Abstract:

The Construction industry is the second major industry, next to agriculture in

India. Large number of people are employed in this industries. It supports the
country economically and helps to provide large employment oppurtunity. Even
though India has all the facilities in construction site, the safety culture was not
up to the mark. The safety of the construction site starts from the design of the
project, quality of the material, process of construction, equipment handling and
the attitude of the employee and the employer.

It is necessary to ensure the safety of the construction site and the people
working overthere.This paper deals with the Roles and duties of a safety officer
in the construction site.

Keywords: Plannning, identifying, controlling, monitoring and reviewing

hazards
Construction Site:

Nearly 6.5 million people work at approximately 252,000 construction sites

across the nationon any given day. The fatal injury rate for the construction
industry is higher than the national average in this category for all industries.

Potential hazards for workers in construction include:

Falls (from heights);

Trench collapse;
Scaffold collapse;
Electric shock and arc flash/arc blast;
Failure to use proper personal protective
equipment; and
Repetitive motion injuries.
Occupational

Roles of a safety officer:

Draw up a safety and health policy

Identify the hazards
Carry out a risk assessment
Decide what precautions are needed
Record the findings
Review the programme and update as necessary

DRAW UP A SAFETY AND HEALTH POLICY

Employers have ultimate responsibility for safety and health. The safety
statement should begin with a declaration, signed at senior, responsible
management level on the employers behalf. The declaration should give a
commitment to ensuring that a workplace is as safe and healthy as reasonably
practicable and that all relevant statutory requirements will be complied with.
This declaration should spell out the policy in relation to overall safety and
health performance, provide a framework for managing safety and health, and
list relevant objectives.

The safety and health policy should also take account of the general employer
duties as set out in the 2005 Act and any other legislation that applies to the
workplace. Dutyholders must ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, that
they:

manage and conduct work activities so as to ensure the safety and

health of employees
prevent improper conduct likely to put an employees safety and
health at risk
provide a safe place of work which is adequately designed and
maintained
provide safe means of access and egress
provide safe plant, equipment and machinery
provide safe systems of work, e.g. operating procedures
prevent risk to health from any article or substance (including
plant, tools, machinery, chemical substances and equipment)
provide appropriate information, instruction, training and
supervision, taking account of the employees capabilities, when an
employee begins work or is transferred to new tasks, and when
new technology is introduced
provide suitable protective clothing and equipment where hazards
cannot be eliminated
prepare and revise emergency plans
designate staff to take on emergency duties
provide and maintain welfare facilities
provide, where necessary, a competent person to advise and assist
in securing the safety, health and welfare of employees. (A
competent person, as defined in the 2005 Act, must have the
necessary qualifications as well as sufficient training, experience
and knowledge appropriate to the nature of the work to be
undertaken
IDENTIFY THE HAZARDS

HAZARD in general means anything that can cause harm but, for your
purposes, this must be workplace-generated (e.g. dangerous chemicals,
electricity, working at heights from ladders, poor housekeeping).

RISK is the likelihood, great or small, that someone will be harmed by the
hazard, together with the severity of harm suffered. Risk also depends on the
number of people exposed to the hazard.

RISK ASSESSMENT is a careful examination of what, in the workplace,

could cause harm to people, so that the employer can weigh up whether he or
she has taken enough precautions or should do more to prevent harm.

CONTROLLING RISK means that the employer (as the law requires) does all
that is reasonably practicable to ensure that a hazard will not injure anyone (e.g.
by eliminating the hazard, enclosing it in a totally enclosed container, using
general or local exhaust ventilation, implementing safe operating procedures, or
providing personal protection, as a last resort).

