Safety in Indian Construction

Being as unorganized sector, the fatal injury rate for the construction industry is higher than
the national average in this category for all industries. A variety of hazards exist in the
construction sites. Construction is an industry that requires working at ever-changing locations
and work environments. Construction is one of the important economic activities in India. It
offers employment opportunities to all categories of people right from highly skilled to totally
unskilled laborer. In urban sector increasing numbers of workers have taken up construction
work as a means of immediate employment, which provides cash earnings at the end of the
day. The rural masses also migrate towards urban areas in search of job and being involved in
this 2nd largest occupation. In metropolitan cities, the construction work is predominantly a
male dominated economic activity due to the arduous nature of work to be performed by the
workers.
Construction Industry in India is highly prone to hazards related to site activities and
construction projects engage large number of contractual workers. These workers come from
varied trades especially from rural areas and agricultural background who do not have proper
training in construction safety also are not literate enough to forecast the unknown dangers.
During execution at site, these workers are exposed to various risks involved in construction
works and other occupational diseases and health hazards which cause injuries and illnesses.
As a result, the construction projects get delayed due to loss of working hours and other legal
hassles. This ultimately accounts for cost and time overrun. Therefore, it is essential for any
construction project to have certain safety guidelines and procedure to be followed for site
activities and to create awareness among the workers, site supervisor and engineers.

Occupational Safety & Health In Construction Industry

In India the construction sector employs around 33 million people, which is next to agriculture.
The construction workers are one of the most Vulnerable Segment of the unorganized labour
in our country. Workers being exposed to wide variety of serious OHS hazards, the rate of fatal
accidents in this industry is 4 to 5 times that of the manufacturing sector.

Proactive approach
1. OHSE Policy and Organization structure
2. Risk Assessment and Monitoring
 Hazard Identification
 Hazard Controlling
 Hazard Monitoring
3. Culture Development
 Education and Training
 Communication
 Promotional Activities
 Follow up
 Employee participation
4. Occupational Health
 Work area monitoring
5. Statutory compliances – pre / periodic medical check up. …...etc.
6. Training .
7. Fire prevention
8. Emergency preparedness
  Quantification of Risk from process
 Natural calamities
 Other Factors..
9. On and Off Site Emergency Plan
10. Statutory Requirements (ROR)
- OHSAS18001-2007( OHS)

Overview of statutes applicable to Construction industry

• Building & other construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions
of Service) Act, 1996 (BOCWA)
• Building and Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and Conditions
of Service) Central Rules, 1998(BOCWR)
• Petroleum Act, 1934 (PA)
• Petroleum Rules, 2002 (PR)
• Explosives Act, 1884 (EA)
• Explosives Rules, 1983 (ER)
• Gas Cylinder Rules, 1981 (GCR)
• Static & Mobile Pressure Vessels (Unfired) Rules, 1981 (SMPVR)
• Electricity Act, 2003 (EA)
• Indian Electricity Rules, 1956 (ER)
• Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 (MVA)
• Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 (CMVR)

In 1996 the Building and Other Construction Workers ( Regulation of Employment and
Conditions of Service) Act,1996 was promulgated.
The Central Rules under this Act were notified in November 1998.
The Central Government has notified its Chief Labour Commissioner as the Central
enforcement agency under the above act. Till this date 14 states has notified their enforcement
agencies.

DGFASLI (Directorate General Factory Advice Service and Labour Institutes)

The DGFASLI organization has been providing technical support over the years in drafting of
Central Rules/ Model Rules, carrying out studies, surveys, safety audits and conducting training
programmes, workshops and seminars in this sectors for the past over three decades.

The National Safety Council ( national and unit levels ), has been conducting training
programmes, safety audits, information dissemination ,producing awareness material and
organizing campaigns for the construction industries for over a decade.

