Section J How to develop safety elements for project safety management system 1. Once the project management has developed or adopted a safety policy, it needs to develop safety elements to meet the objectives and commitments of the safety policy. A safety element is a planned, coordinated activity so it s best to involve all those involved including the managerial and front-line. The safety elements should have a timetable for implementation and list those responsible for this. Each element needs monitoring so that problems are dealt with as they arise. Safety management system is on-going so be sure to evaluate and review each safety element and make any necessary changes. Safety elements should be developed to meet the specific safety and health needs of the project. Safety organization Set out managerial responsibilities in the project safety plan and ensure that responsibilities and interfaces are clear between client, principal contractor and sub-contractors, covering both temporary and permanent works; Ensure the plans produced incorporate the actions necessary to deliver the project s safety policies, and objectives stated in the project safety plan; Appoint safety officers/manager, with well defined responsibilities, and are accountable to the senior manager; Ensure that all training cover occupational safety and health aspects, including office safety, emergency, fire, specialist tasks etc.; Section J page 1
Ensure that hazards are identified and risks assessed. Where hazards are high ensure that the OSH considerations are recorded and safe work method statements are developed and made available to the construction teams; Set up arrangements to deal with emergencies e.g.: fire, bad weather, chemical spills, and power failures; Plan to monitor the frequency, thoroughness and results of inspection and audits. Safety Training Identify the OSH training needs of management, supervisors and workers on the project. For examples, specific training needs such as abrasive wheels and loadshifting; Ensure that resources/facilities are provided and time is allowed for induction training, including OSH of all staff/employees joint the project, together with site, job, trade training as necessary for safe completion of the work; Training staff to the level required for competent consideration of OSH, including statutory duties; Set up a training record system covering induction, refresher, OSH and technical training for all staff; Evaluating the training for improvement. In-house rules Ensure by pre-qualification that sub-contractors are competent and can allocate sufficient resources to do the work; Make arrangements to publish that part of the safety plan, which describes the organization, and responsibilities of individuals, with regard to OSH issues are displayed clearly on the site; Ensure that all employees are made aware of site rules contained in the plan and are issued with copies where appropriate; Site rules: (This is not necessarily a complete list) speed limits and parking restrictions authorized entry Section J page2
authorized use and operations of plant and equipment personal protective equipment restricted access areas smoking restrictions/hot works cranage and lifting operations temporary works inspections and examinations scaffolding and access storage areas tidiness and housekeeping confined space entry requirements waste disposal noise limitations and disciplinary procedures Safety Inspection Set up an inspection programme involving appropriate levels of staff and allowing adequate time/resources; The site rules and the agree safe working methods incorporated in the project safety plan will be the basis of the inspection programme; Sub-contractors and others working on the construction works should be monitored with regard to their compliance with the requirements of the plan and relevant statutory provision; The inspection programme should cover: Staff: Medicals and health surveillance; protective clothing Emergency Equipment: First aid, fight fighting, emergency escape Plant/Equipment including mobile plant and electrical installations: Statutory and routine inspections/test/ examinations Place of work: Statutory notices; emergency exits; means of access; excavation; scaffolds; working platforms; floor/staircase edges; confined space; electrical works; places near or adjacent to water; noise; fume; dust; contamination; exposure to wind, and rain Section J page 3
Material: mechanical handling; manual handling; transporting, storing and using hazardous substances Task: Permits to work; safe working procedures; safe work method statements; etc. Personal Protective Equipment Programme Procedures for identifying PPE requirements for the project; Conduct health risk assessment to identify the needs of PPE; Ensure that the project safety plan specifies the requirements for personal protective equipment when on site; Employee and workers trained and instructed in use, storage and maintenance of PPE; Allow time for issue/return of all personal protective equipment, whether personal issue or job specific; Ensure all the personal protective equipment needed for the project is available through an appropriate issuing facility with cleaning and maintenance capability; Record the issue and use of PPE. Investigation of accidents or incidents Ensure that arrangements are in place before work starts to: Report, record and analyze defined categories of accidents and incidents Publicize root causes Communicate/train to avoid recurrence Monitor subsequent performance Have an incident/accident reporting system, which is compatible with legislative and client s requirements; Advise the client immediately of any reportable injury, serious injury, fatality or dangerous occurrence; Provide competent and well-trained staff with clearly defined responsibilities for accident/incident reporting; Provide an analysis of all accidents and incidents. This will include: minor injuries reportable injuries serious injuries Section J page4
