Safety Audit During Highway Construction1
Dr. K.N.Jha ([email protected])
Department of Civil Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
•What did we find?
•Where the audits were conducted?
•How we found the compliance score?
•What are the recommendations?
Contents2
• Structural Safety- emphasis on temporary structures
• Traffic Management and Safety (TS)
• Mechanical/Electrical Machinery/ Fire Safety (ME)
• Construction Safety (CS)
• Worker/Work Zone Safety (WO)
Major Audit Heads3
How accidents are caused due to failure of temporary
structures?4
Collapse of
one floor
leading to
another
View of
collapsed
waffle slab
segment
5
Another view
of collapsed
waffle slab
segment
6
View of the
bent shoring
(due to excess
load)
7
Collapse of
deck slab
between the
two piers
8
Another view
of the
accident site
9
Shoring tower
in position for
the deck slab
adjacent to
the collapsed
slab
10
View of the
portion of the
slab which
failed due to
concrete
overloading
Even the best
formwork
system if not
used properly
can lead to
failure
11
Another view
of the portion
of the slab
which failed
due to
concrete
overloading
(note the
buckled
props)
12
Another view
of the portion
of the slab
which failed
due to
concrete
overloading
13
View of
portion of
slab and
beam
formwork
which
collapsed
14
Another view
of portion of
slab and
beam
formwork
which
collapsed
15
Failure of Launching Girder16
Collapse of
launching
girder in
Laxmi Nagar
Collapse of under construction metro bridge17
View of
Zamrudpur
under
construction
metro bridge
span collapse
Bridge failure during construction18
view of the
accident site
(photo
courtesy
www.chinapos
t.com.tw)
Bridge failure during construction19
Another view
of the
accident site
(photo
courtesy
www.thehindu
businessline.co
m)
Fall of Girder during construction20
View of
dislocated
shutters
Fall of Girder during construction21
Toppled
Girder lying
on ground
Audit Process
Briefing by Audit Team, Contractor’s presentation
Document verification
Comprehensive Field Audit based on check list prepared
for each of the mentioned audit heads
Closure Meeting and Sharing of important findings
Document verification
Sl. No. Description of document
1 Latest Monthly and Quarterly Report
2 All sample formats of (1) Non Compliance Reports;
(2) supervision consultant reports; and (3) RFIs
3 Locations of approved sources of Fine Aggregate;
Coarse Aggregate; and Water along with a map
showing various access/ haul roads
4 Locations of major plants viz Crusher, HMP, WMM
Plant, Batching Plant, etc.
Document verification contd..
5 Locations of camp sites, labour camps &
workshops
6 Locations of Material Stock Yards
7 Ref. Clause 36.6 -Approved Construction
Methodologies for various items of work
8 Temporary Structures/Formwork details of
Individual Contractor
9 EMP - Filled in Information in the prescribed
Formats
Document verification contd..
10 Details of environmental officers of CSC - qualification
and experience
11 Safety Organization chart including names of Contractor
and the details of safety officers of contractor
12 Documentation of Safety Systems adopted by individual
contractor
13 Safety Plan of Contractor
14 Approved Traffic Diversion Plans and Traffic
Management Plans of individual contractors
What did we find?
Shuttering
plates being
used to form
brackets to
support
working
platform
26
What did we find?
Shuttering
plates being
used as
pedestal
(even worse,
they are kept
on loose soil)
27
A view of access to workplace-
misuse of shuttering plateAnother view of access to workplace
A view of bridge formwork-
No trestle is anchoredAnother view of bridge formwork-
Reinforcement is being used as bracing
What did we find?
Foot plates
not in proper
contact with
concrete
pedestals
30
What did we find?
Improper
working
platform, no
hand rails, no
foot guards
31
What did we find?
Erosion of soil
beneath the
shoring was
noticed.
