was carried out
with four construction companies in Chennai. The questionnaire was modified based on
the feedback of the survey.
In the date collection phase the data was obtained from ninety construction companies
mostly around Chennai and other major cities in Tamilnadu. The construction sites were
visited in person and the questionnaire was distributed to the concerned person. The
response was obtained immediately or collected later at the planned time. The projects that
were executed currently by the surveyed companies are mostly residential complex and
information technological parks. The cost of the project varies from eight crores and
one hundred and twenty crores. The respondents were mostly project managers and site
engineers.
In the data analysis phase the questionnaire was numbered when it is obtained from the
respondent. The data analysis sought to establish the variables that affect construction
safety. The mean and standard deviation for each response was made for the optional
questions and Likert scaled questions. In case of other questions the total response of the
questionnaire is counted. The results are presented in terms of tables and charts.
In the implementation phase, based on the results of the survey conclusion was made
and the results are presented. A booklet of minimum safety precautions to be followed in
construction sites was prepared based on the available codes and guidelines. The booklet
was prepared keeping in mind the medium and small level contractors who are lagging
behind in construction safety standards. The booklet was distributed to the companies for
possible implementation in their construction site, to minimise accident and to improve
safety in their construction sites.
CHAPTER 4
RESULT ANALYSIS
The questionnaire was distributed among two hundred companies mostly around
Chennai and other important cities. Totally ninety questionnaire returned as on date. The
response rate was (45%).The percentage of companies that had participated in the survey
are shown in the table 4.1
Table 4.1 Distribution of companies
The respondents were from various departments as shown in table 4.2. The average
experience of the respondents was 6 years and varies from a minimum of one year to a
maximum of sixteen years. The projects currently handled by the surveyed companies are
residential complexes, information technology parks and commercial complexes.
The number of crews working in the construction project is shown in figure4.2. The
number of workers in each crew varies from seven to twenty two with an average of eleven
workers. In most of the project there is no separate safety supervisor. The safety of
construction workers is taken care by the supervisor of the crew itself. No separate safety
inspection was carried out in construction site.
Percentage of workers
Project managers of twenty two companies (24 percent) attend safety meeting
regularly. Almost all the companies surveyed have first aid facility in site and pays for the
medical expenses of the injured workers, only six companies (7 percent) have medical
practitioner available in site during the working hours. Totally fifty two companies (58
percent) provide safety training to their workers and seventy eight companies (87 percent)
accepted that the training given to workers are effective. Fifty companies (56 percent) keep
daily safety records of the project. Very few companies provide workers compensation
insurance for their injured workers. All the companies accepted that the schedule pressure
in completing the project was passed directly to construction workers. Six companies (8
percent) have won safety award. The results are shown in figure 4.4.
100
90
80
Percentage of companies
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
Most of the companies that take part in the survey have a separate environment
health and safety (EHS) document. But the safety provisions that are recommended in the
EHS document are not implemented in construction sites.
The results of the Likert scaled questions are shown in Table 4.3. The mean value
of all the factors that affect construction site safety vary between 2.22 to 4.78, which
emphasis that in the whole of the companies that was surveyed the safety features are
between low and very high level.. Out of the thirty one factors considered three factors
were ranked as very high, ten factors as high, fourteen factors as medium and four factors
as low effect with respect to safety. The coordination and control of sub contractor, control
on sub contractor’s safety behaviour and the provision of personal protective equipment by
the company were ranked as top three factors that affect construction safety with an average
mean of 4.78, 4.72 and 4.56 respectively.
The standard deviation (σ) of the respondents varies around 1, revealing that the
response is same for all the companies. The maximum deviation of 1.19 and 1.18 was
observed in case of usage of heavy equipment and application of new technology in the
project respectively. This is due to the reason that most of the companies surveyed use
traditional methods for building construction. The management of most of the companies
is not willing to invest much on plant and machinery. Implementing the safety practices in
construction sites was a major hurdle as said by the respondents. This is mainly due to the
lack of management commitment/ interest in safety measures.
