FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND

TECHNOLOGY INFRASTRUCTURE
BACHELOR IN CIVIL ENGINEERING
(HONS)

BEC403 - ENGINEER & SOCIETY

MINI PROJECT - CONSTRUCTION SITE
HAZARDS

DEADLINE

: 23-12-2016

LECTURERS NAME

: Ir. Che Mat Bahri Bin Kasri

NAME
Noor Affendi bin Dikkir
Muhamad Haziq Harahap B
Mohd Azili
Nabil Zaed bin Shaiful Nizam

MATIRIC NO.
152015122
153015818
153015510

MARKS

TABLE OF CONTENT
1.0

Introduction...........................................................................................................................1

2.0

Construction Site Hazards...................................................................................................2

2.1

Excavation and trenching Hazard.........................................................................................2

2.2

Electrical Hazard..................................................................................................................2

2.3

Ladder and Falling Debris Hazard........................................................................................3

2.4

Falling from high places.......................................................................................................3

2.5

Scaffolding Hazard...............................................................................................................4

2.6

Heavy Machinery Hazard.....................................................................................................5

2.7

Lower back injury.................................................................................................................5

2.8

Trips and Slips......................................................................................................................6

2.9

Tool Usage Hazard................................................................................................................7

2.10

Noise Pollution.....................................................................................................................7

2.11

Air Pollution........................................................................................................................8

3.0

Conclusion............................................................................................................................8

4.0

Bibliography.........................................................................................................................9

1.0

Introduction

Construction is a must for a growing of any country and cities. The further growth of
society/community, the more schemes are going on. Construction business takes up the
new representation of country/city; draws investors to come in and offers more
jobs/incomes to people/community; particularly for the under-developing nations.

However, construction industry is one of the most hazardous job sectors. Lately in
Malaysia, there was an accident related to constructions, a crane hook fell on top of a car
in Jalan Raja Chulan, killing the vehicle's occupant (Nokman, 2016).

Figure 1: Chin Khoon Sing (inset) was killed instantly when part of a crane fell onto her car
along Jalan Raja Chulan in Kuala Lumpur.

Safety Management System is a necessity for each construction project, particularly for
high-rise building since this area is consisting of many hidden danger and risk

2.0

Construction Site Hazards

2.1

Excavation and trenching Hazard

Excavation and trenching have been considered as the most hazardous construction site
operation. A great number of construction workers usually figure out in trenching and
cave-in accidents every year. These types of hazards can be prevented or reduced if both
employee and employer will comply with safety standards and use protective gears while
excavating and trenching.

Figure 2: A man was being saved after

the trench caved in

2.2

Figure 3: A trenching accident involving

heavy machine

Electrical Hazard
One of the greatest dangers to people whether at home or at work is electricity. People
who work continuously with electricity, such as electricians, electrical engineers, and
power line workers, are exposed to this kind of hazard every day. Power line workers can
prevent this type of hazard by staying at a safe distance away from the power lines while
working. Other precautionary measures that can help prevent electrical hazards from
injuring construction workers is by guarding and insulating the construction vehicles and
equipment they use for work.
2

Figure 4: Example; leaving exposed electrical wire to water

2.3

Ladder and Falling Debris Hazard

Stairways and ladders are the leading causes of injuries and fatalities in construction sites.
Most injuries are related to falling off from ladders and stairways being used in
construction sites which are often quite serious to make a worker out on sick leave. These
types of accidents and injuries can be avoided if both employee and employers take IOSH
(Institute of Occupational Safety & Health) trainings, which can gear up the safety and
security of both.

Figure 5: Falling Material

2.4

Falling from high places

Falling from high places, like scaffolding, ladder, and roofs, comprises more than 50% of
those accidents that take place at the workplace. Slipping, tripping, and using unstable
ladders are some of the usual causes of these accidents. To prevent this from happening,
3

employers need to have fall protection equipment at their workplace while their workers
should know how to use them properly. The workers must also be trained to evaluate and
identify fall hazards and to know how anticipate.