32
A view of wall formwork-
the unsafe scaffolding
A view of bridge formwork-
All safety norms violated
Desired Access and Approach
Makeshift ladder of
inadequate height and unsafe
Unsafe walkway. Inadequate widthwithout hand rails
Single landing mat used for walkway. Landing mat also missing fromAccess tower top to considerablelength and therefore highly unsafe.
Children at elevated locations without PPEs.
No control over the public movement in risky working zone.
Camp: Excavation near weigh bridge
Staging in vicinity of unstable ground
Structural Safety Aspects-Observations
The access to worksite and ladders are scary to say the least.
In majority of the packages, the temporary structures are not designed properly
Consultants instead of checking the drawings wait for the work to get over so that approval formality is avoided.
Wherever the drawings are approved, the implementation is not as per the drawing.
The designs and drawings are not vetted from third party.
Makeshift formwork arrangement with non-standard formwork components are in wide use.
Shutter plates and reinforcements are misused for providing access and diagonal bracings respectively.
Common Good Practices (Temporary Structures Safety)
Package Good Practice
1,2 The formwork is erected on a very well compacted soil.
2 Good bracing arrangement for shoring towers and shore legs
3,4 Good access arrangement
3 Very sturdy foundation for pedestals
3,4 Safety net in use
3,4 Provision of handrails and working platforms
4 Prevention of soil erosion by staking the sand bags around scaffolding bases
Common Bad Practices (Temporary Structures Safety)
Package Bad Practice
1,2,3,4 The access arrangement at some places need improvement
5,7,10,11,12 The erection of formwork was not even complying to the unapproved
drawings. No competent person is employed for inspection.1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,10,11,12 Proper walk way, Hand rails and working platform was not provided
1,2,3,5,7,8,10,11,12 Formwork components were kept in a loose position and left unattended
1,2,5,8,11,12 The stair case is not properly placed1,5,7,8,10,11,12 Improper or absence usage of safety nets1,2,3,4,5,8,11,12 Soil erosion beneath the sleepers was noted1,2,4,5,6,7,8,10,11,12 Usage of makeshift arrangements for access to heights and for staging
work1,5,7,10,11,12 Side fall protection arrangement was missing1,2,5,8,11,12 The ladder was not having enough extension length beyond landing slab
2,4,5,6,8,10,11,12 Improper barricading and missing of handrails1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,10,11,12 Improper house keeping
3,4,5,6,7,8,10,11,12 Openings in the working platforms left uncovered
Check list- Document compliance
Ladders are safe and inspected regularly?
Has the scaffolding arrangement designed by competent person?
Has it been checked and approved by competent person?
Whether competent person is employed to inspect the scaffold
condition periodically?
Is experienced and trained person employed for erection and
dismantling of scaffolds?
Is site having a practice of providing suitable and sufficient scaffolds so
that the work could safely be done at a height?
Is there a system of inspecting materials of scaffolds on each occasion
before erection?
Whether the approved design, drawing and specifications available for
the formwork system?
Are lifting tool & tackles tested, inspected and checked before use?
Check list-Field compliance
Extension & straight ladders extend 3’ beyond landing?
Are ladders placed on level ground
Are ladders/stairways/ramps position at an angle of about 1:4
Are ladders/stairways/ramps adequately secured
Are base plates in use
Scaffold in plumbed up (vertical tubes)
Entry restriction into effected area
Are diagonal bracings secured and are checked with missing elements
Are lock pin in place and secured
Is scaffold erected in the firm ground.Proper Soil Condition
Is scaffold free from defective components
Is scaffold tag system in use
Is there safe access to the working platform
Check list continuedIs the width of working platform properly maintained
Is there a provision of anchoring full body harness-lanyards to be tied to life
line
Are openings in working platform kept safely covered/fenced
Area below the workplace barricaded, especially below hot-works.
Workmen provided with bag / box to carry bolt, nuts and hand tools.
Has the arrangement for fastening hand tools made.
Fabricated make shift arrangements are checked for quality and type of
material welding, anchoring etc.