Health and Safety Issues for Construction Workers

Some key health issues that construction industry workers are facing today are,

a) Pain or injury from physical overexertion.

b) Repetitive manual tasks, or working in awkward postures.
c) Exposure to moulds, fungi or rodent droppings.
d) Exposure to lead, wood dust, asbestos, paints, solvents, and other toxic
chemicals or materials.
e) Working in extreme temperatures and UV radiations.
f) Working with hand tools, powered tools and heavy powered equipment.
g) Excess vibration of hands, arms or body from powered tools or
 equipment.
h) Stress, shift work or extended work days.
i) Working in low illumination or at night without proper lightning
arrangement.
Safety principles vs. Ground realities

Safety Principle: Ensuring safety at construction sites is mandatory requirement as it is directly

related to welfare of staffs and contractors’ workers.
Ground Reality: Many sites don’t have the necessary safety equipment such as safety harness
vest while working at heights.

Safety Principle: All accidents and occurrences of near‐misses can be avoided by proper
planning and thorough implementation of safe practices at work place.
Ground Reality: Planning is generally done by the labors or less experience supervisors as per
their suitability and ease, without considering the risk involved.

Safety Principle: To increase the safety consciousness of the workforce and the supervisory
staffs through continuous training and motivation towards safe practices.
Ground Reality: It is only reputed builders and contractors that have adopted such practices.

Safety Principle: Regular monitoring, inspections and safety audits will form an integral part
of the safety programs at the worksite.
Ground Reality: Many sites do not follow such audits and monitoring to avoid the extra cost
and effort.

Safety Rules and Regulation

Construction safety in India is still in its early years because safety laws are not strictly enforced. The
contractors ignore many basic safety rules and regulations from the start of any work. Although, to
improve working conditions, the government has enacted specific legislations like the Minimum Wages
Act, the Workmen’s Compensation Act of 1923 (modified in 1962), and the Contract Labour
(Regulation and abolition) Act of 1970, of which only a small amount scope and procedures are put into
practice. National Building Code of India, 2005 provides guidelines for regulating construction
activities for a building; across the country along with many IS codes of Bureau of Indian Standards
(BIS), such as, SP70-Handbook on Construction Safety Practices for site engineers, Project Managers,
and engineers-in-charge of buildings and civil works. Even then, worker’s safety in the Indian
construction industry is frequently pushed to the bottom in the priority list of most of the builders,
contractors, and engineers while many are unaware of any such norms and regulation.
In developing countries, safety rules usually do not exist, even if it exists; regulatory authorities are
unable to implement such rules effectively. Therefore, it is up to the construction professional to
inculcate and concrete these safety norms in their working and ultimately setting up a desired standard.
This can definitely reduce accidents that directly or indirectly reduce project cost and ultimately the
delays. In India efforts should be made to raise the level of awareness among the workers and the
employers about the importance of health and safety-related issues.

Construction Accidents

Accidents in the construction industry are costly in human and financial terms. The economic cost is
not the only basis on which a contractor should consider construction safety. The reasons for
considering safety are humanitarian concerns, economic reasons, laws and regulations, and
organizational image. Cost of safety is paid by the organization either through the uncontrolled cost of
accidents or through the controlled cost of safety program. The uncontrolled cost of accidents includes
the loss of productivity, administrative time for investigations, disruption of schedules, wages paid to
the injured workers, adverse publicity, liability claims, and equipment damage. The controlled cost of
safety program consists of salaries of safety, medical, and clinical personnel, expenses for safety
meetings, inspections of tools and equipment, orientation sessions, site inspections, personal protective
equipment, and health programs. The identification of root causes of accidents is a complex process.
Accident mitigation requires a comprehensive understanding of construction process.
With increasing population and expansion of urbanization, many projects are therefore, carried
in congested spaces of cities, like Mumbai, Pune, Delhi, Chennai, etc., where, not only the
safety of the workers inside the site needs to be ensured but also the safety of people passing
and residing in the adjacent. Still every month accidents, such as, adjoining residents being
killed in mishaps, pieces of reinforcement falling and piercing in someone’s body, dusty
environments as a result of construction activities resulting health hazards, etc., come up which
can bring a legal stay over the project and thus making errands of walks to court which instead
could have been prevented if precautionary measures would have been taken.