The following checklists provide a systematic, though not exhaustive, approach

to identifying hazards:

PHYSICAL HAZARDS

manual handling (heavy, awkward or hard-to-reach loads, handling

patients, treating farm animals)
slipping/tripping hazards (poorly maintained or untidy floors,
passageways or stairs)
falling from a height (from mezzanine floors or scaffolding)
being struck by material falling from above
getting caught or cut by machinery, especially moving parts of
machinery (blades or rollers, power take-off shafts on tractors and
farm machinery)
equipment (poorly maintained or whose guards have been
disabled)
falling objects
being struck by internal transport (fork-lifts) or external transport
(delivery trucks at loading bays)
 introduction of new machinery or work systems
fire (from flammable or combustible materials, hay, waste
material)
ejection of material (from plastic moulding or woodworking
machines)
electricity (poor wiring or not being protected by residual current
devices)
special hazards of maintenance of equipment and the workplace
itself (the roof, windows or gutters)
injury by another person or an animal
hot substances or surfaces
hand tools (noise, eye injury, electrocution)
poor housekeeping
burial in trenches or by loose material such as grain or soil
suffocation by drowning or from exposure to carbon monoxide
(from portable generators)
pressure systems (steam boilers)

HEALTH HAZARDS

negative stress (e.g. from poor work organisation or control,

repetitive strain, etc)
noise (e.g. if people must raise their voices to be heard)
harmful dusts (e.g. from grinding)
unsuitable lighting levels
some types of light (e.g. over-exposure to ultra-violet light can
cause skin cancer)
vibration (e.g. from pneumatic rock or concrete breakers or drills)
sources of radiation
extremes of temperature
injury through poor design of tasks or machinery
radiation hazards including naturally occurring radon
CHEMICAL HAZARDS

immediate problems, (e.g. acute toxic effects or catching fire)

long-term effects of exposure on health (e.g. cancer-causing)
likelihood of explosion
likelihood of skin problems (e.g. skin irritation or sensitiser causing
dermatitis)
likelihood of chest problems (e.g. respiratory irritation or
sensitisation, asthma)

BIOLOGICAL AGENT HAZARDS

tuberculosis from contact with infectious cases

brucellosis
farmers lung, caused by spores from mouldy hay
hepatitis from unprotected handling of infected body fluids or
waste

HUMAN-FACTOR HAZARDS

Apart from physical surroundings, human factors must also be taken into
account when identifying hazards:

People should be mentally and physically capable of doing their

jobs safely.
The workplace, the work system, the organisation of work and the
job should be designed so as to avoid causing sustained stress.
Workers should not be subjected to bullying by or violence from
other workers or members of the public.

Some groups are particularly vulnerable:

young workers, who have a higher accident rate

pregnant women (see the General Application Regulations)
people with disabilities
new or inexperienced workers
workers who have recently changed roles or jobs or started work in
a new workplace
older workers
 workers whose first language is not English

Hazards & Solutions

1. Scaffolding

2. Fall protection (scope, application,definitions)

3. Excavations (general requirements)

4. Ladders

5. Head protection

6. Excavations (requirements for protective systems)

7. Hazard communication

8. Fall protection (training requirements)

9. Construction (general safety and health provisions)

10.Electrical (wiring methods, design and protection)

Scaffolding

Hazard: When scaffolds are not erected or used properly, fall hazards can
occur. About

2.3 million construction workers frequently work on scaffolds. Protecting these

workers

from scaffold-related accidents would prevent an estimated 4,500 injuries and

50 fatalities

each year.

Solutions:

Scaffold must be sound, rigid and sufficient to carry its own weight
plus four times the maximum intended load without settling or
displacement. It must be erected on solid footing.
 Unstable objects, such as barrels, boxes, loose bricks or concrete
blocks must not be used to support scaffolds or planks.
Scaffold must not be erected, moved, dismantled or altered except
under the supervision of a competent person.
Scaffold must be equipped with guardrails, midrails and toeboards.
Scaffold accessories such as braces, brackets, trusses, screw legs or
ladders that are damaged or weakened from any cause must be
immediately repaired or replaced.
Scaffold platforms must be tightly planked with scaffold plank
grade material or equivalent.
A competent person must inspect the scaffolding and, at
designated intervals, reinspect it.
Rigging on suspension scaffolds must be inspected by a competent
person before each shift and after any occurrence that could affect
structural integrity to ensure that all connections are tight and that
no damage to the rigging has occurred since its last use.
Synthetic and natural rope used in suspension scaffolding must be
protected from heat-producing sources.
Employees must be instructed about the hazards of using diagonal
braces as fall protection.
Scaffold can be accessed by using ladders and stairwells.
Scaffolds must be at least 10 feet from electric power lines at all
times.

