Chapter Three

Occupational Health
& Safety in
Construction Projects
 2

A HAZARD IS
SOMETHING WHICH
HAS THE POTENTIAL
TO CAUSE INJURY.
 …Hazard
3

Hazard is an unsafe condition or

activity, that if left uncontrolled can
contribute to an accident.

Hazard is a situation that posses a

level of threat to life, health,
property and environment
 …Hazard
4

 Hazard A physical situation with a potential for

human injury.
 Hazard A condition that could lead to an accident.

 Accident is an unintended event or series of events

that results in death, injury, loss of system or service, or
environmental damage.

HAZARD+EXPOSURE = ACCIDENT
 5

RISK IS THE LIKELIHOOD THAT THE

HAZARD WILL RESULT IN AN
ACCIDENT.

RISK ALSO CONSIDERS HOW SERIOUS

THE RESULTANT INJURY WOULD BE
 …Risk
6

Risk is the probability that,

exposure to a hazard will lead to
a negative consequence, or
More simply a hazard poses no
risk if there is no exposure to that
hazard.
 Occupational Health Hazards
7

₪ Occupational health hazards

(OHH) are those hazards which are
inherent (innate) with the specific
occupation
₪ There are some jobs in which the
risk of the hazards is more and
inborn
 8

Since construction industry has a high

risk of accidents, it is important to
know the types of OHH& is mandatory
to list the possible occupational health
hazards whenever a job specification
is prepared.
 Physical Health Hazards (PHH)
Noise
Vibration
Working Environment
Ionizing Radiation
Air Pressure Variation
Ergonomics
 Chemical Health Hazards(CHH)
Solids, Liquids, Vapors, Aerosols & Gases
 Biological Health Hazards(BHH)
Bacteria, Fungi, Parasites
 PHH : NOISE
11

Sound is measured in units called decibels (dB).

The higher the decibel level, the louder the
noise.
Excessive noise leads to Sensory Hearing
Loss
On the decibel scale, the level increment
of 10 means that a sound is actually 10
times more intense / powerful.
 12

dBA is an expression of the relative

loudness of sounds in air as
perceived by the human ear

Noise Regulatory Levels

No Exposures above 140 dBA shall be
permitted
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 PHH: VIBRATION
15

A most common injury is caused by

continued exposure of the hands to
high frequencies of vibration from
tools such as pneumatic hammers,
concrete breakers, drills and chipping
hammers
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 PHH: WORKING ENVIRONMENT
18

Heat stress gives rise to number of

symptoms like fatigue, loss of concentration,
instability, rapid pulse etc. which obstruct the
work as well as health of the worker

Extreme cold ,biting (sharp) winds and rain

affect the mental stability as well as slower
muscle reaction leading to accidents / diseases
like Bronchitis, Arthritis (joint), etc
 19

Temperature Rest Period / Hour

35-40 5 min
> 40 7.5 min
 PHH: ERGONOMICS
20

Ergonomics is the study of interaction between

human beings and their working environment

Inconvenient positions and working methods cause

many abnormalities and syndromes like
lower back pain - back stresses due to poor
lifting. Ex: Excess weight,
 Remedies
21

Avoid sustained repetitive motions

Do only what is comfortable
Do not push it not pushing to the limits
Use good posture
 PHH: IONIZING RADIATION
22

The effect of radiation can cause dermatitis

(skin irritation / anger), skin burns, loss of
hair and bone cancer

Use of shield layers in

the personal protective
equipment (PPE) is also
recommended
PHH :COMPRESSED AIR
23

 Working at burdens above atmospheric

pressure may result in compressed air illness.
eg Tunneling
 Similarly working at burdens below atmospheric
pressure may result in problems in breathing,
lung damage. eg High altitude area

Remedies
 Pressure balance mechanisms and proper
resting schedule in the shift should be applied
 HAZARD IN EXCAVATION
24

 Most of the construction processes

involve some forms of excavation of ,
foundation, Sewer & Underground
services
 Most dangerous activity due to
unexpected & sudden fall of the
unsupported sides of the trench or
excavation
 HAZARD IN EXCAVATION
25

 It involves in quick removal of excavated

soil or mixture of soil & rock
 Unexpected collapse of the sides of an
excavation
 Possibility of flooding
 Crack caused due to pressure released
from the soil on drying or / hot weather
 Variation in soil nature
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 IMPORTANT POINTS WHILE EXCAVATION
28