Table 4.3 Results of Likert scaled questions
FACTORS MEAN SD( σ)
Placement of safety posters /symbols 3.24 0.68
Worker-management relationship 4.18 0.68
Control on sub-contract's safety behaviour 4.72 0.90
Safety policy of company 3.52 0.64
Adequacy of in-house safety rules and regulations 3.14 0.66
Understanding of safety rules and regulations 4.10 0.77
Implementation of safety practices on site 4.20 1.13
Familiarity with type and method of construction by safety in charge 3.26 0.69
Effectiveness of safety training given to new workers 3.44 0.73
Attitudes of supervisor's towards safe work practices 3.12 0.84
Attitudes of workers towards safe work practices 3.72 0.71
Workers safety performance 3.94 0.88
Complexity of construction 3.40 1.04
Application of new technology in the project 3.18 1.18
Usage of heavy equipment 3.12 1.19
Provision of personal protective equipment (PPE) by the company 4.56 0.92
Usage of PPE by the workers 2.60 0.85
Efficiency of PPE in preventing accidents 3.70 0.83
Proper handling of tools by the workers 3.96 0.77
Identification of unsafe practices on site 4.28 0.78
Identification and control of hazardous activities 3.96 0.66
Accident due to failure of shoring / scaffolding / formwork 2.22 0.77
Accident due to improper usage of ladders 2.34 0.72
Accident due to failure of equipment and plants 2.12 0.86
Frequency of safety inspection carried out 3.30 0.73
Co-ordination, control and management of sub-contractors 4.78 0.82
Workers language and communication barriers 3.00 0.60
Workers adaptation to working environment 3.00 0.63
Degree and level of punishments in terms of fines 2.54 0.81
Degree and level of punishments in terms of suspension from work 2.34 0.62
Introduction of incentives for safe worker 3.30 0.64
CHAPTER 5
CONCLUSION
5.1 CONCLUSION
The work environments in construction activities are generally more hazardous than
other industries due to the use of heavy equipment, dangerous tools, and hazardous
materials, all of which increase the potential for serious accidents and injuries. Therefore,
it is evident that a focused dedication towards safety is needed from construction at all
levels. It can be inferred from the survey data that safety managers have the opportunity to
influence and enhance the sense of safety and the quality of the work environment. Owners
of large projects can more actively participate in construction safety management in each
stage of project execution, including project design, contract selection, contract
development, the construction phase, selecting safe contractors, and developing the safety
culture on the projects through safety training and safety recognition programs.
The important finding of this study is that site safety is affected by company safety
policy; construction process; personnel management with regard to safety. If these factors
are addressed and monitored closely, accident reduction may be realized in construction
sites. The construction companies shall also be willing to give safety training/awareness to
the construction workers to reduce and eliminate the future lost time injuries, time and cost.
Certain ground rules need to framed by the construction companies for effective and
efficient use of personnel protective equipment.
The results show that it is very important for both workers and supervisors to adopt
safe work behaviours. The willingness of workers to adopt safe work practices also
depends largely on the perception of safety, level of safety education and training received,
cultural back-grounds and communication between fellow workers and superiors.
Supervisors play an important role in influencing their workers in the adoption of safe work
behaviours. The supervisor’s safety behaviours and actions have a direct impact and
influence on workers. To portray positive safety behaviours, supervisors are required to
lead by example, integrate safety into all phases of the job, never ignore near miss
occurrences and have no blame cultural mind sets.
The results also show that the influence of management on the safety and health
standards on site is very crucial. The responsibilities and roles that management plays will
determine the over all safety performance of the entire site. Safety culture has to be adopted
in all organisations through strong support and encouragement by senior management. By
management’s endorsement, safety promotion will boost the morale and motivate site
personnel to think and works safely.