Fall Protection

Hazard: Each year, falls consistently account for the greatest number of
fatalities in the construction industry. A number of factors are often involved in
falls, including unstable working surfaces, misuse or failure to use fall
protection equipment and human error.
Studies have shown that using guardrails, fall arrest systems, safety nets, covers
and restraint systems can prevent many deaths and injuries from falls.

Solutions:

Consider using aerial lifts or elevated platforms to provide safer

elevated working surfaces;
Erect guardrail systems with toeboards and warning lines or install
control line systems to protect workers near the edges of floors and
roofs;
Cover floor holes; and/or
Use safety net systems or personal fall arrest systems (body
harnesses).

Ladders

Hazard: Ladders and stairways are another source of injuries and fatalities
among construction workers. OSHA estimates that there are 24,882 injuries and
as many as 36 fatalities per year due to falls on stairways and ladders used in
construction. Nearly half of these injuries were serious enough to require time
off the job.

Solutions:

Use the correct ladder for the task.

Have a competent person visually inspect a ladder before use for
any defects such as:

_ Structural damage, split/bent side rails, broken or missing rungs/steps/cleats

and missing or damaged safety devices;

_ Grease, dirt or other contaminants that could cause slips or falls;

_ Paint or stickers (except warning labels) that could hide possible defects.

Make sure that ladders are long enough to safely reach the work
area.
Mark or tag (Do Not Use) damaged or defective ladders for
repair or replacement, or destroy them immediately.
 Never load ladders beyond the maximum intended load or beyond
the manufacturers rated capacity.
Be sure the load rating can support the weight of the user,
including materials and tools.
Avoid using ladders with metallic components near electrical work
and overhead power lines.

Stairways

Hazard: Slips, trips and falls on stairways are a major source of injuries and
fatalities among construction workers.

Solutions:

Stairway treads and walkways must be free of dangerous objects,

debris and materials.
Slippery conditions on stairways and walkways must be corrected
immediately.
Make sure that treads cover the entire step and landing.
Stairways having four or more risers or rising more than 30 inches
must have at least one handrail.

Trenching

Hazard: Trench collapses cause dozens of fatalities and hundreds of injuries

each year. Trenching deaths rose in 2003.

Solutions:

Never enter an unprotected trench.

Always use a protective system for trenches 5 feet deep or greater.
Employ a registered professional engineer to design a protective
system for trenches 20 feet deep or greater.

Protective Systems:
_ Sloping to protect workers by cutting back the trench wall at an angle inclined
away from the excavation not steeper than a height/depth ratio of 11 2 :1,
according to the sloping requirements for the type of soil.

_ Shoring to protect workers by installing supports to prevent soil movement for

trenches that do not exceed 20 feet in depth.

_ Shielding to protect workers by using trench boxes or other types of supports

to prevent soil cave-ins.

Always provide a way to exit a trenchsuch as a ladder, stairway

or ramp--no more than 25 feet of lateral travel for employees in the
trench.
Keep spoils at least two feet back from the edge of a trench.
Make sure that trenches are inspected by a competent person prior
to entry and after any hazard-increasing event such as a rainstorm,
vibrations or excessive surcharge loads.

Cranes

Hazard: Significant and serious injuries may occur if cranes are not inspected
before use and if they are not used properly. Often these injuries occur when a
worker is struck by an overhead load or caught within the cranes swing radius.
Many crane fatalities occur when the boom of a crane or its load line contact an
overhead power line.

Solutions:

Check all crane controls to insure proper operation before use.

Inspect wire rope, chains and hook for any damage.
Know the weight of the load that the crane is to lift.
Ensure that the load does not exceed the cranes rated capacity.
Raise the load a few inches to verify balance and the effectiveness
of the brake system.
Check all rigging prior to use; do not wrap hoist ropes or chains
around the load.
Fully extend outriggers.
 Do not move a load over workers.
Barricade accessible areas within the cranes swing radius.
Watch for overhead electrical distribution and transmission lines
and maintain a safe working clearance of at least 10 feet from
energized electrical lines.

Hazard Communication

Hazard: Failure to recognize the hazards associated with chemicals can cause
chemical burns, respiratory problems, fires and explosions.

