ANNEXURE 2

CHALLENGES/FRUSTRATIONS EXPERIANCED DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

1. PROCUMENT MANAGEMENT

As it is challenging to deal with sub-contractors in the construction site, in the above-mentioned

projects I had to ensure that compliance of sub-contractors that will be appointed is prioritized. I
advised and ensured that I grind it in the senior project management that funds should be allocated
for sub-contractor trainings e.g., first aiders, fire fighters prior to the commencement of the project
to ensure that their appointment structure will consist of competent personnel.

It was a big challenge to let the project senior management see the need to allow a potion of funds
to do sub-contractor medicals as I cannot be able to allow any employee to access the construction
site without valid medical certificate. I advised and suggested that a budget should be allowed and
funds be deducted from sub-contractor certificates on monthly basis.
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2. COST MANAGEMENT

Cost management is one of the most important key factors in any project. Once the budget is
approved, I had to advise the management to stick to it and manage time, money and materials
efficiently. However, you will find lots of unforeseen costs coming up during the construction
project. Additional PPE, equipment and medical certificates affects the cost on the project.

I had to advice the senior management and motivate why it is important to buy more expensive
safety equipment. I suggested that we purchase more expensive equipment as it is of good quality
and last for longer than cheap quality.

For signage, I managed to collect those that were used in the previous projects which also saved
money. Medical certificates were a major problem for sub-contractors, I communicated and made
arrangements with company owners and we came to an agreement that we as a principal contractor
are going to renew all sub-contractor medical certificates and provide PPE to everyone then deduct
10% of money those sub-contractors owe the principal contractor on monthly basis.

3. HAZARD IDENTIFICATION MANEGEMENT

Hazard identification is the basic of any project success/failure and where it is not done adequately
the whole system collapse. Saving lives on daily basis on site is challenging as site management
compromising health and safety especially with sub-contractors who sometimes cannot even
identify what hazards are their employees exposed to in the construction site.

I had to ensure that I advise project management, sub-contractor management and motivate to
them why is it important to have competent safety personnel on site. I had to send some of our
employees for various safety trainings including sub-contractor employees to get them equipped on
how to perform construction activities safe daily on site. There are many hazards that the employees
are exposed to daily on site, I had to identify these hazards, train all employees on site and ensure
control measures are in place.

I straggled with site management who sometimes do not see the need for certain hazards to be
controlled especially when expensive safety equipment needs to be ordered/purchased. I had no
choice but to stop unsafe activities and ensure that mitigation measures are in place. I
communicated to everyone on site that hazards that are not identified and controlled adequately
can be harmful towards the company, employees and the public.

4. RISK MANEGEMENT

It was difficult to get site management and employees to comply or to follow the safe working
procedures at all times as they are production driven and take risks most of the time. Taking risks
while production commencing makes it clear that human factor is the reason of dangerous
circumstances at the workplace.

Most of the time employees cause risks on site without knowing what impact does those risks have
in their lives and to the company as well as the companies subbing under us. As it was not always
easy to manage risks on site because the employees do not understand the risks that they are
exposed to daily on site. I straggled as an appointed risk assessor but I ensured that I introduce the
daily safety task instruction to be done to ensure that the employees are reminded about risks in the
construction site.

5. ACCIDENT OR INCIDENT INVESTIGATION MANAGEMENT

I was appointed as an accident/incident investigator on site. The most challenging part is that when
an incident occurred on site, I secured the incident scene and then started taking photos gathering
the evidence from eye witnesses.

There were eye witnesses who were present at the time the incident took place and out of them all
none wanted to co-operate with me. All of them said they did not see anything, no one wanted to
take the blame, they didn’t see it as a learning curve and they were finger pointing each other. This
situation made it difficult for me to get to the bottom of the route course of the incident. In my eyes
it looks like construction workers do not know the importance of conducting incident/accident
investigation.

The way they reacted showed that they think whoever coursed/involved in the incident will get
fired and lose their jobs. In the toolbox talk after the incident occurred, I had to explain the
importance of reporting the injury on duty before the end of shift together with the importance of
conducting incident investigation when there is an accident/incident occurred on site. I ensured that
it is clear to everyone that incidents/accident must be reported before end of shift.

6. LEGISLATION AND REQUIREMENTS

I ensured that the copy of the Act and construction regulations is placed in she file and those of sub-
contractors. These are standard guidelines for companies on how to control and eliminate risks at
the workplace. I ensured that we have all the required knowledge of legislation and construction
regulations that covers our discipline. Legislation and construction regulation are not abided with by
the project senior management because they are not familiar with what is expected of them as per
the Act and construction regulations. Mostly when construction activities took place on site
employee’s lives are putted at risk due to the lack of knowledge between them and their
supervision. In construction project I preach safety to workforce and management only tell
employees about production and nothing about health and safety. I ensured that project
management is trained on employer responsibilities and employees are trained on employee
responsibilities as per construction regulations.

7. HEALTH, HYGIEN AND ENVIROMENTAL MANEGEMENT

With all the health and safety aspects that comes with dust, I introduced measures to eliminate dust.
I ensured that a water truck with spray nozzles was used to wetter the site every two hours. As a
safety personnel on site, I picked up that as the project grows our ablution facilities need to be
cleaned on regular basis and some are leaking. I arranged with the workshop and the leaking toilets
were replaced and the toilet cleaning truck was sent to site at least three times a week to clean our
ablution facilities. I also straggled with the employees who have chronic illnesses as they would pee
anywhere on site, I then ensured that ablution facilities are placed in strategic points to
accommodate everyone on site.

8. COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT

Communication is the challenge in construction industry. Company policies are drafted and are not
often communicated to the workforce. In many cases you will pick up that almost all the employees
are not aware of it, meaning that in some cases you will find that some of the site managers do not
have an idea about the health, safety and environmental policy. The reason being is that they don’t
get involved when the health and safety policy and the safe working procedures are drafted. In many
projects that I worked on, it’s not only the workforce that doesn’t know about the policies, even the
construction site manages doesn’t have an idea about the policies. I then straggled to get the
employees to abide with the company SHE policy. In the above-mentioned projects, I ensured that
everyone is trained in company policies.

9. EMERGENCY PREPERDENESS NANAGEMENT

I did face major problems with regards to this area. As I had sub-contractors on site who were not
familiar with the health and safety Act and construction regulations. When I do the emergency drill, I
straggled with the sub-contractor employees as some of them it was their first time in the
construction environment. I had to give them all necessary trainings and also, I straggled to get them
to have trained appointed first aiders.

I had three occasions where the employees did not evacuate at the right time during the fire drill.
One employee said he thought it was a false alarm some did adhered to the evacuation procedure as
I communicated to them. On site observation, I observed that one exit was blocked by the sand that
was coming out of an excavation. I then made contact with the site health and safety committee
members. The sub-contractor that was doing excavations on site was instructed to address the issue
immediately.