Does work at more than one elevation at the same segment restricted.
Safety nets are in use and maintained clean where height is more than 6m
Covering of gaps in form work and edge protection
Is suitable access and egress provided to the formwork areas
Does the formwork comply to the design and drawings
Does the scaffold comply to the design and drawings
Are the workers provided with all the necessary safety gadgets
Interpretations
Compliances Remarks
Yes 78% 2 (Good) 0%
No 22% 1 (Average) 78%
0 (poor) 22%
Interpretations
Compliances Remarks
Yes 18% 2 (Good) 7
No 82% 1 (Average) 11
NA 0 (Poor) 82
From the documentation audit
From the field audit
AUDIT LOCATIONS
SS
Package 1 8+500
9+000
13+339
15+560
20+423Package 2 57+000
73+200
83+000
84+000Package 3 92+000
118+419
122+975
124+000
126+322
126+875
133+585
SSPackage 4 143+400
157+505
Package 5 177+546
194+393
196+615
200+838Package 6 233+726
241+945
244+200
248+300
SSPackage 7 289.100
310.760
Package 8 324+000
327+890
337+000Package 10 423+000:
SS
Package 11 451+98
6,
443+47
4
453+69
0Package 12 516+035
36 locations
FlyoverUnderpassCulvertMinor BridgeMajor BridgeROB
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
PKG 1 PKG 2 PKG 3 PKG 4 PKG 5 PKG 6 PKG 7 PKG 8 PKG 10 PKG 11 PKG 12
% C
om
pliance
s
Package No.
Temporary Structures Safety
Document Compliances Field Compliances
Compliances Comparison
Recommendations-Temporary Structures safety (SS)
Scaffolding
materials
Standard built up frames are
not used and the contractor
uses makeshift arrangement.
The contractor shall use standard
built up frames for scaffolding.
Access arrangement Access arrangement is poor at
nearly all the locations. As
almost everywhere. These
were found to be made of
substandard , make shift type
and unsafe
The formwork design should show
the access arrangement. They
must be well designed and to
provide ramp, walkway, access
and approach at the work
locations
Formwork design
and drawings
No vetting by third party. In
some cases it is approved by
consultants.
The formwork design and
drawings must be vetted by third
party. A certificate to this effect
must be available for inspection
by the CSC and a copy send to
Employer.
Photograph courtesy-Formwork for concrete structures-Tata McGraw Hill
Photograph courtesy- Formwork for concrete structures- Tata Mc Graw Hill
Photograph courtesy- Formwork for concrete structures-Tata Mc Graw Hill
Photograph courtesy-Formwork for concrete structures -Tata Mc Graw Hill
Photograph courtesy- Formwork for concrete structures, in press Tata Mc Graw Hill
Photograph courtesy- Formwork for concrete structures, in press Tata Mc Graw Hill
Photograph courtesy- Formwork for concrete structures-Tata Mc Graw Hill
Traffic Safety findings:
• Documentation compliance in most of the packages is good
• However, the field compliance needs lot more be done
• Traffic diversions and related documentation is prepared generally in compliance with IRC: SP-55: 2001 and IRC:67-2001
• However, ground implementation needs much more to be done than compliance with these guidelines, i.e., they need to be revised
• Traffic control is only passive with no enforcement
Some field views
a) Barricades not there fully at the minor
bridge approaches
b) non standard signages
a) Poor barricading of work space, no
markings
b) Confusing signage at the crossing road; traffic
signal signage although there is none
Accidents and record keeping
Accident data record is kept as required by the NHAI, however, it is not used to improve or modify safety and traffic management on the field
Present accident records are not being used for analysis of risk factors. The details collected, in any case, do not provide information that would be of help in analysis.
The procedure for data collection and format for the same needs to be revised.