A booklet was prepared based on the “Building and other construction workers
(regulation of employment and conditions of service) rules, 1996”. The booklet was
distributed to small and medium level construction companies for possible implementation
on their construction sites.
1. The questionnaire can be modified based on the need for a particular type of
project and surveyed.
2. The survey can be carried out by separating the construction companies based on
the factors like type of company, annual turn over, location of the company, etc.
3. Statistical analysis can be further carried out to explore the results of the survey.
4. The effective use of the booklet prepared can be checked and corrections can be
made based on the needs of the construction site requirement.
REFERENCES
1. Christopher Auld.M, J. C. Herbert Emery and Daniel V. Gordon (2001), “The
Efficacy of Construction Site Safety Inspections”, Journal of Labor Economics,
volume 19, The University of Chicago, 900–921.
2. Dayana. B. Costa; Carlos T. Formoso; Michail Kagio glou; Luis F. Alarcón;
and Carlos. H.Caldas,M (2006) “Benchmarking Initiatives in the Construction
Industry: Lessons Learned and Improvement Opportunities” Journal of
Management in Engineering, Vol. 22, No. 4, October 1,2006.ASCE,158–167.
3. Dominic Cooper, “Improving Safety Culture-A Practical Guide”, John Wiley
and son’s ltd, 1998.
4. Edwin Sawacha ,Shamil Naoum and Daniel Fong (1999) “Factors affecting
safety performance on construction sited” International Journal of Project
Management, Volume 17, 307-315.
5. Evelyn Ai Lin Teo , Florence Yean Ling, Adrian Fook (2005) “Framework for
project managers to manage construction safety” International Journal of
Project Management ,volume 23 september 2005, 329–341.
6. Fang D. P; X. Y. Huang; and Jimmie Hinze, M. (2004) “Benchmarking Studies
on Construction Safety Management in China” Journal of Construction
Engineering and Management, Vol. 130, No. 3, June 1, 2004. ASCE. 424–432.
7. Gregory Carter and Simon D. Smith (2006) “Safety Hazard Identification on
Construction Projects” Journal of Construction Engineering and Management,
Vol.132, No. 2, February 1, 2006. ASCE, 197-205.
8. Guidelines for safety management plans”, Department of Infrastructure, Energy
and Resources, workplace standards Tasmania.
9. Helen Lingard, Steve Rowlinson (1998), “Behaviour-based safety management
in Hong Kong's construction industry”,Construction Management &
Economics, Volume 16, July 1, 1998, 481 – 488.
10. Joe M. Wilson Jr. and Enno Koehn,(2000) “Safety management : problems
encountered and recommended solutions” Journal of Construction Engineering
and Management, Vol. 126, No. 1, January 2000. ASCE, 77-79.
11. John A. Gambatese, Michael Behm, and Jimmie W. Hinze, (2005) “Viability of
Designing for Construction Worker Safety” Journal of Construction
Engineering and Management, Vol. 131, No. 9,September 1, 2005,ASCE , 80-
88.
12. Michael Toole.P.E (2005) “Increasing Engineers Role in Construction Safety:
Opportunities and Barriers” Journal of Professional Issues in Engineering, Vol.
131, No. 3, July 1, 2005. ASCE, 199–207.
13. OsamaAbudayyeh , Tycho K. Fredericks , Steven E. Butt , Areen Shaar(2006)
“An investigation of managements commitment to construction safety”
International Journal of Project Management , volume 20,167–174.
14. Ricardo Ramírez R. , Luis Fernando Alarcón C. and Peter Knights (2002)
“Benchmarking management practices in the construction industry”
International Journal of Project Management , volume 12,158-166.
15. Ron Sharpe; (1995)“safety plus improving construction worker safety”. Journal
of construction Industry Institute, Australia Inc.
16. Satish B. Mohan and Bryan D. Niles (2002) “ Effectiveness of Occupational
safety and Health Administration Citations”, Practical periodical on structural
design and construction,Vol.7, No.2, May 1, 2002,ASCE,85-89.