 Plan before you start excavation

 Don’t work ahead of side of a trench
 Deep trenches look dangerous.
But most fatal (serious) accidents occur in
trenches less than 2.5 m deep
 Always wear an approved safety helmet
while working in an excavation
Safety for BURIED / UNDERGROUND SERVICES
29

 Since most of construction processes involve

excavation work it is important to get the
underground or buried services of an area prior
to beginning of the work. (During site
handover)
 Different types of underground services are:
 Electrical cables
 Water services & sewer lines
 Telephone cables ( fibers)
 Gas pipe lines
 Electrical Cables
30

 Lay out of the cables to be obtained from

electrical authority or local authority or the
site owner
 Trace the cable by cable locator

 Mark the position of cable by chalk or

paint or by wooden pegs if the ground is soft
 Hand dig with care as cable may be just
below the surface
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 Hazards in Tunneling
32

 Tunnels are underground passages used

for transportation
 They could be used for carrying freights
and passengers, water, etc.

 The methods involved are underground

operations known as tunnel driving and
the surface is not disturbed
 Causes of Hazards
33

 Ground collapse / falls

 Compressed air hazards
 Fire hazards
 Air pockets / Water pockets
 Presence of harmful gases
 Physical Injuries and fatalities due
to lack of illumination (Lighting)
 Ground Collapse / Falls
34

Immediately supports are to be provided to

excavated portion of roof in tunnels depending
upon the type of the soil / rock

Supports
 Tunnel Ventilation
35

Is a system where exhaust fans are located

at one end of the house and two large
openings are installed at the opposite end.
 The fans act like pumps to move air through air
outlets.

Proper ventilation to be provided for

removal of foul (unrefined) gases as well
as supply of fresh air
 36

FANS
 Fire Hazard
37

 There are various operations like welding,

cutting to be done as a part of finishing
works inside the tunnel
 Leaks and spills (falls) of flammable bubbles
or combustible fluids must be cleaned up
immediately
 And then Fire fighting equipment
should be provided at regular intervals
38
 Physiological Hazards
Optimal Illumination should be provided throughout the
39
tunnel in the manner shown
Entry Exit
Intensity of Light

Favorable

Entry Length of the tunnel Exit

Unfavorable

Good Contrast should be provided between working

surface and equipment's
40
 Scaffolding
41

Scaffolding is A temporary structure

supporting one or more platform used either
as workplace or for material during any type
of construction work.

Purpose
No easy access from ground to the structure
or building being worked upon without it
 Material for scaffolding
42

x Steel
x Aluminum
x Wood
x Bamboo
Whatever the materials used they should be
of sufficient strength to support the weight &
stress by process and workers and to
provide safe means of access & work place
 43

Winch
The “Ten directives” in Using Scaffolding
44

1. Check every scaffolding to structural stability

2. Only step on scaffolds that have side protection
(when over 2 m height)
3. Only persons free from giddiness / shakiness can
use scaffolds 
4. If you feel a trace (bit) of unsafe, leave the
scaffold immediately  
5.  No alcohol on the scaffolds 
 The “Ten directives”
45

6. Go slow. Do not run by any means 

7. No unnecessary loads on scaffolds. Do not
store material and tools on the scaffolding.
8. Never use the winch for transporting people.
9. While working on scaffolds be concentrated
and avoid hastiness( Quickness).
10. Caution is not cowardice and carelessness
not bravery.
 Hazard Control Measures
46

Proactive Measures- Actions to be taken in advance,

precautionary measures and its implementation
 Safety Training, Safety Program
 Inspection and checklist
 Personal protective equipment (PPE)

Reactive Measures- Actions to be taken after accident

occurs
 Medical aid
 Accident reporting and analysis
Proactive Measures: SAFETY TRAINING & PROGRAM
47

Training aims at preventing and minimising the

accidents
Safety measures committee is formulated
Charts, posters and show films on the need to
follow safety measures should be displayed
The careless workers should be discontinued after
sufficient warnings
First-Aid training to at least one worker in a team
Proper medical check-ups of the workers before
employment and also periodically
Proactive Measures: INSPECTION & CHECKLIST
48

Checklists for various items of work

at each stage are to be prepared and
accordingly inspection is to be carried
out.
This is very important aspect in
proactive measures
 Reactive Measures: MEDICAL AID
49