This can lead to some actionable points based on the accident trends
Traffic management plans
Very often work starts before the final approval of traffic diversion plans
The field staff understanding is that "work cannot be kept pending for minor changes and finalisation of the traffic plans"
Bridge/flyover construction safety, particularly when there is a road crossing needs special attention –these are potential traffic hazard zones
How is the good compliance going to help
in improving the road safety?
Almost nothing, yes, this is true!!
The best packages which are following traffic
diversions plans, and the worst packages where site
specific plans are not prepared there is a very small
difference in accident rates (according to the records
maintained by the site office of the respective
package)!
This also means that there needs to be an active
traffic control, where the speeds can be reduced
Good and bad practices
Good practices:
Overall Good compliance in documentation and
Flag men presence at diversions
Presence of most signages
Bad practices:
Poor barricading
Non-standard signages
Drop in levels between existing and new carraigeways
Mechanical/electrical/P&M/Fire Safety Findings
Plant and Machinery Inspection, Fitness and Third party Inspections( available in few packages only
Work Permit for Cleaning of Batching Plant Mixing Drums available in very few Packages
Work Permit for maintenance of Hot Mix Plant available in very few Packages
Most of DG sets located in projects fitted with acoustic enclosures
Electrical Safety is poor ( non availability of earthing, use of single insulated cables, non availability of RCCBs, non use of Lugs
Safety aspects of Gas cutting( non use of flash back arrestors/ non return valves, use of domestic gas cylinders and storage of cylinders)
Welding safety procedures( non availability of lugs, improper return earth, non availability of control switches and use of welding generators)
Reverse Horns to machinery absent in most machinery.
Open fuse box. Unsafe wiring. No display of Danger signs. No suitable protection of the surroundings. Cut out used with thick wire which is unsafe
Electrical connection in haphazard way
Cutting operation in adjacent to Oxygen cylinders
Welding machine without fitness sticker. Unsafe wiring/connection
Construction Safety Findings
Work was stopped at most of the locations during audit
Most of the work areas are not barricaded properly
Construction methodology is not prepared scientifically and risks are not analysed.
Work is not planned systematically and mostly done in a haphazard manner.
Tool box talk and worker induction system available in only few packages
a child labor engaged at height without PPEs and supervision
Child labour engaged as a helper.
Dumper No. MP53HA-582.
No reverse horn
Operator: Mr Prithvi without
Driving licence.
Handling/lifting of gas cylinders in unsafe manner instead of using a cradle.
Lack of Side protection by suitable
fence permits unsafe condition
Children at the edge of excavation. No fence. No display of caution signs
A worker in slipper and another bare foot.
Ch 319.60
Children within fencing area Gas cylinders lying on the ground
and over the welding cables.
Children at elevated locations without PPEs.
No control over the
public
movement in risky
working zone.
Camp: Excavation near weigh bridge
Staging in vicinity of
unstable ground
Worker/work zone safety Findings Overemphasis on "visible" worker protection (helmets, jackets,
but not boots, goggles, safety belts) and not enough attention to "safe" work (operating procedures, inspections, safety committees, guards)
Generally poor housekeeping (check-lists, storage, emergency arrangements) and risk measures (fire extinguishers, informatory signs, escape routes)
No regular health monitoring of workers, incomplete medical records, and no analysis of records.
Appalling living conditions, with poor water supply, and little sanitation - much of this is related to the absence of a regular permanent workforce.
Qualified Staff are unavailable for monitoring of Safety and Health Requirements
Material safety Data Sheets and Facilities are not
readily available
Records of treatments and analysis of medical casesare not maintained
Poor welfare facilities at site( toilets at work places , availability of drinking water and rest sheds)
First Aid boxes( non availability and presence of few contents in the First aid boxes)
Open sewage drain
overflowing from the tank
First aid box
at the work site
No date of inspection
mentioned
in drinking water tank)
A view of shelter for
workers
Poor Housekeeping
Lack of dust control
measures
(water sprinkling)
Complete disregard of PPE’s by senior people
Thanks
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