17. Sherif Mohamed (2003) “Scorecard Approach to Benchmarking Organizational
Safety Culture in Construction”, Journal of Construction Engineering and
Management, Vol. 129, No. 1, February 1, 2003,ASCE, 80-88.
18. Todd W. Loushine, Peter Hoonakker , Pascal Carayon , Michael J. Smith , and
E. Andrew Kapp (2005) “Safety and quality management systems in
construction some insight from contractors” Journal of Construction
Engineering and Management, Vol. 152, No. 1, April, 2006,ASCE,52-61.
19. Xinyu Huang and Jimmie Hinze (2006) “Owner’s Role in Construction Safety”
Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, Vol.132, No. 2,
February 1, 2006. ASCE, 164–173.
20. www.ogc.gov.uk/sdtoolkit/deliveryteam/index.html.
21. www.constructingexcellence.org.uk/zones/kpizone/benchmarking/default.jsp.
ANNEXURE - A
BENCHMARKING STUDIES ON SAFETY MANAGEMENT IN
CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRIES
The significance of construction industry to the economic and social life of the
country is note worthy. The construction industry is very large, complex, and different from
other industries. Hence it is prone to the effect of accidents that may be even fatal. Hence
safety plays an important role in all aspects of the construction industry.
13. What is the total number of accidents that occurred in the project?
14. What is the number of fatalities?
15. What are the types of damages reported?
16. What is the cause for the accident?
17. What is the financial loss due to accident (Till date)?
18. What is the time delay due to accident (Till date)?
19. What is the number of complaints/grievances/legal suits your company is facing
due to accident?
20. What is the number of workers / supervisors given medical training?
PART - 2
1. Is there a separate safety department in your company? Yes / No
2. Whether top management inspects site safety regularly? Yes / No
3. Whether top management checks safety records of the project? Yes / No
4. Whether the company provides adequate personnel protective equipment to all
workers? Yes / No
5. Whether the safety supervisor has authority to stop site work for identified
hazards? Yes / No
6. Whether the project manager attends the safety meetings? Yes / No
7. Whether safety meetings are attended by workers ?Yes / No
8. Whether daily safety records are kept? Yes / No
9. Whether there is any safety training for new workers? Yes / No
10. Is the training effective? Yes / No
11. Whether the schedule pressures are passed on to the workers? Yes / No
12. Whether medical professional available in the site? Yes / No
13. Whether first aid facilities are available in the site? Yes / No
14. Whether the company buys workers compensation insurance? Yes / No
15. Whether the company pays for the medical expenses of injured workers? Yes / No
16. Has your company received any award for safety? Yes / No
PART - 3
This booklet has been prepared based on the provisions of “BUILDING AND
OTHER CONSTRUCTION WORKERS (REGULATION OF EMPLOYMENT
AND CONDITIONS OF SERVICE) RULES, 1996”. The booklet has been prepared for
possible implementation of required safety measures in construction sites.
The Act has been made applicable to even small establishments employing
10 workers in any building and other construction work.
SAFETY COMMITTEES.
Every establishment wherein 500 or more building workers are ordinarily
employed, there shall be a safety committee constituted by the employer which shall be
represented by equal number of representatives of employer and the building workers
employed in such establishment
The main functions of the safety committee, shall be,
1. To identify probable cases of accident and safe practice in building or other
construction work and to suggest remedial measures.
2. To stimulate interest of employees and building workers in safety by organising
safety weeks, safety competitions, talks and film shows on safety, preparing posters
or taking similar other measures as and when required or as necessary.
3. To go round the construction site with a view to check unsafe practices and defect
unsafe conditions and to recommend remedial measures for their rectification
including first aid, medical and welfare facilities.
4. To look into the health hazards associated with handling different types of
explosives, chemicals and other construction materials and to suggest remedial
measures including use of proper personal protective equipment.
