1. Internship
on
“HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES AT CONSTRUCTION SITE”
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the Requirements
For the award of degree of
BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY
In
CIVIL ENGINEERING
By
DOMA POOJA REDDY 21R95A0114
Under the guidance of
MR. M. MUNEERUDDIN KHAN
Assistant Professor
SUBMITTED TO
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING
TEEGALA KRISHNA REDDY ENGINEERING COLLEGE
AUTONOMOUS
Medbowli, Meerpet, Saroornagar, Hyderabad-097
2022-2023
2. TEEGALA KRISHNA REDDY ENGINEERING
COLLEGE
Medbowli, Meerpet, Saroornagar, Hyderabad-097
AUTONOMOUS
2022-2023
CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the project work entitled “HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURES AT
CONSTRUCTION SITE” .That is being submitted by D. POOJA REDDY (21R95A0114),
In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Award of BACHELOR OF TECHNOLOGY
IN CIVIL ENGINEERING during the Academic year 2022-23.
PROJECT GUIDE HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT
MR. M. MUNEERUDDIN KHAN DR. P. VENKAT RAM REDDY
Viva Voce held on: ___________________________________
INTERNAL EXAMINER
3. ABSTRACT
Construction Industry is most thriving industries across the globe. Construction Sector is the
second largest industry of the country followed by Agriculture. It is all about constructing
buildings, bridges, roads and the civilization of the society. The Construction Industry has
around 8% contribution to India’s Gross Domestic Product. The development and the
infrastructure of a Nation entirely depends on the development of the construction and its
process. On the other hand, the execution of work in constructional industries is also full of
risk and hazard. Thus, maintaining safety in such industries also play a vital role for healthy
working atmosphere. The prime objective of this research is to analyse the needs of safety and
other important factors that influence the safety and evaluate the safety practices regularly. The
construction industry plays an significant role in the social and economic development in our
country. Safety in the construction industry is considered a major issue in developed and
developing countries. The construction sector suffers recently from poor safety and health
conditions as safety rules do not exists and work hazards at the workplace are not perceived.
By implementing safety management is to promote working conditions and work practices that
will assure all employees of a safe and healthful work environment for all construction
activities. This study provides information about various tasks performed in the construction
industry and also explain the safety practices adopted by the industries.
4. INDEX
CHAPTER DESCRIPTION PAGE NUMBER
1 INTRODUCTION 1-3
2 NEED FOR SAFETY 4-5
3 HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK 6-8
4 HAZARDS 9-12
5 PERSONAL PROTECTIVE CLOTHING
AND EQIUPMENT (PPE) 13
6 CAUSES OF CONSTRUCTION
ACCIDENTS, 2005 14
7 ENVIRONMENTAL GUIDELINES 15-18
8 FIRST AID REQUIREMENTS 19
9 CONTROL OF ACCIDENT CAUSES 20
10 IS CODES 21
11 CONCLUSIONS 22
REFERENCES 23
5. 1
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Construction is one of the areas of employment where hazardous conditions are part of the
everyday working environment. The construction industry is prone to many hazards and
accident can happen if safety is ignored. Construction materials, tools, machinery and
handling techniques all come with their own dangers. The main types of accidents which
cause death or serious injury on construction sites include falls, incidents with site vehicles,
collapsing materials and contact with overhead power lines.
Every year lakhs of workers are injured due to mechanical, chemical; electrical and radiation
hazards and it leads to partial or total disablement. So, in recent years, greater attention is
given to health and safety due to pressure from government, trade unions, labour laws and
awareness of employers.
The efficiency of workers depends to a great extends on the environment in which the work.
Work environment consists of all the factors, which act and react on the body and mind of an
employee. The primary aim is to create an environment, which ensures the greatest ease of
work and removes all causes of worries.
Occupational health and safety is a discipline with a broad scope involving many specialized
fields. In its broadest sense, it should aim at:
a) The promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-
being of workers in all occupations.
b) The prevention among workers of adverse effects on health caused by their working
conditions.
c) The protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors adverse to
health.
d) The placing and maintenance of workers in an occupational environment adapted to
physical and mental needs.
e) The adaptation of work to humans.