Solutions:

Maintain a Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for each chemical

in the facility.
Make this information accessible to employees at all times in a
language or formats that are clearly understood by all affected
personnel.
Train employees on how to read and use the MSDS.
Follow manufacturers MSDS instructions for handling hazardous
chemicals.
Train employees about the risks of each hazardous chemical being
used.
Provide spill clean-up kits in areas where chemicals are stored.
Have a written spill control plan.
Train employees to clean up spills, protect themselves and properly
dispose of used materials.
Provide proper personal protective equipment and enforce its use.
Store chemicals safely and securely.
CARRY OUT A RISK ASSESSMENT

Risk means the likelihood, great or small, that someone will be harmed by a
hazard, together with the severity of the harm suffered. Risk also depends on the
number of people who might be exposed to the hazard.

In assessing the risk, you should estimate:

how likely it is that a hazard will cause harm

how serious that harm is likely to be
how often and how many workers are exposed

FACTORS AFFECT THE LEVEL OF RISK

Risk will depend on many, often related, circumstances:

Who is exposed to the hazard?

Is the hazard likely to cause injury to my workers or others?
How serious would the injury be?
Is the hazard well controlled?
Is the level of supervision adequate?
How long are people exposed? What levels of exposure should not
be exceeded?

(These levels apply to chemicals, temperature, noise, heavy loads, radiation,

etc.)

WHO DO I NEED TO CONSIDER?

Apart from employees (e.g. operators, maintenance personnel, and office staff)
think about people who may not be in the workplace all the time, for example:

cleaners
visitors
contractors
outside maintenance personnel
customers
 others (such as students in a school)
members of the public or people who share the workplace, if there
is a chance they could be hurt by the work activities.

DECIDE WHAT PRECAUTIONS ARE NEEDED

Improving safety and health need not cost a lot. For instance, placing a mirror
on a dangerous blind corner to help prevent vehicle accidents, or putting some
non-slip material on slippery steps, are inexpensive precautions considering the
risks. Sometimes changing the way a job is done can reduce the risk of an
accident.

Employers need to ask themselves:

Can I get rid of the hazard altogether?

Can I change the way the job is done so as to make it safer?
If not, what safety precautions are necessary to control this risk?

Some common methods of controlling risk are:

replacing a hazardous system of work with a less hazardous

system, e.g. preassembling components on the ground to reduce the
need to work at a height, or using mechanical aids to reduce or
eliminate the need for manual handling
replacing a substance with a less hazardous substance, e.g.
replacing a flammable with a non-flammable substance
designing the workplace to reduce risk, e.g. providing guardrails
around roofmounted equipment or designated walkways and
crossing points through areas with moving vehicles
ensuring a clean and tidy workplace to prevent trips and slips
extracting or containing the hazard at source, e.g. providing a fume
cupboard with extraction
adapting the work to the individual, e.g. providing adjustable
height tables or chairs to reduce muscle injuries
ventilating an area of the workplace where extraction at source is
not possible
isolating the process or the worker (e.g. switching off and isolating
machines before carrying out repairs or alterations)
 safeguarding machinery, e.g. providing interlocked guards that
switch off the machine if someone tries to gain entry to dangerous
parts of it
providing adequate training and supervision
establishing emergency planning procedures, including first aid
providing protective equipment, clothing or signs (they should be
used only as a last resort after all other ways of eliminating the
hazard have been fully explored)
setting up adequate health-surveillance programmes including pre-
placement or regular health checks where appropriate
analysing and investigating accidents (including ill-health) and
dangerous occurrences
using permit-to-work systems or safe working procedures
putting in place adequate welfare facilities
establishing other policies as appropriate, e.g. to eradicate bullying,
etc

EXAMPLES OF FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED IN SPECIFIC RISK

ASSESSMENTS

Risk of a slip, trip or fall

Slips, trips and falls are the second most common type of accident in most
places of work. The risk depends on:

the premises being kept clean, tidy and uncluttered

the flooring and stairs being kept in good repair and on the type of
flooring used
the control of other trip hazards
the quality of lighting
spillages of liquid being cleaned promptly

The extent of injury may vary from relatively minor to severe, depending on a
variety of factors including the nature of the fall, whether at the level or from a
height.
Risk of being struck by a fork-lift truck

Vehicles in the workplace are a risk to other employees on foot. The risk is a
combination of the chance that someone will be struck, together with the likely
severity of the injury. This will depend on:

whether pedestrians use walkways which keep them away from

moving fork-trucks
the number of pedestrians and fork-lift trucks using the same areas
the training and instruction provided to both drivers and
pedestrians
the degree of supervision and enforcement of safe procedures (e.g.
for separating pedestrians and forklifts)
the mechanical condition of the fork-lift truck (e.g. brakes and
flashing beacons)
the wearing of high-visibility PPE

The extent of injury is likely to be severe and may result in death or disability.