5. To suggest measures for improving welfare amenities in the construction site and
other miscellaneous aspects of safety, health and welfare in building or other
construction work.
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FIRE PROTECTION
The such construction site is provided with,-
1. Fire extinguishing equipment sufficient to extinguish any probable fire at such
construction site.
2. An adequate water supply at ample pressure to control fire hazard.
3. Number of trained persons required to operate the fire extinguishing equipment
4. Fire extinguishing equipment provided properly maintained and inspected at
regular intervals of not less than once in a year by the responsible person and a
record of such inspections is maintained;
FENCING OF MOTORS
1. All motors, cogwheels, chains and friction gearing, flywheels, shafting, dangerous
and moving parts of machinery and steam pipes are securely fenced.
2. The fencing of dangerous parts of machinery is not removed while such machinery
is in motion or in use.
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3. No part of any machinery which is in motion and which is not securely fenced is
examined, lubricated, adjusted or repaired except by a person skilled for such
examination, lubrication , adjustment or repairs.
4. Machine parts are cleaned when such machine is stopped.
5. When a machine is stopped for servicing or repairs adequate measures are taken to
ensure that such machine does not restart inadvertently.
OVERHEAD PROTECTION
1. The employer shall ensure at the building or other construction work that overhead
protection is erected along the periphery of every building under construction which
shall be of 15 m or more in height when completed.
2. Overhead protection referred shall not be less than 2 m wide and shall be erected at
a height not more than 5 m above the base of the building and. the outer edge of
such overhead protection shall be 150mm higher than the inner edge thereof or
shall be erected at an angle of not more than 20° to its horizontal sloping into the
building.
3. The employer shall ensure at the building and other construction work that any area
exposed to risk or falling material articles or objects is roped off or cordoned off or
otherwise suitably guarded from inadvertent entry of persons other than building
worker at work in such area.
CORROSIVE SUBSTANCES
The employer shall ensure that corrosive substances, including alkalis and acids,
shall be stored and used by a person dealing with such substances at a building or other
construction work in such a manner that it does not endanger the building worker and
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EYE PROTECTION.
Suitable personal protective equipment for the protection of eyes shall be provided
by an employer and used by the building worker engaged in operations like welding,
cutting, chipping, grinding or similar operations which may cause hazard to his eyes at a
building or other construction work.
ELECTRICAL HAZARDS
1. . The employer shall display and maintain suitable warning signs at conspicuous
places at a building or other construction work.
2. Before commencement of any building or other construction work, the employer
shall take adequate measures to prevent any worker from coming into physical
contact with any electrical equipment or apparatus, machines or live electrical
circuit which may cause electrical hazard during the course of his employment at a
building or other construction work
3. In workplaces at a building or other construction work where the exact location of
underground electric power line is not known, the building workers using
jackhammers, crow bars or other hand-tools which may come in contact with a live
electrical line shall be provided by the employer with insulated protective gloves
and footwear of the type in accordance with the national standards.
4. The employer shall ensure that as far as practicable, no wiring, which may come in
contact with water or which may be mechanically damaged, is left on ground or
floor at a building or other construction work.
5. The employer shall ensure that all electrical appliances and current currying
equipment used at a building or other construction work are made of sound material
and are properly and adequately earthed. The employer shall ensure that all
temporary electrical installations at building or other construction work are
provided with earth-leakage circuit breakers.
VEHICULAR TRAFFIC
1. Whenever any building or other construction work is being carried on, or is located
in close proximity to a road or any other place where any vehicular traffic may
cause danger to building workers, the employer shall ensure that such building or
other construction work is barricaded and suitable warning signs and lights
displayed or erected to prevent such danger.
2. The employer shall ensure that all vehicles used at construction site of building or
other construction work comply with the requirements of the Motor Vehicles Act
1988 (Central Act 59 of 1988) and the rules made there under.
56
3. The employer shall ensure that a driver of a vehicle of any class or description
operating at a construction site of a building or other construction work holds valid
driving licence under the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (Central Act 59 of 1988).