Successful occupational health and safety practice requires the collaboration and participation
of both employers and workers in health and safety programmes, and involves the
consideration of issues relating to occupational medicine, industrial hygiene, toxicology,
education, engineering safety, ergonomics, psychology, etc.
6. 2
Occupational health issues are often given less attention than occupational safety issues
because the former are generally more difficult to confront. However, when health is
addressed, so is safety, because a healthy workplace is by definition also a safe workplace.
The converse, though, may not be true - a so-called safe workplace is not necessarily also a
healthy workplace. The important point is that issues of both health and safety must be
addressed in every workplace.
Work plays a central role in people's lives, since most workers spend at least eight hours a day
in the workplace, whether it is on a plantation, in an office, factory, etc. Therefore, work
environments should be safe and healthy. Unfortunately, some employers assume little
responsibility for the protection of workers' health and safety. In fact, some employers do not
even know that they have the moral and often legal responsibility to protect workers.
DEFINITIONS
Safety is free from risk and danger.
Accidents is defined as an unexpected and desirable event resulting in damage or harm.
Hazards is an unsafe condition or activity, that if left uncontrolled can contribute to an
accident.
Risk is the assessment of ’probability of loss’ and ’potential amount of loss’.
WHAT IS SAFETY?
Safety refers to the absence of accidents. Stated differently, safely refers to the protection of
workers from the danger of accidents. Safety, in simple terms, means freedom from the
occurrence or risk of injury or loss. Industrial safety or employee safety refers to the protection
of workers from the danger of industrial accidents. An accident, then is an unplanned and
uncontrolled event in which an action or reaction of an object, a substance, a person, or a
radiation result in personal injury.
7. 3
TYPES OF ACCIDENTS:
Accidents are of different types. They may be classified as major and minor ones, depending
upon the severity of the injury. An accident which ends in a death, or which results in a
prolonged disability to the injured is a major one. A scratch or a cut which does not seriously
disable him/her is a minor accident, but an accident, nevertheless. A mere incision or a deep
scratch, say, on the leg or the shoulder, may or may not immediately disable the worker, but
he or she may develop disability later. Again, a wound which may disable one worker may
not disable another who receives a similar injury.
An accident may be internal or external. If a worker falls, or an object falls on him or her, it
is possible he or she may show no external signs of injury, but he or she may have fractured
a bone or strained a muscle or nerve- which is an internal injury. A worker may be disabled
by an injury for hour, half a day, a day, a week, a month, or a few months. If he or she recovers
from such a disability, his or her disability is temporary. If the injury is such that he or she
will never recover fully, his or her disability is permanent.
8. 4
CHAPTER 2
NEED FOR SAFETY
NEED FOR SAFETY :
(1) Cost Saving :
Two types of costs are incurred by the management when an accident occurs. There are
the direct costs, in the form of compensation payable to the dependents of the victim if the
accident is fatal, and medical expenses incurred in treating the patient if the accident is non-
fatal. The management, however, is not liable to meet the direct costs if the victim is insured
under the ESI scheme. When the victim is uninsured, compensation and medical expenses are
the responsibility of the management.
More serious than the direct costs are the indirect or hidden costs which the management
cannot avoid. In fact, the indirect costs are three to four times higher than the direct costs.
Hidden costs include loss on account of down-time of operators, slowed-up production rate
of other workers, materials spoiled and labour for cleaning and damages to equipment.
(2) Increased Productivity :
Safety plants are efficient plants. To a large extent, safety promotes productivity.
Employees in safe plants can devote more time to improving the quality and quantity of their
output and spend less time worrying about their safety and well-being.
(3) Moral :
Safety is important on human grounds too. Managers must undertake accident
prevention measures to minimise the pain and suffering the injured worker and his/her family
is often exposed to as a result of the accident. An employee is a worker in the factory and the
breadwinner for his/her family. The happiness of his/her family depends upon the health and
well-being of the worker.
(4) Legal :
There are legal reasons too for undertaking safety measures. there are laws covering
occupational health & safety, and penalties for non-compliance have become quite severe.
The responsibility extends to the safety and health of the surrounding community, too. The
supreme court held :
An enterprise which is engaged in a hazardous or inherently dangerous industry which poses
a potential threat to the health and safety of the persons working in the factory and industry
in the surrounding areas, owes an absolute and non-delegable duty to the community to ensure
that no harm results to anyone on account of the hazardous or inherently dangerous nature.
this implies unlimited liability.