Isocyanate paint risk assessment

Paints containing isocyanates are a hazard to health. The material safety data
sheet and the label on the paint container give this information. Breathing in
isocyanate fumes can cause asthma. The risk is a combination of the chance that
someones lungs will be damaged together with the extent of the likely damage.
This will depend on:

the amount of isocyanate in the air

how often the job is done (all day every day or once or twice a
year)
the work method how the paint is used (e.g. if it is sprayed the
risk will be greater than if brushed on)
the number of people that could be affected. (Does just one person
work with the paint or do many? Could their work affect others?)
what could go wrong (the errors that could lead to spillage and
atmospheric emissions)
 the adequacy of precautions taken, such as exhaust ventilation and
personal protective equipment. (Do they comply with the legal
requirements? How do they compare with good practice and
national or trade guidance?)

The extent of the likely damage is severe. An employee could develop asthma,
which might make him or her unemployable in that industry.

Permit-to-work systems

A permit-to-work system is a written system of the procedures which must be

taken to safeguard workers doing work such as repair, maintenance or cleaning
work in potentially dangerous areas. It involves mechanical, electrical or
process isolation procedures or monitoring the atmosphere for the presence of
dangerous fumes. It sets out in a systematic way the work to be done, the
hazards involved and the precautions to be taken.

Situations where this is necessary include when machinery could be restarted

with the worker still inside it, or working in confined spaces where there is a
danger of chemical or physical contamination.

The employer should write down in the safety statement what work activities
require a permit-to-work system. Employers may also need to consider the
Confined Space Regulations and associated code of practice.

RECORD THE FINDINGS

The safety statement is the place to record the significant findings of the risk
assessments. This means writing down the more significant hazards and
recording the most important conclusions.

To make things simpler, the safety statement can refer to specific procedures
contained in other documents. These documents might include:

quality manuals
operating instructions
company rules
manufacturers instructions
company safety and health procedures
The safety statement must also specify how you are going to organise and
assign responsibilities to safeguard your employees safety and health on a day-
to-day basis.

The areas it must cover are:

available resources
safety and health competence
responsibility and control
co-operation by employees
consultation
participation of employees and representation
planning and setting standards
measuring safety and health performance

REVIEW THE PROGRAMME AND UPDATE AS NECESSARY

KEEPING SAFETY STATEMENTS UP TO DATE

A Health and Safety Authority inspector may review the safety statement during
an inspection of the workplace. If he or she finds that it is inadequate or does
not cover risk assessments for processes currently going on during the
inspection, he or she can direct that it be revised within 30 days.

PERIODIC REVIEW OF SAFETY STATEMENTS LEARNING FROM

EXPERIENCE

The safety statement should be periodically reviewed. The review serves two
purposes:

a backward look to review how effective the safety and health

management has been
a forward look to ensure you have considered any proposed
changes

HOW SHOULD THE SAFETY STATEMENT BE REVIEWED?

In reviewing the safety statement, employers should consider at least the

following:
 Were the aims in the safety statement relevant and appropriate?
Did it identify the significant hazards, assess their risks and set out
the necessary preventive and protective safety measures?
Were the safety and health measures, which were identified,
implemented in practice? Was the planned progress achieved?
Were new work practices or processes introduced since the last
review and if so were they risk-assessed?
Did you put in place the measures necessary to comply with the
relevant statutory provisions (e.g. on safety and health
management, safety consultation and training, etc)?
Did you comply fully with safety and health performance standards
(including legislation and approved codes of practice)?
Are there areas where standards are absent or inadequate?
Have you analysed your data to find out the immediate and
underlying causes of any injuries, illness or incidents? Have you
identified any trends and common features?
What new safety and health measures were applied following any
reportable accidents or other incidents, or following any
enforcement measures relating to your workplace?
Were adequate financial, physical, human and organisational
resources committed to safety and health?
What improvements in safety and health performance need to be
made?