 First-Aid should be given to injured person as

soon as possible
 He then should be immediately moved to
nearest hospital in case of severe injury
 A separate vehicle for this purpose is to be
maintained when the number of workers is
sufficiently large
 Medical Insurance should be provided for those
workers working in hazard susceptible zones
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Rebar Collapse in UC San Diego July 26/2019
52
 PART II
53

Accidents

Causes & Prevention Quantification of

Accidents
54
 55

An event which is Unplanned,

Undesired, Unexpected & Uncontrolled
which may or may not result in
damage to property or injury to person
or both in the course of the occupation
 56

‘ Any avoidable action by personnel or any

failure of equipment, tools or other devices
that interrupts production and has the
potential of injuring people or damaging
property’ (Oglesby et al. 1989)

An accident is an unfortunate event resulting

especially from carelessness or ignorance
 The nature of Construction Project itself has potential
Hazards of Accidents since its……………….

Uniqueness ,

Open space operation,

Exposure to weather and Confined space

Involving many unskilled labours,

Tight schedule of short targeted project duration,

Workers turn over and working at height,

Psychologically & physically Vulnerably working envi.t

 Causes of Accidents
58
Causes of Accidents-According to their types
Falls

Stepping on or striking against objects

Lifting and carrying-over exertion

Machinery

Electrocution

Fires and explosions

Causes of Accidents - According to their origin
Chance Occurrences –beyond management control
Planning ,Organization
Management and Conduct of Work
Major Causes of Accidents
59
 60

Any act which deviates from accepted norm or

correct procedure or practice, which has a
potential to cause accident.

Any physical condition which deviates from

accepted norm or practice and has the potential to
cause accident.
 UNSAFE ACT
61

Operating equipment at improper speed

Operating without authority
Using defective equipment
Failure to use PPE
Use of drug / alcohol/ Alcoholism & Smoking
Improper lifting / Loading
Failure to warn person
Recklessness (Carelessness) and negligence
 UNSAFE CONDITION
62

Inadequate supports or guards

Defective tools, equipment or supplies

Inadequate warning system

Hazardous atmospheric conditions

Poor illumination / Ventilation

Excessive noise

Stress/ Depression
 Process Prone to Accidents
63

Some of the processes Prone

(Susceptible) to accidents are:

Excavation

Scaffolding / Working at Height

Erection of Structural Framework

Tunneling
 … CTND
64

Use of Cranes

Transportation & Mobile Plants

Sewer Works

Demolition

Road works in hilly terrain

 Objectives of Accident Prevention
65

To reduce Human life Sacrificial

To reduce Temporary & Permanent injuries to workers

To reduce loss or damage to equipment

To avoid loss of materials resulting from accidents

To reduce loss of time due to accidents

 Prevention of Accidents
66

A. Reduction of Unsafe workplace condition

Design Safe job
Remove Physical hazards
Use Safety devices
Use Computerized automation if possible
Use Safety equipment
Set proper illumination & Ventilation
Use latest and Safe equipment
B. Change act of Workers (Unsafe to Safe)
67

Provide training

Introduce incentive

Take suggestions

Praise for safe behaviour/Employee participation

Reduce distraction

Safety Posters

Research … etc
Basic Principles of Accident Prevention
68

PRINCIPLE 1
An Unsafe acts, an unsafe conditions,
Hazards; all are symptoms of something
wrong in management system.

So…
Avoid them
 PRINCIPLE 2
69

Certain sets of circumstances can

be predicted that they may
produce severe injuries.

So…
Identify & Control These
Circumstances
 PRINCIPLE 3
70

Safety (being free of accidents )

should be managed like other
company functions.
So
Managers should lead by example in directing
the safety effort through achievable Goals,
Planning, Organizing & Controlling
 PRINCIPLE 4
71

The key to effective line safety

performance is management
procedures that fix accountability

So
Use Continuous Improvement (CI)
principle at your construction project
 Reporting of Accidents
72

The first step in effective investigation is the prompt (rapid)

reporting of any accidents.

Hiding small accidents including near misses does not help to

prevent serious accidents.

Employees must report all accidents and near misses to their

supervisor

Then………
 73

An accident that causes death, major injury

or absence from work for more than 3 days
must be reported to the Health and Safety
Executive (HSE) using an Accident Format.