9. 5
The civil law establishes the extent of damages or compensation. In the criminal law,
sentences are prescribed under the pollution control laws. There is no legal ceiling on the
extent of liability.
10. 6
CHAPTER 3
HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK
HEALTH AND SAFETY AT WORK :
According to Cole (2002), employer has a common law duty to provide a safe place of work
for his or her employees and is liable at common law for accidents encounter by his or her
employees in the course of their employment. The duties (regarding health and safety) which
employer owes his or her employees basically include the following:
The provision of a safe place of employment.
The provision of safe means of access to work.
The provision of safe systems of working.
The provision of adequate equipment, materials and clothing to enable employees to carry
out their work safely.
The provision of competent co-workers.
A duty of care to ensure that employees are not subjected to any unreasonable risks in the
workplace.
BUILDING AN EFFECTIVE HEALTH & SAFETY MANAGEMENT
SYSTEM :
The components of effective health and safety management system are briefly explained
below:
(1) Management Leadership & Organizational Commitment :
For this system to be effective, management must show leadership and commitment to the
program. To achieve this, management should put the organization’s expectation around
health and safety into writing by developing a health and safety policy. Employees who forms
part of the health and safety committee, should be involved in writing the policy, and to be
signed by senior operating officer, to indicate the commitment of management.
(2) Roles & Responsibilities :
Clearly defined and well communicated health and safety roles and responsibilities for all
levels of the organizations will create an expectation of a standard level of performance and
accountability among employees, contractors, and visitors. All levels must be aware of their
individual roles and responsibilities under both state law and company standards.
11. 7
(3) Management Commitment:
For a health and safety management system to be effective, management at all levels, should
demonstrate their support of the health and safety program. This may be demonstrated through
management, participation in health and safety leadership training meetings, facility
inspections incident investigations etc.
(4) Employee Participation:
It is important for workers to be involved in the development of the system in order to create
ownership as well as help a better fit with the culture of the organization.
(5) Hazard Identification & Assessment Process :
Employers are required to assess a work site for existing and potential hazards before work
begins. Hazard assessment data could be used to determine what worker–training needs to be
done, and to build the content of employee orientations and job training hazard assessment
data could be used as the basis for inspection checklists. In the case of incident investigation,
hazard assessment and control data can be used to help determine if a system failure was the
cause of an incident.
(6) Determine Controls :
Address identified hazards by assigning methods of control to eliminate or reduce the hazard.
The most effective controls can be determined based on legal requirements, manufacturers’
specifications, company rules, industry best practices, and worker inputs.
(7) Hazard Control :
Once the hazard assessments are completed, the next step in the development of health and
safety management system is the implementation of control measures to eliminate or reduce
the risk of harm to workers. In this case, employers should take all reasonable steps to
eliminate or control identified hazards in order to make the workplace safer.
(8) Enforcement of Controls :
To enforce control methods, develop a constructive enforcement policy, and communicate the
consequences to employees and the steps that will be taken if noncompliance occurs.
(9) Emergency Response Plan :
A serious emergency (Such as explosion, fire, or flood) could seriously affect the operation
of a business and put the health, safety, and livelihood of many employees in jeopardy. The
best health and safety management system cannot protect your company from all natural or
unexpected disasters; however, having a good emergency response plan (ERP) in place can
reduce the severity and risk of loss. Knowing what to do and who to contact can save lives
and reduce costs if disaster should strike.
12. 8
COMMON SITUATION ON A CONSTRUCTION SITE
Construction work is dynamic, diverse, and constantly changing in nature.
Constantly changing job site environments and conditions
Multiple contractors and subcontractors
High turnover; unskilled laborers
Constantly changing relationships with other work groups
Diversity of work activities occurring simultaneously
Construction workers are at risk of exposure to various hazards and risks that can result in
injury, illness, permanent disability, or even death.