Emergency Action Plan

1.Pre-Emergency Planning

Review the facility emergency and contingency plans where

applicable;
Determine what onsite communication equipment is available
(two-way radio, cell phones, air horn);
Determine what offsite communication equipment is needed
(nearest telephone, cell phone);
Confirm and post the Emergency Contacts page (or equivalent)
and route to the hospital located in this section in project trailer(s)
 and keep a copy in field vehicles along with evacuation routes and
assembly areas. Communicate the information to onsite personnel
and keep it updated;
Field Trailers: Post Exit signs above exit doors, and post Fire
Extinguisher signs above locations of extinguishers. Keep areas
near exits and extinguishers clear;
Review changed site conditions, onsite operations, and personnel
availability in relation to emergency response procedures;
Where appropriate and acceptable to the client, inform emergency
room and ambulance and emergency response teams of anticipated
types of site emergencies;
Inventory and check site emergency equipment, supplies, and
potable water;
Communicate emergency procedures for personnel injury,
exposures, fires, explosions, and releases;
Rehearse the emergency response plan before site activities begin.
This may include a tabletop exercise or an actual drill depending
on the nature and complexity of the project. Drills should take
place periodically but no less than once a year;
Brief new workers on the emergency action plan; and
Evaluate emergency response actions and initiate appropriate
followup actions.

2.Emergency Equipment and Supplies

Appropriate number of Class A,B,C fire extinguisher based on

construction site and construction activities
First aid kit
Eye wash
Emergency shower
Potable water
Bloodborne-pathogen kit

3.Incident Response

Notify appropriate response personnel;

Shut down operations and evacuate the immediate work area;
 Account for personnel at the designated assembly area(s);
Assess the need for site evacuation, and evacuate the site as
warranted;
Conduct Incident Notification, Reporting and Investigation as
required by each employer, and
Notify and submit reports to clients as required in contract.

4.Emergency Medical Treatment

Emergency medical treatment is needed when there is a life-threatening injury

(such as severe bleeding, loss of consciousness, breathing or heart has stopped).
When in doubt if an injury is life-threatening or not, treat it as needing
emergency medical treatment.

5.Evacuation

Evacuation routes, assembly areas, and severe weather shelters

(and alternative routes and assembly areas) are to be specified on
the site map.
Evacuation route(s) and assembly area(s) will be designated by the
ERC or designee before work begins.
Personnel will assemble at the assembly area(s) upon hearing the
emergency signal for evacuation.
The ERC and a buddy will remain on the site after the site has
been evacuated (if safe) to assist local responders and advise them
of the nature and location of the incident.
The ERC will account for all personnel in the onsite assembly area.
A designated person will account for personnel at alternate
assembly area(s).
The ERC will follow the incident reporting procedures in the
Incident Notification, Reporting and Investigation section of this
FSI.

TRAINING

Stimulate multiple senses.

Identify the need for training
Organize the content logically
Teach principles with procedures
 Teach the whole process first, then detailed parts
Make sure trainees have time to practice, but keep practice periods short.
Ensure participation when performance is the goal.
Give trainees knowledge of results.
Reward correct performance
Keep trainees interested and challenged.
Simulation should duplicate actual conditions.
Unique or unusual material is retained longest.
Provide relearning to sustain knowledge and skill.
Fit training to individual needs.

PROMOTING SAFETY

There is a need to reinforce proper attitudes and actions. There are many
approaches for promoting safety. This section addresses only a few.

Posters, Flyers and Newsletters

Awards and Rewards

Reference:

1.GUIDELINES FOR PUBLIC SAFETY AND HEALTH AT

CONSTRUCTION SITES (1st Revision)

2. Construction Emergency Action Plan Carlsbad Energy Center, LLC

3. Construction Site Safety Roles T. Michael Toole, P.E., M.ASCE1

4. Construction Site Safety Handbook The Hong Kong Construction

association

5.OSHA Worker safety series Construction.