Figure 6: Workers who works at higher ground are prone to falling accident.

2.5

Scaffolding Hazard
Approximately sixty workers die every year by falling from scaffolding. Scaffold failure
caused by damage of its parts, moving scaffold parts, loss of the load, being hit by
suspended materials, improper set-up, and electrical shock are just some of the common
reasons why workers fall off from scaffoldings. Such serious injuries can be avoided if
only workers will follow all the standards set by OSHA.

Figure 7: Workers search through the remains of a collapsed scaffolding in a cooling tower at a
power station at Fengcheng, in Chinas Jiangxi province on November 24, 2016 (Press, 2016)

2.6

Heavy Machinery Hazard

Around 100 construction site workers die every year because of heavy construction
equipment accidents like workers crushed by falling equipment from buckets, backhoes,
and other moving construction vehicles, operators injured by equipment rollovers, ground
workers hit by a vehicle that is backing up or changing directions, and mechanics crushed
because of malfunctioning brakes. To avoid this kind of construction accidents, workers
must learn to adhere to all construction safety guidelines set by the company.

Figure 8: A laborer died after becoming entangled in a portable mortar

mixer while he was cleaning the mixer. (Geigle Safety Group, 2011)

2.7

Lower back injury

Lifting and pushing For example handling heavy or awkward sized objects.

Chart 1: Rate of Self-Reported back pain among Construction workers,

by age group, 2010 (All employment) (CPWR Data Center, 2010)

2.8

Trips and Slips

Slips, trips, falls - eg. slipping on a wet/frozen surface or falling from a ladder.

Figure 9: Slippery surface can lead to slips accident

2.9

Tool Usage Hazard

Using hand tools such as power tools, saws, shovels and crow bars.

Figure 10: Common accident in construction

2.10 Noise Pollution

Noise from machinery such as concrete cutters, drills and saws.

Figure 11: Drilling can cause hearing damage to the user and the people/animal surrounding
7

2.11 Air Pollution

Atmospheric contaminants such as dust, synthetic mineral fibres and asbestos.

Figure 12: Concrete cutter can produce dust enough to be dangerous to the people exposed to it

3.0

Conclusion
Accident cases from machines/tools always being a major percentage but deaths
are mainly by falling and electric shocks. In most cases, the control of safety management
at sites is not strictly, frequently slacken while the owner and contractors only focusing
on completion schedule and profits; insufficient interest to safety for people on sites.
Another part is from the lack of understandings/perception on safety of the workers
themselves.

4.0

Bibliography
1. CPWR Data Center. (2010). National Health Interview Survey. National Center for
Health Statistics.
2. Djus, T. (2008). Accidents on construction sites and their reasons. Proc. of the 9th
International Conference: Modern Building Materials, Structures and Techniques, (pp.
241-247).
3. Geigle Safety Group. (2011). Poor Repair or Service. Retrieved from OSH Academy:
http://www.oshatrain.org/courses/mods/814m2.html
4. Harris, E. P. (1995). Engineering Ethics Concepts and Cases. Belmont, CA.: Wadsworth
Publishing Company.
5. Hoi, N. P. (2014, May). Report, Viet Nam: Country Case Study. Regulations for the built
environment: Building codes: good practice and gaps, pp. 46-49.
6. Nokman, F. S. (2016, August 26). Fatal crane accident: Stop work order issued on
construction site. NEWS STRAITS TIME.
7. Press, T. A. (2016, November 24). Death toll rises in scaffolding accident in China.
Retrieved from CBS News: http://www.cbsnews.com/news/china-construction-accidentfenghcheng-power-plant-dead-scaffolding-collapse/
8. Spier, R. (1995). Science, Engineering and Ethics: Running Definitions. Science and
Engineering Ethics, p. 1:7.