13. 9
CHAPTER 4
HAZARDS
TYPES OF HAZARDS
Chemical
Physical
Biological
Ergonomic
CHEMICAL HAZARDS
Chemicals can exist in the form of
• dusts, fumes, fibers (solids)
• liquids, mists
• gases, vapors
Examples of chemical hazards found in construction work:
• welding fumes, spray paints, cutting oil mists, xylene vapor, solvents, asbestos, lead, silica,
cadmium and carbon monoxide.
14. 10
PHYSICAL HAZARDS
Physical hazards are different types of energy which may be hazardous to workers.
• Noise
• Vibration
• Temperature extremes
• Radiation
15. 11
BIOLOGICAL HAZARDS
Exposure may occur during demolition, renovation, sewer work, work on air handling
systems, or other construction work from contact with contaminated or disease-carrying
• soil
• water
• insects (mosquitoes, ticks)
• bird, bat droppings
• animals
• structures.
ERGONOMIC HAZARDS
Ergonomic hazards can cause painful and disabling injuries till example Musculoskeletal
Disorders (MSDs). This following situation may cause these injuries:
• heavy, frequent, or awkward lifting
• repetitive tasks
• awkward grips, postures
• using excessive force, overexertion
• using wrong tools for the job or using tools improperly
• using improperly maintained tools
• hand-intensive work
16. 12
TYPES OF ACCIDENT MEASUREMENTS
Death
Fatal injury (broken leg, hips, amputation)
Non-fatal injury (finger cut)
Occupational accidents (MSD, hearing loss)
Absence from work ( >1 day, > 3 days etc)
Near misses
Rate per 100 000 – number of injuries or causes of ill health per 100 000 employees.
Working days lost – days off work due to workplace injuries & work-related ill health.
19. 15
CHAPTER 7
ENVIRONMENTAL GUIDELINES
Extreme weather conditions can cause serious safety hazards. Your on-site emergency plan
should provide clear guidelines for workers who need to stop work in the event of natural
disaster, severe environmental conditions or other emergency circumstances.
Environmental safety is defined by the guidance, policies, and practices enforced in order to
ensure that the surrounding environment is free from hazards that will warrant the safety and
well-being of workers and employees, residents near industrial operations, as well as the
prevention of accidental environmental damage. The surrounding areas include industrial
facilities, work areas, and laboratories. Environmental safety is a crucial issue for any
industrial activity as negligence and non-compliance heighten the risk resulting in injuries,
illnesses, and accidental environmental releases.
With the aim to ensure safe and healthy working conditions for working employees, the
United States Congress has passed the Occupational Health and Safety Act (OSHA) of 1970,
to enforce health and safety standards and to educate and train employers and employees to
observe and comply with the developed policies and guidance.
20. 16
Keep the Area Clean:
Cleanliness is next to godliness, the saying goes. In construction, cleanliness reduces risk of
injury.
Proper housekeeping is an important part of keeping your construction site safe and
avoiding OSHA penalties. Accidents such as trips and falls, being struck by falling objects
and cutting or puncturing the skin can often be avoided by keeping a jobsite neat and
organized.
Here are some guidelines to create a safer workplace:
Clean up debris
Keep all walking and working surfaces clean and clear of debris. Clean as you go to
prevent build-up of debris and to minimize the amount of time needed to clean a
larger mess at the end of the day. Watch for debris in stairwells.
Pay attention to proper storage
Identify designated areas for storing tools and materials. Out-of-place objects such as
leaning lumber, plywood and other materials can cause trips and falls. Stack
materials orderly and secure them so they won’t fall.
Eliminate hazards
Clear away protruding pipes, lumber, rebar or other materials that could cause injury.
Bend over or remove nails that are sticking out of lumber. Provide adequate lighting.
Keep extension cords clear of walkways
Extension cords and airlines should be elevated, if possible, out of walkways, or
covered with lumber or plywood. When not in use, coil up and neatly store.
21. 17
Ladder Safety:
Educate yourself on ladder safety:
You should be well versed in proper ladder safety protocols if your job requires you to
frequently climb ladders. It is even better to get trained by an experienced individual who
can ensure you understand everything correctly.
Proper training will help you to detect faulty or damaged ladders, understand how to handle
ladders with care, place a proper fall protection system in place, and follow the best
practices of ladder safety.
Thus, once you go through proper ladder safety training, you will know what you should do
in order to increase ladder safety and what you should avoid doing in order to avoid
disasters.