Accident statistics

In the economic point of view, the construction industry plays a vital role as it typically
contributes 10 per cent of a developing country’s GNP. It is also very hazardous with almost
six times as many fatalities and twice as many injuries per hour worked relative to a
manufacturing industry. Helander analyze 739 construction fatalities that occurred in the UK.
He found that fifty two per cent occurred due to falls from roofs, scaffolds and ladders. Falling
objects and material were involved in 19.4 per cent of the deaths, and transportation equipment,
(e.g. excavators and dumpers) were involved in 18.5 per cent. Helander also found that 5 per
cent of construction accidents occur during excavation work. The categories used for
classifying fatal accidents were:
1. Falls
2. Falling material and objects
3. Electrical hazards
4. Transport and mobile plants
5. Other
Most of the accidents that involved falls occur during work on roofs, scaffolds and ladders.
Moreover, collapses of structures and falling materials also contribute for a large proportion of
victims. Many of the safety hazards are particular to the different trades, and usually
construction workers underestimate the hazards in their own work which affects the motivation
for adopting safe work procedures. The establishment and use of procedures and regulations to
enhance safety can avoid a large proportion of these accidents. There are also forceful monetary
incentives in construction safety as it is estimated that construction accidents amount to about
six per cent of total building costs; this should encourage the industry as well as the regulatory
agencies to invest in construction safety.

Efforts In India

Efforts are taken by government by setting up, National Safety Council (NSC) which generates,
develops and sustains a voluntary movement on Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) at the national
level. It carries out various activities such as specialized training courses, conferences, seminars &
workshops; conducting consultancy services such as safety audits, hazard evaluation & risk assessment;
designing and developing HSE promotional materials & publications; facilitating organizations in
celebrating various campaigns e.g. Safety Day, Fire Service Week, World Environment Day i.e. 4th
March, in India, is celebrated as National Safety Day/Week every year, during which various campaigns
are organized in promotion of Safety, Health and Environment (SHE) movement to different parts of
the country. Apart from this, the BIS (Bureau of Indian Standards) have taken intensive researches and
studies to publish many SP and IS codes, for bringing standardization, marking and quality certification
of goods and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto, acting as guidelines for construction,
manufacturing, processing etc.
With increase in market competition, many construction giants are taking up modern trends and
technique, such as, ISO certification, under which they are to undertake the safety of their workers, set
up safety organization, issue safety policy, safety checklist, safety manuals, etc. These giants have
understood the importance of safety after having gone through the adverse side effects of non-safe acts.
The cost of accidents can go anywhere from low cost to tremendous high cost, which not only affects
the current projects but also the upcoming project of the company. Now companies define standards for
every project, for health and safety guideline. Regular health and fitness checkup for every member is
carried out. Gammon India holds the record of Twelve Million hours of accident-free work at
Kalpakkam.

Owing to increase in complexity of operations, the construction industry has become more
dangerous than ever before. Construction organizations are faced with the challenge of having
to closely monitor their safety management systems to minimize occupational hazards, while
simultaneously trying to sustain profits in a competitive marketplace. In the United States,
government agencies such as Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) have
done their part to promote a ZERO injury environment. However, in India effective safety
construction management is not available. Moreover, the key to proper safety execution is not
necessarily through strict guidelines and standards, but through an effective total safety
management initiative, first supported by an organizations senior management, then integrated
via specific safety management implementation tools/ systems, and finally by continuous
follow up and monitoring to ensure quality and continuous improvement. It is the attitude of
the senior management and proprietary contractors to take the initiative and start giving
importance to health & safety of workers and engineers at site. Construction organizations
interested in maximizing safety and competitiveness must look to Total Quality Management
(TQM) initiatives for inspiration. Quality focus, total commitment, and continual improvement
must be the mantra of choice. Only those companies that take on an aggressive safety
management approach will sustain profit margins and achieve world-class competitiveness.