4. The maximum speed of vehicles plying in the construction sites should not exceed
20 Kmph
STABILITY OF STRUCTURES
The employer shall ensure that no wall, chimney or other structure or part of a
structure is left unguarded in such condition that it may fall, collapse or weaken due to
wind pressure vibration due to any other reason at a site of a building or other construction
work.
ILLUMINATION OF PASSAGE-WAYS
The employer shall ensure that illumination sufficient for maintaining safe working
conditions at a site of a building or other construction work is provided where building
workers are required to work or pass and for passage ways, stairways and landing as per
the requirement.
STACKING OF MATERIALS
1. All building materials are stored or stacked in safe and orderly manner to avoid
obstruction of any passageway or place of work;
2. Material piles (or) stored or stacked in such a manner as to ensure stability;
3. Material or equipment is not stored upon any floor or platform in such quantity as
to exceed its safe carrying capacity: and
4. Material or equipment is not stored or placed so close to any edge of a floor or
platform as to endanger the safety of persons below or working in the vicinity.
DISPOSAL OF DEBRIS
1. Debris are handled and disposed of by a method which does not cause danger to
the safety of a person.
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INSTALLATION
1. Installation of cranes shall be made by competent persons.
2. It shall be installed as such appliances cannot be displaced by the load, vibration or
other influences.
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3. In a manner that the operator of such appliances is not exposed to danger from
loads, ropes or drums.
4. In a manner that the operator can either see over the zone of operation or
communicate with all loading and unloading points by signal, or other
communication system.
5. Adequate clearance is provided between parts or loads of lifting appliances and the
fixed objects such as walls and posts or electrical conductors.
6. The lifting appliances, when exposed to wind loading are given sufficient additional
strength, stability and rigidity to withstand such loading safely; and no structural
alterations or repairs are made on any part of the lifting appliances that affect the
safety of such appliances without obtaining the opinion of the competent person to
this effect.
10. Every receptacle used for hoisting bricks, tiles, slates or other material is suitably
enclosed as to prevent the fall of any such materials.
11. The hoisting platform is enclosed when loose materials or loaded wheel-barrows
are placed directly on such platform or lowering such material or wheel-barrows.
12. No material is raised, lowered or slowed with any lifting appliance in such a way
as to cause sudden jerks to such appliance.
13. In hoisting a barrow any wheel of such barrow is not used as a means of support
unless adequate steps are taken to prevent the axle of such wheel from slipping out
of its bearings.
14. Long objects like planks or girders are provided with a tag line to prevent any
possibility of danger while raising or lowering such objects.
15. during the process of landing of material, a building worker is not permitted to lean
out into empty space for finding out of the loading and unloading of such material.
16. The hoisting of loads at places where there is regular flow of traffic is carried out
in an enclosed space, or in case such hoisting is impracticable in enclosed space,
measures are taken to hold up or divert the traffic during the time of such hoisting.
17. Adequate steps are taken to prevent a load in the course of being hoisted or lowered
from coming into contact with any object to avoid any displacement of such load.
18. Appliances are provided and used for building heavy loads when raising or
lowering heavy loads to avoid crushing of hands of building workers during such
raising or lowering of loads.
HOISTS
1. Hoist towers are, designed according to relevant national standards.
2. Hoist shafts are provided with rigid panels or other adequate fencing,
(i) At the ground level on all sides of such shafts; and
(ii) At all other levels on all sides of the access to such shafts;
3. The walls of hoist shafts, except at approaches, extend at least 2 m above the
floor or platform of access to such shafts.
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17. A hoisting engine is protected by a suitable cover against weather and falling
objects.
18. A hoisting engine set up in a public thoroughfare is completely enclosed.
19. All exhaust steam pipes discharge steam in such a manner that the steam so
discharged does not scald any person or obstruct the operator's view.
20. The motion of a hoist is not reversed without first bringing it to rest to avoid any
harm from such reverse motion.