This is so that the cause can be analysed

Corrective and preventive actions are
immediately taken to avoid similar accidents
and incidents in future
 Personal Protective Equipment
74

 Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is an

Equipment that creates barrier against
workplace hazard
 Millions of workers suffer a serious job
related injury or illness each year, with
many injuries occurring because of
improper PPE or the wrong PPE was worn.
 75

It not necessary for contractors to become medical professional but, its

necessary to know what a human body can anticipate (lag behind)
hazardous condition.

So Workmen's should be provided PPE

But
N.B: Not all PPE can be applied for all job/
task in construction.
 PPE HEAD PROTECTION
76

Falling objects, overhead loads and sharp

projections are to be found everywhere on
construction sites
Safety helmets protect the head effectively
against most of the hazards
Everybody should wear a helmet whenever
on site and particularly working in an area
where overhead work is going on (Hard-Hat
area).
PPE HEAD PROTECTION
PPE HEARING PROTECTION
78

The noise level in some areas on construction sites

are often above the level which causes sensory hearing
loss to workers in the vicinity
The common form of protection in industry is ear
defender consisting of a head band and cup
Helmet muffs and ear plugs can also be used.

The reduction in noise level

 Ear muffs: 25 %

 Foam expanding ear plugs: 50%

 Combination: 75%
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 PPE EYE PROTECTION
80

 The chances of eye accidents are there in jobs like

breaking, cutting, drilling, chipping, dry grinding, welding
etc
 While working on these jobs, goggles (safety glasses) or
shields are the only practical solutions
 Wearing of eyewear is readily accepted, as danger from
flying particles and dust are obvious to most construction
workers
 Goggles, face shields and spectacles can also be used
against impact, chemicals, molten metal and gas hazards
81
 PPE RESPIRATORY PROTECTION
82

On construction sites such as rock

crushing, sand blasting, welding / cutting
insulation / dismantling, paint spraying,
blasting, harmful dust / gas may be present.

in general Whenever there is a presence

of toxic substances, respirator must be
worn
83
 PPE BODY PROTECTION
84

 Skin is extremely vulnerable to all types of

hazards in works like painting, welding, sewer
works, demolition works, etc. leading to
different types of skin diseases
 Full sleeved(covered) shirts & trousers provide
good protection against many of the hazards
 In case of ionizing radiation use of shielding
layers inside the cloths is necessary
85
PPE HAND & FOOT PROTECTION
86

 Hands are most important as most of the

work is done by hands. They are
susceptible to wounds, abrasion, fractures,
strains, and also are subjected to
environmental variations
 Protective gloves solve the purpose of
preventing any hazards to hands
 Foot injuries can be:
 Due to crushing
 Due to penetration
87
PPE SAFETY BELTS PROTECTION
88

Major accidents in construction are

due to falls from heights where the
provision of safe working platforms are
impracticable
Wearing of a safety belt attached to a
reliable strong point above the working
position will serve the purpose of safety
89
But as human life is precious, use of PPE should be mandatory

90
 Accident costs
91

 Every accident brings with it losses in the form of

sacrifice of human life, loss of materials or
equipment, injuries to workers etc.
 In turn accidents also lead to compensation cost
 Thus accidents increase the cost of construction
and decrease the margin of profit to contractors

Accident costs are classified as

Tangible or Direct Cost:- The cost which can be easily
ascertained or evaluated
Intangible or Indirect Cost:- The cost which cannot be
easily evaluated
 Tangible or Direct Cost
92

Direct cost includes

Temporary or permanent injury to worker

Cost of man-hours for the work destroyed

Loss of equipment

Loss of material

It is possible to cover some of the direct costs

through an insurance policy. If the workers are
insured then in case of accident compensation to be
given is covered by the insurance company
Intangible or Indirect Cost
93

 Indirect costs include:

 Transportation: Includes cost of emergency

transportation of injured person
 Wages paid to injured workers for time not worked
 Cost incurred due to delays which resulted from
accident
 Cost of overtime necessitated by accident
 94

 Cost of cleanup, repair and / or replacement

 Loss of efficiency of crew
 Cost of education for replacement worker
 Cost for rescheduling: Cost of legal assistance
 Loss of reputation (Name)
 Cost of Safety Program
95

 The cost of administering a construction safety and

health program usually amounts to 2.5% of direct
labor cost
 These costs include:
 Salaries for safety, medical and clerical (secretarial) personnel
 Safety meetings
 Inspection of tools and equipment
 PPE & Miscellaneous supplies and equipment
The net savings to be expected from introducing
effective safety program is 4 % of direct labor cost
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