Guidelines for health and safety and fire safety on underground construction sites

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 659-665
Author(s):  
Michael Halwachs
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ran-i Eom ◽  
Yejin Lee

PurposeThe use of shoulder protectors is strongly recommended when carrying objects on the shoulder to ensure the health and safety of workers. Thus, this study aimed to develop and verify an ergonomic shoulder protector that considers human body shape and carrying posture from an ergonomic perspective. Ultimately, this study will present a shoulder protector with enhanced fit and safety for carrying workers at construction sites.Design/methodology/approachThe shoulder protector was designed and printed using three-dimensional printing technology with variable side neck points and shoulder point heights to reflect the human body's shoulder line shape and to position the carried object stably on the shoulder. The developed shoulder protectors were evaluated in terms of their fit according to the work posture of the carrier, adherence upon motion and durability through structural analysis.FindingsThe design of the shoulder protector for carrying workers followed the shoulder line. It is best placed above the side neck point by 1.0 cm and above the shoulder point by 2.0 cm. Its length is slightly shorter than the human shoulder for superior fit and safety.Originality/valueThe final shoulder protector (FSP) for carrying workers reflects the body curvature while enhancing fit and safety by considering activity and protective factors. As functional studies and evaluations on the need for protectors are scarce, this study provides fundamental data in the evaluation of protective gears.


2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 50-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Spillane ◽  
Lukumon O. Oyedele

Purpose: The overall aim of this research is to identify and catalogue the numerous managerial strategies for effective management of health and safety on a confined, urban, construction site. Design/Methodology/Approach: This is achieved by utilising individual interviews, focus groups discussion on selected case studies of confined construction sites, coupled with a questionnaire survey. Findings: The top five key strategies include (1) Employ safe system of work plans to mitigate personnel health and safety issues; (2) Inform personnel, before starting on-site, of the potential issues using site inductions; (3) Effective communication among site personnel; (4) Draft and implement an effective design site layout prior to starting on-site; and (5) Use of banksman (traffic co-ordinator) to segregate personnel from vehicular traffic. Practical Implication: The construction sector is one of the leading industries in accident causation and with the continued development and regeneration of our urban centres, confined site construction is quickly becoming the norm - an environment which only fuels accident creation within the construction sector. Originality/Value: This research aids on-site management that requires direction and assistance in the identification and implementation of key strategies for the management of health and safety, particularly in confined construction site environments.


2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (03) ◽  
pp. 341-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulkadir A. Ganah ◽  
Godfaurd A. John

Purpose The section of the research presented in this paper aims to review and explore health and safety (H&S) issues on construction sites. It has the sole intention of using better computer visualisation to meet the needs of site practitioners in understanding such H&S problems. Design/methodology/approach The methodology follows a traditional literature review approach to understand the development of building information modelling (BIM) technology up to its current status. A questionnaire survey was conducted to gather information on the embedding of H&S planning by site practitioners within the BIM environment. Findings BIM has the potential to be used in H&S planning procedures, particularly in those related to tasks on construction sites. A framework for an integrated visual tool is developed for better H&S practice on site. It may be used actively by all practitioners, starting with site induction and addresses, inter alia, personal hazard perception. Research limitations/implications This paper provides a foundation for developing a tool that helps construction personnel explore potential H&S risks on site before construction begins. By introducing a framework for integrating BIM and project planning, a prototype can be developed to demonstrate the application of the proposed framework. Originality/value The research presented in this paper introduces BIM usage during the construction stage as a tool that supports a H&S toolbox. The paper proposes the useful framework for better H&S practice on site that can be used actively by all practitioners. The intention is to find a way forward in addressing “real” H&S site issues that may not be easily understood by practitioners without the full aid of visualisation scenarios.