SAFETY PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT

1. Assignment of responsibility
2. Hazard identification and control
3. Training and communication
4. Documentation and enforcement of safety rules
5. Establishing Safety performance objectives for all levels of management
6. Including safety as part of management bperformance reviews
7. Measuring effectiveness

SAFETY PROGRAM
1. Maintenance of safe working conditions
2. Setting performance goals
3. Rewarding safety performance
4. Reviewing circumstances involved in incidents
5. Taking appropriate correction actions
BENEFITS OF A SAFETY PROGRAM
1. Reduced workers’ compensation claims
2. Reduced expenses related to injuries and illnesses
3. Reduced absenteeism
4. Lower employee complaints
5. Improved employee morale and satisfaction
6. Increased productivity
7. Reduction of hidden cost
8. Reduced insurance cost

HIDDEN COST
1. Workers Compensation Cost
2. Replacement and training cost for new or substitute employee
3. Poor Quality
4. Penalties for non-compliance
PLANNING A PROJECT

1. Develop goals and objectives

2. Define project team
3. Project manager
4. Site Supervisor
5. Site Safety
6. Other Programs

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Supervisors/Management
 Establish safe work practices
Enforce safety rules and regulations
Train employees how to avoid hazards
Enforce reporting work-related injuries, illnesses, and near misses
Investigate causes of incidents or near misses
Take the appropriate action to prevent recurrence
Ensure prompt medical attention

Safety Coordinator
Develop and implement accident prevention programs
Advise management on company policies and governmental regulations
Evaluate effectiveness of existing safety programs
Train management in safety observation Techniques

Poor Safety Practices

Good Safety Practices

Job Hazard Analysis

1. Select activities with highest risk
2. Break activity into individual components
3. Identify potential hazards in each component
4. Develop procedures to eliminate/reduce hazard

Contractor Prequalification
Must complete prequalification
1. Incident rates
2. OSHA recordable cases
3. General company information
4. Safety programs
5. Medical surveillance programs
6. Management philosophy
The construction industry, employing the largest labour force in the country has accounted for
about 11 % of all occupational injuries and 20 % of all deaths resulting from occupational
accidents.

Role of Safety Officers

• The basic functions of safety officers can be listed as follows:
• Inspection of shops, and equipment's, with a view to identification of hazards, unsafe practices
and conditions,
• Assessment of Hazards and help liquidation of Unsafe point so that at least acceptable level
of risk is achieved.
• Investigation of all minor and major accidents and documentations of statistics and building
of management information system
• Communication of information to statutory body and the management.
• Checking of system of work, identify the lapses and giving feedback to management for
setting things right.
• To liaison with factory inspector and ensure compliance of statutory norms.
• To educate all employee regarding provisions under factory act.
• Training and deployment based on need based safety training inputs including contractor
workers.
• Safety monitoring of major repair associated in protocol jobs.
• To organize safety Audits.
• To create safety awareness by innovative work in the field of safety, display posters,
hoardings, banners, slogans.
• To monitor and ensure excellence in industrial Safety Management.

Role of Management in Ensuring Safety

• The basic ingredient of safety Management can be listed as follows:
• To setup a strong foundation by suitable staffing of safety managers.(Organizing)
• To establish a system of reporting, Investigation, data collection, analysis and decision
making.(Organizing)
• To predict, discover, control and eliminate the hazards(Planning)
• To promote safety activities to impart knowledge and skill (Leading)
• To apprise worker regarding man-machine interface (Communication)
• To analyze the cause of accidents in time and enforce remedies (Planning)
• To motivate workers by suitable rewards and recognition (Leading)
• To be keen in good house keeping, removing unsafe condition (Organizing)
• To care for job satisfaction by proper deployment. (Leading)
• To make disaster management plan & enforce (Planning)
• To make action plan for each managers within time frame and review (Planning)
• Discussion on compliance and corrective action (Controlling)

Safety Management
• Safety management is essential for the desired changes in system of work and attitudes.
• It develops a sense of safety in work activities.
• It helps in acquiring basic knowledge of hazards and precautions.
• To prepare employee to make useful contribution
• To develop clean habits
• To increase efficiency in the use of tools, equipment's and processes.
• To consider and implement useful and effective suggestions.
• To make workplace more pleasant and human with the application of ergonomics and house
keeping.
• To generate feeling of Participation and Job satisfaction,
• To achieve the goal of quality, productivity and profit.

