SAFETY MEASURES AT SITE

Introduction- 

Most accidents can be prevented by taking simple measures or adopting proper working procedures. This handbook is intended to outline important issues on safety and health that should be paid attention to on construction sites for easy reference by the workers. If we work carefully and take appropriate safety measures, there will definitely be fewer work injury cases, and our sites will become a safe and secure place to work in .The Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance, which came into operation on 23 May 1997, covers most workplaces in order to protect the safety and health of employees at work. Other legislation applicable to construction sites includes the Factories and Industrial Undertakings Ordinance and its subsidiary legislation, particularly the Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations.

Employees' Responsibilities

Employees should cooperate with their employers and other persons in complying with the safety legislation and guidelines, and should not do anything to endanger themselves and other persons.

Basic rule of safety- 

Tidy up construction sites

■ Keep passages clear all the time.

■ Sort out materials and pile them up safely. The stacks should not be

too high.

■ Beware of floor openings and ensure that they are fenced or covered.

■ Remove refuse as soon as possible.

■ Provide sufficient lighting.

■ Familiarize with the location and the operation of fire-fighting equipment.

Safety measures

■ Before you operate a machine, ensure that the dangerous part of the machine has been installed with a guard.

■ Avoid going to any area with insufficient lighting as there may be some dangerous places which have not been provided with fencing.

■ Keep vigilant all the time and watch out for moving cranes, hooks or other lifting equipment.

■ Before you use any electrical installation or tool, check the condition of its electric cables.

■ Avoid dragging electric cables on the ground or allowing the cables to come into contact with water.

■ Use electrical tools installed with an earth leakage circuit breaker.

■ Use and handle chemicals with care.

Personal Safety

■ Wear protective equipment.

■ Do not drink or take drugs while working.

■ Pay attention to personal hygiene.

■ Do not play in the workplace.

■ Report to your supervisor immediately if you notice any unsafe condition.

Emergency response to accidents

You should have a good understanding of your working environment and the instructions given by your supervisor. 

When evacuation is required in an emergency, you should keep calm and find out:

■ What dangerous situation the alarm refers to.

■ The routes for evacuation.

■ The safe place that you should go to as designated by the company.

When someone is found seriously injured, you should:

■ Keep calm.

■ Seek help immediately.

■ Accompany the injured person.

■ Assist in the immediate rescue work as far as possible.

■ Call the site safety staff.

■ Do not try to move the injured person unless it is really necessary to do so.

■ Do not tamper with the accident scene while waiting for the arrival of the investigation team.

When a fire breaks out, you should remember:

■ Put out the fire with a fire extinguisher if it is a small fire.

■ If the blaze is out of control, do not try to extinguish the fire on your own. Call the Fire Services Department right away.

Emergency telephone numbers:

■ Always pay attention to the emergency telephone numbers posted on the notice board in the site office.

Head Protection

Protective gear is important because head injuries are caused by a myriad of construction hazards. Engineers, architects, and occupational safety professionals design buildings to be as safe as possible to maximize safety and efficiency. Unfortunately, risks are most present prior to construction completion. Falling objects, low-hanging hazards, exposed wiring, and tripping risks threaten head injury throughout construction sites. Head injuries can cause seizures, memory loss, impaired motor function, and death. In order to avoid these consequences, construction safety regulations require hard hats be worn in areas with strong potential for head injury. Hard hats are a simple and effective solution protecting construction workers from sudden or hidden risks.

Excavation Hazards:

1. Damage to underground facilities.
2. Personal, vehicle, equipment and materials falling inside excavation.
3. Cave-in, Soil collapse due to loose soil and heavy equipment moment.
4. Presence of toxic and flammable gases.
5. Injuries due to employees working very close to each other.
6. Expose of existing building foundation.

Excavation safety Precautions:

1. Slit trench using shovel, Do not use pickaxe for slit trench.
2. Detection of underground facilities using metal or cable detector.
3. Trial excavation shall be carried out to ensure protection of underground facility before mechanical excavation.
4. Adapting soil protection method like stepping, sloping, shoring and close sheeting.
5. If excavation reached more than 3 meter, shoring or close sheeting shall be done.
6. Adequate barricade and excavation sign board.
7. Gas test inside excavation before job.
8. Temporary support shall be provided for existing foundations.
9. Adequate spacing between workers.
10. Ladder shall be positioned at least 1 meter above the landing level and is excavation exceed 1.2 meter two access is required.
11. There should be at least two means of access for person working inside excavation if walking distance is more than 7.5 meter.
12. Walkways across excavations should be made by scaffolding and jumping across excavation is not allowed.
13. Excavated soil, materials, equipment shall maintained distance of 0.5 meter away from the edge of excavation.
14. If engine driven equipment is using inside excavation; confined space conditions shall be followed.
15. Signal man shall always be present with heavy equipment like excavator, dump truck, and loader.  

Hand gloves -

 As a form of personal protective equipment (PPE) gloves defend the user's hands from general risk. These items may protect from occupational hazards as well as recreational risks where the hands are heavily involved in the completion of a task. Gloves feature individual sheaths for each digit to allow articulation and sensation, though these capabilities vary. Gloves are either nominally-sized or dimensioned universally, but good fitting gloves provide the best finger expression, safety, and comfort. Many gloves extend their coverage beyond the wrist; cuff styles vary according to the glove's purpose. 

Gloves are usually intended for specific applications but may be suitable for other duties. The usage of gloves should never fall outside the service scope provided by the manufacturer. The most common reasons to wear safety gloves is to provide the following: heat/chill resistance, puncture and cut resistance, static control, chemical resistance, flame retardation, anti-contamination, enhanced grip, water proofing, and hand visibility. The material and design of the glove dictates for which applications the garment is suitable. It is advisable to wear other items of PPE if a job requires the use of safety gloves.

Safety shoes-

There are many dangers from which workers at a construction site need to be careful from. Thus, the first ever equipment which needs to be considered would be a pair of safety shoes for construction. These shoes would protect the workers from any sorts of heavy objects from falling on their feet. Safety shoes at construction site is quite helpful since any injury related to the feet can be restricted. Many workers might not consider the need for these safety shoes however, this piece of equipment is quite needed just like any other masks or gloves in the construction site. Safety shoes for construction can be of many types and each of these shoes are meant for the benefits accordingly. Some of the well-known benefits of the safety shoes used at construction site are as follows:

1. Whenever workers step on sharp objects these safety shoes for construction would not have any effect since they have heavy duty soles and made of thick material. A shoe with a soft sole would not work against sharp objects.
2. Safety shoes for construction are made of non-conducting materials. This means that no fear of getting static electric sparks or even chances of any sorts of electric hazards.
3. Safety shoes for construction are made of moisture retention material which keeps the legs of the workers dry and warm.
4. Adequate amount of cushioning in these shoes make sure that the feet of the workers remain comfortable most of the times when they are working.