21. A hoist not designed for the conveyance of persons, is not set in motion from the
platform of such hoist.
22. Pawls and ratchet wheels of a hoist, requiring disengagement of such pawls from
such ratchet wheels, before the platform of such hoist is lowered, are not used.
23. A platform of a hoist is capable of supporting such maximum load that such
platform may carry, with a safety factor of at least three.
24. A platform of a hoist is equipped with suitable safety gear which can hold such
platform with its maximum load in case its hoisting rope breaks.
25. On platform of a hoist, the wheelbarrows or truck are efficiently blocked in a safe
position.
26. A cage of a hoist or a platform, where the building workers are required to enter
into such cage or to go on such platform at landing level, is provided with a locking
arrangement to prevent such cage or platform from moving during the time a
worker enters or leaves such cage or platform.
27. The sides of a platform of a hoist, which are not used for loading or unloading, are
provided with toe-board and enclosures of a wire mesh or any other suitable means
to prevent the fall of any part of a load from such platform.
28. A platform of a hoist, which has any probability of falling and part of load from it.
is provided with an adequate covering with such fall.
29. The counter-weights of a hoist consisting of an assemblage of several parts are so
constructed that such parts are rigidly connected together,
30. The counter-weights of a hoist run between guides.
31. At every level of work the building workers are provided with adequate platforms
for performing such work.
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CONCRETING WORK
1. Explain the sequence of steps to be taken for completion of the construction.
2. Formwork and shores used for concrete work are structurally safe and are properly
braced or tied together so as to maintain position and shape.
3. Formwork structure used for concrete work has sufficient cat-walks and other
secure access for inspection of such structure if such structure is in two or more
tiers.
4. A building worker handling cement or concrete, wears close-fitting clothing,
gloves, helmet or hard hat, safety goggles, proper foot wear and respirator or mask
to protect him from danger in such handling.
5. Moving parts of the elevators, hoists, screens, bunkers, chutes, grouting equipment
used for concrete work and of other equipment used for storing, transport and other
handling ingredients of concrete are securely fenced to avoid contact of building
workers with such moving parts.
6. Concrete buckets used with cranes or aerial cable ways are free from projections
from which accumulations of concrete could fall; and movements of concrete
buckets are governed by signals necessary to avoid any danger by such movements.
7. Scaffolding carrying a pipe for pumped concrete is strong enough to support such
pipe at time when such pipe is tilled with concrete or water or any other liquid and
to bear all the building workers who may be on such scaffold at such time, safely.
8. Every pipe for carrying pumped concrete is securely anchored at its end point and
at each curve on it; provided near the top of such pipe with an air release valve: and
securely attached to a pump nozzle by a bolted collar or other adequate means.
9. The operation of concrete pumps is governed by standard signals.
10. A building worker, who is in good physical condition, operates vibrators used in
concreting work; all practical measures are taken to reduce the amount of vibration
transmitted to the operators working in concreting work.
11. Care to be taken that the building workers do not stand directly over jacking
equipment while stressing of concrete girders and beams is being done.
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STRIPPING
1. Stripping of form work used in concreting work commenced until the concrete such
form work is fully set, examined and certified to this effect by the responsible
person and record of such examination and certification is maintained.
2. Stripped forms in concreting work are removed or stock-piled promptly after
stripping from all areas in which building workers are required to work or pass.
3. Protruding nails, wire ties and other form work accessories not required for
subsequent concreting work are pulled, cut or otherwise made safe.
RESHORING
Reshoring used in concreting work is provided to a slab or beam for its safe support
after its stripping or where such slab or beam is subjected to superimposed loads due to
construction above such slab or beam.
11. For type C soils like gravel, sand, loamy sand, submerged soil or soil from which
water is freely seeping; or submerged rock that is not stable a sloping of 1.5 : 1 is
to be provided.