Safety @ Management Aspect

• Safety Manual
1. Prepare a safety manual for the company.
2. Safety Co-coordinator
3. Depute full time/ part time safety coordinators depending upon the size of the project
site and natural hazards.
4. Worker Screening
5. Screening of Workmen

• Project Safety Plan

1. Prepare a project safety Plan
a. Overall Scope of work: Fabrication, erection, excavation, concreting,
brickwork, finishing work, painting, blasting, non-destructive tests, etc.
b. Obligation Chart: Responsibility of the line functionaries and reporting
of the line functionaries and reporting of the safety engineering
functions
2. Safety Committee (all jobs)
3. Structures: Chairman, Secretary and Members
Roles & Responsibilities
4. Project Manager
5. Safety Committee members
6. Safety coordinators
7. Site engineers
8. First line supervisors/ Engineers
9. Sub-Contractors
10. Job Related specific PPE (personal protective equipment)
11. General Site safety Rules
• Use of PPE and safety devices relevant to site activities
• General house keeping, stacking of materials.
• Road safety inside the projects
• Access/ egress and workstation safety.
• Safe Use of Construction Power.
• Work permit System
• Use of maintenance and inspection of plant and machinery
• Use of safe materials handling and personal handling equipment.
• Fire Prevention and protection
• Contingency Plan
12. Identification of High Risk/ Hazardous Operations in the site and their
Appropriate Safety Measures.
• Structural and equipment erection
• Excavation
• Concreting
• Precast erection
• Pile driving
• Road works: existing roads/ new roads
 • Blasting
• Use, handling, storage of compressed gas cylinder
• Pressure Testing
• Tunneling
13. Checklist and Reports
14. General Site Safety Inspections
• Excavation, demolition, blasting, scaffoldings, ladders, working platforms,
PPE, structural fabrication and erection, gas cutting and welding, means of
access, electrical work, fire prevention and protection, road safety, first aid box,
safety boards, posters, stickers, drinking water, sanitation, emergency vehicles.
15. Statistics and Reports
16. Accidents Investigation Report
• (a) Action taken report
• (b) Weekly analysis of accidents
• (c) Monthly safety statistics
• (d) Register of first aid
• (e) Subcontractors

Job Safety Analysis

• Identity of tasks
• Third Party (Competent person) Inspection, examination and testing
• Safety Training
• Safety awareness Programme.

Safety Information
Communication Plays an Important role in Industrial Safety Management. The reports are
generated for onward transmission so that managerial action are taken to create safety
awareness and liquidation of Un-safe points.
• I.O.W Forms
Details of Accidents are sent in this “Injury on Works” format which contains nature of
industry, causes, data and time of accident, exact location where the accident took place
with other details. This format is submitted by the department after signature of officer
concerned.
• Investigation and Personnel Form:
The accident is investigated by the team members of Section, In charge of safety and
the facts are found out of which helps in collection of input information.
• First Information Report:
The road accident caused outside the plant are reported to safety Engineering Dept./
authorized representative of the department within 24 hrs. The information is sent to personal
dept. Investigations are carried out by the member of safety Engineering Department and
Personnel.
• Injury Extension Certificate
• Inspection Reports
This report is submitted by safety personnel after inspection of different shop/ areas and
indicates about safety status of different areas.

Approaches to Improve Safety

• Recognizing the Importance of safety performance, a contractor can approach the problem in
four different ways:
1. Organizational Approach,
 2. Physical Approach,
3. Behavioral Approach, and
4. economic incentives.

1. Organizational Approach
A safety programme cannot be successful without an appropriate organizational setup. A
company safety programme should be a part of the contractor’s business, just as scheduling
and cost accounting,
Safety Department:
A formal safety department is essential in a company. This department should be incharge of
the safety and jobsite representatives, recording and analyzing safety and other accident
prevention programmes.
• Committee
A safety committee should be set up to guide the operation of safety programs. The members
of the committee should include all levels of workers and management to reflect opinions on
safety from all levels. It should review the company’s safety programme periodically.
• Field Procedures
A system must be designed to process safety suggestions from workers, the people who carries
out the daily construction process, since they are in the best position to detect any possible
accidents. They should be reminded and encouraged to bring out any unsafe procedure detected
in their daily routine.