Select the right ladder
Not every ladder is created equal. They can vary in their height, utility, and can be made
from a completely different material. Thus, different types of ladders are suited for different
purposes. In case if you look for a ladder for home use, then you can consider buying a good
quality telescoping ladder which is suitable for occasional use.
Place the ladder on solid ground
A ladder should always be placed on stable, solid ground in order to ensure safety. If it is
unavoidable to place it on a soft, slippery or wet surface, place a board under the ladder or
consider an alternative.
Make sure the ladder’s feet are completely extended before climbing and fasten it to upper
support.
If you need to place your ladder near a door, be sure to lock it properly or appoint someone
to guard the doorway.
22. 18
Climb the ladder with care
Climbing a ladder carelessly can make it unstable and make you fall. Thus, you should
always be mindful when climbing in order to avoid any injuries. Always be sure to maintain
3 points of contact on the ladder with your hands and feet when climbing.
Avoid standing on the top rung of the ladder. At most, you should stand on the third rung
from the top. Extended your extension ladders at least 3 feet above the platform or roof that
you are trying to reach.
Also, be sure to wear anti-slip footwear, and use a tool belt for carrying tools.
23. 19
CHAPTER 8
First Aid Requirements
A construction site can be a very dangerous place. More than 150,000 accidents happen
every year. That’s why there’s so much emphasis on safety training and the use of proper
protective equipment throughout the industry. But sometimes accidents happen, and people
can have health emergencies, including sudden cardiac arrest, at any time. A critical
component of job site safety is making sure your crew is prepared to provide first aid and
life-saving assistance when it’s needed.
The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 require all construction sites to have:
a first aid box with enough equipment to cope with the number of workers on
site
an appointed person to take charge of first-aid arrangements
information telling workers the name of the appointed person or first aider and
where to find them. A notice in the site hut is a good way of doing this
24. 20
CHAPTER 9
CONTROL OF ACCIDENT CAUSES
Safety performance measurement enables behaviours and conditions to be identified that
have the greatest potential in contributing to an accident.
It also forms a basis to predict future accident problems and enables management to control
the causes of accidents on site and establish long- term accident control.
These measurement techniques provide continuous information concerning changes in the
safety state within an organisation in operation.
HOW TO IMPROVE HEALTH AND SAFETY ON CONSTRUCTION
SITES?
Reactive measures
Accident recording & reporting
Accident investigations
Proactive measures
Health & safety policy
Health & safety programme/plan
Health & safety induction/training
Tool-box talk
Others
25. 21
CHAPTER 10
IS CODES
Section Name: Construction Management including safety in
Construction (CED 29)
STANDARD YEAR TITLE
IS 3696-1 1987 Safety code of scaffolds and
ladders, Part 1: Scaffolds
IS 3696-2 1991 Scaffolds and Ladders - Code of
Safety, Part 2: Ladders
IS 10302 1982 Unified Nomenclature of
Workmen for Civil Engineering
IS 13415 1992 Protective Barriers in and
Around Buildings - Code of
Safety
IS 13430 1992 Code of practice for safety
during additional construction
and alteration to existing
buildings
IS 15883 2009 Construction project
management - Guidelines
IS 10067 1982 Material constants in building
works
IS 8989 1978 Safety code for erection of
concrete framed structures
IS 7293 1974 Safety code for working with
construction machinery
SP 70 2001 Handbook on Construction
Safety Practices
26. 22
CHAPTER 11
CONCLUSIONS
The workplace in construction sector or industry is riskier because of carrying huge
equipment’s and materials from one place to another without proper safety measures; it may
lead to some accidents at workplace. The study also suggests that the insurance scheme to be
provided for the workers covering accidents at workplace and safety programs will also help
the workers to be precaution of accidents on the workplace. It as concludes that to avoid
accidents, hazards, injuries at workplace the workers should use the proper safety measures
before getting into their work. According to survey and research method it is inferred that few
prevention measures for accidents: Some of the prevention measures to avoid accidents Use
of Safety Devices, Safety training, safety habits, educational measures, Safety Campaigns and
Posters and safety committee.
27. 23
REFERENCES
Journal of health, safety and environment
International journal of environmental health research
International journal of industrial ergonomics
International journal of workplace health management