SAFETY BELT
1. Safety belt, life lines and devices for the attachment of such life line conform to the
relevant national standards; every building worker is supplied with safety belt and
safety life lines for his protection and such building worker uses such bells and life
lines during the performance of his work.
66
2. The minimum breaking strength for anchors should be 3.5 kN or 4 times the weight
of worker and that of the wires of lifeline should not be less than 26.7 kN for
vertical lifeline and 89 kN for horizontal lifeline.
3. The use of safety belt must be insisted for working at height more than 2 m.
Free-fall of a person should not to exceed 1.80 m
4. All building workers using safety belts and safety life lines have the knowledge of
safe use and maintenance of such belts and life lines and are supplied with
necessary instructions.
SAFETY NET
Every safety net is of adequate strength made of sound material and is suitable for use
and conforms to the relevant national standards.
1. The responsible person for maintenance of the safety nets and their use ensures safe
fixing of such safety nets and provides such safety nets with suitable and to
sufficient anchorage so that the purpose for which such safety net is intended for
use is served.
2. The net used for protecting person from falling should be 100 x 100 mm mesh and
that used to protect person working below be 25 x 25 mm mesh.
3. The free fall distance should not exceed 6.0 m
4. For working at a height of 3.0 m the net shall extend up to 1.5 to 3.0 m. When the
height exceeds 4.0 m the net shall be provided for a minimum extension of 4.0 m.
FORM WORK
1. All form works are properly designed keeping in view the safety of building
workers, building or structures.
2. A responsible person for structural frame and form work,-inspects and examines
the material, timber, structural steel and scaffolding for its strength and suitability
before being taken into use.
3. Necessary steps or measures to correct any situation with a view to prevent accident
or dangerous occurrence during performance of such structural frame and form
work be taken.
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SCAFFOLD
1. Every scaffold and every component thereof is of adequate construction, made of
sound material and free from defects and is safe for the purposes for which it is
intended for use.
2. When bamboo is used for scaffolding, such bamboo is of suitable quality, good
condition, free from protruding knots and stripped off to avoid any injury to
building workers during handling such bamboo.
3. No building worker is permitted to work on a scaffold which has been damaged or
weakened unless adequate safety measures have been taken to ensure the safety of
such building workers; and necessary warning signs are displayed at such places
where repairs of scaffold are undertaken.
4. Where a scaffold or a part of a scaffold is used which has previously been used by
another employer for his building workers, such scaffold or part thereof is used only
after its inspection and examination by a responsible person for its use that such
scaffold or part is safe and fit for such use.
5. The height of every tower scaffold used in building or other construction work is
not more than 8 times, the lesser of a base dimension of such scaffold.
6. All metal scaffolds used in building or other construction work conform to the
relevant national standards.
WORKING PLATFORM.
1. Working platform is provided around the face or edge of a building adjoining
at every uppermost permanent floor of such building under construction and at
any level where construction work of such building is carried out.
2. A platform is designed to suit the number of building workers to be employed
on each bay of a scaffold work on such platform and the materials or articles
and tools to be carried with them in such bay.
3. The safe working load and the number of building workers to be employed in
each bay of a scaffold are displayed for the information of all the building
workers employed at such construction site.
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OPENING
1. There is no opening in any working platform except for allowing access to
such working platform.
2. Wherever opening on a platform is unavoidable, necessary measures for
protection against falling of objects or building workers from such platform
are taken by providing suitable safety nets, belts or any other similar means.
3. Access from one working platform to another platform on a scaffold, if
required, is provided with suitable and safe ladder for the use of building
workers, working on such platform.
69
GUARDRAILS
1. Every side of a working platform from which a person is
liable to fall is provided with suitable and safety guardrails
and toe-board of adequate strength to prevent fall of any
building worker, material or tools from such platform.
2. Rails must be able to withstand a minimum force of 75 kgs. / mt.
3. The top rails should be provided at a height of 900 mm.
4. Toe boards for guardrail should be at least 150 mm wide.