• Incentives
Field Management and supervisor should be evaluated for promotions and salary increases in
terms of safety record as well as productivity and cost.
• Safety Cost
The cost of accounting system should be adjusted to encouraged safety by allocating safety
costs to company account and allocating accident costs to project accounts.

2. Physical Approach
• In Physical aspects, a contractor can improve safety performance using following guidelines:
• New workers should be given a safety orientation.
• For every project the contractor must study in advance the possible accidents that the proposed
construction methods, procedure and equipment may create. Then an accident prevention plan
should be devised to take care of those accidents.
• The contractor should enforce the use of approved equipment for personal protection such as
hard hats, safety belts, glasses, goggles, gloves, etc.
• The contractor should integrate safety programmes with other programmes, such as
scheduling and budgeting during preplanning procedure. This will help to identify possible
accidents inherent in the work to be done, to suggest remedial training if necessary, to assure
the proper tools and equipment will be available for the work, and to verify the method selected
are safe according to requirement.
• Periodic checking of tools and equipment if necessary in order to make sure that they are well
maintained.
• Conduct periodic safety meetings, such tool box meetings, to provide safety education on the
job.
• Seek and obtain full cooperation from all subcontractors on the project.

3. Behavioral Approach
• Studies conducted disclose that more than 80 % of all accidents result from worker’s unsafe
acts, while only 10 % result from failure of equipment's or improper procedure, Apparently,
this is the most potential for improving safety performance. Also, the behavior of managers on
every level has significantly influence on workers safety performance
The following guidelines will be found useful:
• Top management, while visiting job sites or meeting in the main office should talk about
safety in the same manner as they talk about schedules and costs. This will make the
subordinates understand that safety is an important as cost and schedules, so that the importance
of safety will not be ignored.
The Project manager and the superintendents should not place unnecessary pressure on foeman
such as over emphasis on meeting the estimated budget and schedule. Usually this will make
foremen choose unacceptable method that often lead to higher possibility of accidents.
• Craft foremen are the key persons in behavioral approach as to better safety, because they q
the persons who have daily contact with Workers. They are also the person in the best position
to detect the workers abnormal behavior,
• The foremen along with project manager and superintendent should try to create and maintain
good relationship between members of crew crafts If workers have pleasant relationship with
each other, they tend to be more concerned about their co-workers safety.
• Economic Incentives
Owners as well as contractors should always bear in mind and take into consideration the
economic benefits due to safety at the worksite. If a complete estimate should be taken into
account for the cost of their safety programme as percentage of direct field labour costs, their
estimate would result in some positive return for the amount spent on safety programme. The
contractors should also reward workers for good safety performance. This creates perseverance
on their part to learn more, know, practice and strive towards a high level of safety at the job
site.

Safety in Construction Sites- Indian Scenario:

The National Crime Records Bureau, of the Government of India compute some data on the
accidents reported in India for the construction industry. The data revealed by them for year
2012 & 2013 are given in Table below.

CAUSES OF DEATHS IN THE CONSTRUCTION SITES IN INDIA FOR YEAR

2012 & 2013

Total Number of Deaths % to Total Deaths

Sr. No. Causes of Deaths
2012 2013 2012 2013

1 Electrocution 8750 10218 2.2% 2.6%

Falls 12319 12803 3.1% 3.2%

2 Fall from Height

10567 10822 2.7% 2.7%
Fall into Pit/Manhole,
1752 1981 0.4% 0.5%
etc.

3 Fire (Short Circuit) 1439 1690 0.4% 0.5%

It may be seen from the above Table that “Falls” accounts for highest causes of deaths in
construction sites is about 3.2% of the total accidental deaths reported in India for the year
2013. Safety in construction is a matter of concern in India. The construction sector is the most
vulnerable segments of the unorganised labour in India. It is estimated that about 165 per 1000
workers get injured in the construction sector. The rate of fatal accidents in construction sector
is 4 to 5 times that of the manufacturing sector. A large number of construction workers are
exposed to the risks of workplace accidents and occupational health problems such as manual
handling, noise and vibrations, exposure to various hazardous chemicals in particular cement,
asbestos, welding fumes, etc… Accidents and illness can be extremely costly for a construction
firm. A worker who becomes ill or injured as a result to unlawful negligence can sue for
compensation, which could turn into a significant amount, if it is proved as a serious injury or
illness.