2015 ◽  
Vol 77 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurul Azita Salleh ◽  
Mohd Nasrun Mohd Nawi ◽  
Norazah Mohd Nordin ◽  
Abdul Khalim Abdul Rashid

This paper focuses on the discussion of the impact of IM-SmartSAFETY courseware on foreign workers in the construction industry. This courseware was developed as an alternative media of information delivery in bilingual multimedia and two directional teaching aids for foreign workers in Health and Safety Induction Course (HSIC). The study discovered that the IM-SmartSAFETY courseware have contributed a great impact and meets the needs of the foreign workers on construction sites as well as one of the mechanism to help tackle the language problem. The study was conducted quantitative research methods supported by qualitative research is found a parallel in terms of data acquisition which is seen IM-SmartSAFETY courseware has helped meet the needs of foreign workers regarding personal protective equipment (PPE) in terms of knowledge about the types and uses of PPE, safety regulations related to PPE, proper wear of PPE and the effect of the proper usage of PPE which include safety helmets, safety boots, protective clothing or safety jackets, ear protection, eye and face protection, safety belts, protective glove and protective breathing after using the courseware. The findings also exhibits that the overall of helpfulness of courseware also found that language issues have been resolved. In fact, the acquisition of knowledge foreign workers on safety at construction sites and the way of delivery information by the trainers to foreign workers have been enhanced while reducing the rate of accidents on construction sites and increase foreign workers awareness about the hazard and improve occupational safety of foreign workers in Malaysia.


2020 ◽  
Vol 53 (4) ◽  
pp. 645-654
Author(s):  
T.G. Newman ◽  
R.C. Ghail

Laboratory experiments have been performed to demonstrate significant levels of oxygen depletion within samples of Upnor Formation of the Lambeth Group deposits. These have been used to explain the reasons for several incidences of confined space hypoxia during underground construction within the stratum beneath London. Further investigation, using a relatively small-scale field pump-out test, revealed the rapid effects of dewatering on the generation of hypoxic gas (within the ground) and that the amount of oxygen falls to fatal levels within a very short time after commencement of pumping. Monitoring of boreholes during ground investigation for the Thames Tideway Tunnel has indicated barometric control on the release of hypoxic gas from installations within granular deposits of the Lambeth Group, namely the Upnor Formation, as well as channel sand deposits within the Laminated Beds. In these, reduced levels of oxygen coincide with low and/or falling barometric pressure. Continuous 24-hour monitoring demonstrates that the reduction is almost instantaneous and has serious implications for the Health and Safety of underground construction personnel.


Author(s):  
Julia Smedley ◽  
Finlay Dick ◽  
Steven Sadhra

Health and safety management framework 728Health and safety specialists 730Accident investigation and management 732Cost and reporting of accidents 734Accident data 736Measuring performance in health and safety management 737Fire safety 738Electrical safety 740Road safety 742Employers are required to show evidence of operating an effective health and safety management system (see ...


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4.35) ◽  
pp. 125
Author(s):  
Mohammed Elhaj Alsoufi Mohammed Ahmed ◽  
Leong Sing Wong

Lean construction is known to reduce costs, improve profit or increase competitiveness, increase business opportunity and customer base, improve health and safety, improve quality, yield higher employee salaries, shorten production timescales and increase customer satisfaction. With little attention on research of lean construction in Malaysia, it remains a problem of non-standardization in waste elimination strategies thereby sub optimizing waste management in Malaysian construction projects. The objective of this paper is to evaluate lean construction techniques and measure the feasibility in term of their applicability for construction at selected sites in Klang Valley, Malaysia. The study is novel and significant in a sense that it can help to develop reliable management strategies for implementing lean construction technologies at the construction sites. Case studies were carried out as a strategic method and comprehensive survey that covers both questionnaire and interview were adopted as a method of data collection. Likert scale 1 to 5 was used in the written questionnaire with workers in order to assess the level of awareness and acceptance on the need of lean construction techniques for eight construction sites in various places and with various categories (infrastructure and building construction projects) in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Later, semi structural interview was conducted with expert judgment to justify the factors which affect the implementation of lean construction at the construction sites. From the study outcome, it was discovered that both Total Quality Management (TQM) and Industrialized Building System (IBS) were rated by the respondents to be highly effective in both infrastructure and building construction projects.


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