Site layout
A badly planned and untidy site is the underlying cause of many accidents resulting from falls of material and collisions between workers and plant or equipment. Space constraints, particularly in urban work sites, are nearly always the biggest limiting factor and a layout which caters best for the safety and health of workers may appear to be difficult to reconcile with productivity. Proper planning by management is an essential part of preparation and budgeting for the safe and efficient running of a construction operation.
Before work even begins on site, thought needs to be given to:
o the sequence or order in which work will be done and to any especially hazardous operations or processes;
o access for workers on and around the site. Routes should be free from obstruction and from exposure to hazards such as falling materials, materials-handling equipment, and vehicles. Suitable warning notices should be posted. Routes to and from welfare facilities need equal consideration. Edge protection will be required at the edge of floor openings and stairs, and wherever there is a drop of 2 m or more routes for vehicular traffic. These should be “one way” as far as practicable. Traffic congestion prejudices the safety of workers, especially when impatient drivers unload goods hurriedly;
o storage areas for materials and equipment. Materials need to be stored as close as possible to the appropriate workstation, e.g. sand and gravel close to the cement-batching plant, and timber close to the joinery shop. If this is not practicable, it is important to schedule the arrival of materials;
o the location of construction machinery. This is usually dependent on operational requirements so that tower cranes are subject to constraints such as their radius of operation, and pick-up and unloading points. The objective should be to avoid the need to slew the load over workers;
o the location of trade workshops – these are not usually moved after they are built;
o the location of medical and welfare facilities. On large sites sanitary facilities for both sexes should be provided at several locations;
o artificial lighting at places where work continues or workers pass after dark;
o site security. The site should be fenced in to keep out unauthorized persons, children in particular, and to protect the public from site hazards. The type of fencing will depend on the location of the site, but in populated areas, it should be at least 2 m high and without gaps or holes. Overhead protection will be necessary if tower crane loads pass over public thoroughfares;
o arrangements to keep the site tidy and for the collection and removal of waste;
o the need for low-voltage electric power supplies for temporary lighting, portable tools, and equipment;
o training needs of both workers and supervisors
Site tidiness
As a worker, you can make a major contribution to safe working conditions on site by attention to tidiness. There are many accidents due to tripping, slipping or falling over materials and equipment which have been left projecting from timber.
Be sure you take the following steps:
Clean up as you go – do not leave rubbish and scrap for the next person to clear.
Keep gangways, working platforms, and stairways clear of equipment and materials not in immediate use.
Clean up spilled oil and grease.
Deposit waste material at a recognized disposal point.
Remove or hammer down any nails you see projecting from timber
A badly planned and untidy site is the underlying cause of many accidents resulting from falls of material and collisions between workers and plant or equipment. Space constraints, particularly in urban work sites, are nearly always the biggest limiting factor and a layout which caters best for the safety and health of workers may appear to be difficult to reconcile with productivity. Proper planning by management is an essential part of preparation and budgeting for the safe and efficient running of a construction operation.
Before work even begins on site, thought needs to be given to:
o the sequence or order in which work will be done and to any especially hazardous operations or processes;
o access for workers on and around the site. Routes should be free from obstruction and from exposure to hazards such as falling materials, materials-handling equipment, and vehicles. Suitable warning notices should be posted. Routes to and from welfare facilities need equal consideration. Edge protection will be required at the edge of floor openings and stairs, and wherever there is a drop of 2 m or more routes for vehicular traffic. These should be “one way” as far as practicable. Traffic congestion prejudices the safety of workers, especially when impatient drivers unload goods hurriedly;
o storage areas for materials and equipment. Materials need to be stored as close as possible to the appropriate workstation, e.g. sand and gravel close to the cement-batching plant, and timber close to the joinery shop. If this is not practicable, it is important to schedule the arrival of materials;
o the location of construction machinery. This is usually dependent on operational requirements so that tower cranes are subject to constraints such as their radius of operation, and pick-up and unloading points. The objective should be to avoid the need to slew the load over workers;
o the location of trade workshops – these are not usually moved after they are built;
o the location of medical and welfare facilities. On large sites sanitary facilities for both sexes should be provided at several locations;
o artificial lighting at places where work continues or workers pass after dark;
o site security. The site should be fenced in to keep out unauthorized persons, children in particular, and to protect the public from site hazards. The type of fencing will depend on the location of the site, but in populated areas, it should be at least 2 m high and without gaps or holes. Overhead protection will be necessary if tower crane loads pass over public thoroughfares;
o arrangements to keep the site tidy and for the collection and removal of waste;
o the need for low-voltage electric power supplies for temporary lighting, portable tools, and equipment;
o training needs of both workers and supervisors
Site tidiness
As a worker, you can make a major contribution to safe working conditions on site by attention to tidiness. There are many accidents due to tripping, slipping or falling over materials and equipment which have been left projecting from timber.
Be sure you take the following steps:
Clean up as you go – do not leave rubbish and scrap for the next person to clear.
Keep gangways, working platforms, and stairways clear of equipment and materials not in immediate use.
Clean up spilled oil and grease.
Deposit waste material at a recognized disposal point.
Remove or hammer down any nails you see projecting from timber
No comments:
Post a Comment