fatalities dangerous occurrences accident frequency rate accident type causation Incident/incident data should be analyzed on a regular basis. Trends in incidents/accidents should be communicated to all interested parties with appropriate recommendations to prevent recurrence. Emergency Preparedness Ensure that emergency plans and procedures to cover: fire, excavation collapse, adverse weather, chemical spillage, bomb warnings etc., requiring first aid, rescue, and means of escape have been developed and are in place prior to commencement of construction activities; The emergency procedures should be published and distributed to all parties; Provide an emergency contact list of those key persons during and outside office hour; Allow time for training in emergency procedures; Where appropriate an emergency response teams should be appointed with suitable responsibilities and authority; Establish programme for testing of emergency evacuation procedures; Establish a contingency plan for corrective action. For example: to contain spillage of chemicals; Conduct drills regularly; Provide suitable and adequate emergency equipment and plant and they should be regularly inspected and maintained. Evaluation, Selection, and Control of Sub-contractors Arrangements for pre-qualification, selection and approval of sub-contractors prior to tenders; Assess sub-contractor s site-specific safety plans and safe work method statements, and subcontractors consultants and suppliers ability to comply with the project safety policies, procedures and performance requirements; Section J page 5
Ensure sub-contractors notify their commencement of work; Regular on-site coordinate meetings with sub-contractors should be convened; Ensure sub-contractors and others employ safe working methods and maintain a safe workplace environment; Ensure contracts entered into between the company and sub-contractors include requirements covering definition of OSH responsibilities, safe work method statements, safety training, site in-house rules and reporting of incident/accident. Safety Committee Hold planned and informal group meetings with the project team on a regular basis. Participants should include managers, supervisors and employees; Regular on-site project safety committee meetings with all relevant parties attending (e.g. client, sub-contractors, safety officers and, where appropriate, government representative should be convened); Develop a suitable agenda and circulate prior to the meetings. Minutes of the meetings with actions summarized and implemented and progress is monitored. Evaluation of job related hazards The activities already identified by the client as high risk will require providing or obtaining risk assessment and safe work method statements; Access to the site by suppliers/sub-contractors to deliver, off load, collect and dispose materials; Access across the site to permit safe transportation of materials to and from the work area; Access to and across the site for service personnel to maintain, repair, inspect, during the construction process; Assess plant separation distances during construction safety, maintenance activities and the operation of contingency plans; Process hazard analysis of the detailed work activities; Section J page6
PPE risk assessment to ensure the correct PPE is chosen for the particular risk; Health risk assessment to decide which health risks should be given priority; All sub-contractors should provide the method of reducing the risks e.g. safe work method statement. Safety Promotions Plan safety award/incentive schemes, poster displays, safety statistics displays, provision of management briefs for toolbox talks, etc., to extend over the life of the project. Safety Process Control Programme Ensure that OSH requirements are passed on to suppliers of materials, plant and site work before contracts/orders are placed; Ensure that the project OSH requirements are imposed on suppliers. For examples: Provision of OSH information with new equipment Written specifications for key items Provision of data relating to chemical composition and hazards of substances purchased (MSDS) Inspection of items when received items Handling, storage and control of received items Ensure compliance with OSH legislation, standards and codes; Constructions tasks involving high or known risks should be highlighted in the project safety plan; Develop the safety plan for the project which ensure implementation of the conclusions reached during the risk assessment (process hazard analysis), and addresses the OHS critical construction activities; Develop a site layout plan covering temporary accommodation, storage space, access routes for vehicles and pedestrians, pre-fab areas, crane assembly areas, emergency access routes; Section J page 7
Identify OSH hazards, which may be created for persons carrying out construction, commissioning maintenance and repair and the general public considering: Abrasive wheels/disc cutters Asbestos Air compressors/receivers Cartridge operated tools Confined spaces Contaminated ground Crane operation Demolition Diving Electricity Excavations Explosives Falsework Flammable materials Hoists Lifting gear Radiography Structural steelwork Transport Underground services Welding Woodworking machinery Work at height Work over water Work within or adjacent to hazardous plant. Prepare safe work method statements for activities with a significant risk, such as: Working in confined spaces Working in deep excavations Demolition Identify requirements for permits to work/entry permits and build them into schedule; Section J page8
Develop a mechanical integrity programme for maintenance and cleaning internal fabric, internal services systems (e.g. waste systems, air ducts), external fabric, external service system (e.g. cooling towers) mechanical equipment and plant (e.g. batching plant, silos etc.). This programme includes: Identification and categorization of equipment and instrumentation The consideration of stores holding of spare equipment The access to maintain and clean internal and external plant building services Analysis of the operator critical tasks and risks of failure Evaluation of decisions to be made between automatic and physical controls Provision of work environment for lighting, noise, and thermal considerations Inspections and tests and inspection frequencies Development of maintenance procedures Training of maintenance personnel The establishment of criteria for acceptable test results Documentation of test and inspection results and documentation of manufacturer s recommendations as to meantime to failure for equipment and instrumentation Consideration of emergency action requirement and the display of process information Occupational Health Programme Establish procedures for assessing project health risks prior to execution; Establish arrangements for pre-job and regular medical examinations where required by construction activities; Section J page 9
Establish arrangements for medical treatment arising from accidents, incidents or routine causes of ill health; Arrange for noise surveys when justified by site activities or condition on site resulting from adjacent activities; The elimination and assessment of manual operation; Ensure that hazardous substances are identified, assessments made and procedures for use are prepare before work commences; Review construction work practices for the site in order to remove or reduce hazardous operations; Engage external consultant(s) reviews on specific health matters. Section J page10