Indian Regulations:
There are a number of Indian regulations dealing with the working conditions of construction
workers. The main Indian regulations are:

1. Building & Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and

Conditions of Services) Act, 1996.
 2. Building & Other Construction Workers (Regulation of Employment and
Conditions of Services) Central Rules, 1998.
3. Building & Other Construction Workers Welfare Cess Act, 1996.

These rules came into force on 19-11-1998. These rules apply to all buildings and other
construction work relating to any establishment in which appropriate government is the Central
Government. Some of the other statutory provisions/codes in force to take care of the working
conditions of the construction workers are:

1. The Fatal Accidents Act, 1885,

2. The Factories Act, 1948,
3. The Workmen’s Compensation Act, 1923,
4. The Employees State Insurance Act, 1948,
5. The Central Labour (Regulation & Abolition) Act, 1970,
6. The National Building Code of India, 2005

Site Preparations:

Preparation of a construction site is an important aspect which should focus on a good site
layout, easy access to the site and easy movement of vehicles in the site.

1. Site Layout: A badly planned and untidy construction site can lead to many accidents
at construction sites, which may arise from: (i) fall of materials, (ii) collision between
the workers, (iii) plant or equipment. To avoid the above causes of accidents, a good
layout of the site is a must. While preparing the site layout, at-most care should be taken
to avoid overcrowding the site. Also enough space should be provided for the
movement of men, material and construction equipment within the site.
2. Easy Access: The construction sites should have easy and safe access. In this respect,
the following parameters should be taken into consideration:
 Everyone should be able to get into the work site safely.
 Edges of Scaffolds/Platforms from where people could fall are provided with double
guard rails or other suitable edge protection.
 Holes and pits are protected with clearly marked and fixed covers and barricades to
prevent falls.
 Site should be kept tidy and good housekeeping should be practiced.
 Provide good/adequate lighting in all locations of the site.
 The site should be fenced off from the public.
3. Movement of Vehicles: It is a common sight on the construction site that many
vehicles (trucks, cranes, fork lifts, etc.) carrying construction materials move criss-cross
on the construction site, which results in a number of accidents and mishaps.
Construction sites often operates on ground, which is muddy and uneven, and where
driver visibility is poor. People walking on the site are injured or killed by moving
vehicles especially reversing ones. Many workers, particularly drivers and operators
are killed by overturning vehicles. Hence, at-most care should be taken for the
movement of vehicles on the construction sites. The following points should be taken
into consideration, while moving the vehicles on the construction site:

 Vehicles and pedestrians should be kept apart on site, i.e. separate them as much as
possible using barriers.
  Adequate clearance should be provided around vehicles.
 As far as possible, avoid reversing the vehicles. It is better to use one-way system.
 Vehicles used on the sites must have reversing alarms/sirens.

Site Operations:

The type of operations/activities carried out in a construction site are many and they vary from
site to site. However, all of them should be carried out only with due regard to safe operations.
Some of the routine work/operations carried out in construction sites are listed below:

 Excavation Work
 Scaffolding Work
 Crane Operations
 Hoisting Operations
 Forklift Operations
 Ladder Safety
 Electrical Safety

Excavation Work: Excavation work is an important activity in the construction sites.

However, many fatal accidents do occur in excavation work, if proper precautions are not
taken. Many lives are lost being buried alive in the trenches. It should be remembered here that
there is no safe ground that will not collapse and therefore, any trench sites can collapse without
any warning.

 All excavation work deeper than 1.25 meters must be shored or battered.
 Excavation deeper than 2 meters must be guarded by rails or barriers.
 Vehicles working, too close to the side of the trench or rubble piled on the sides may
cause collapse and therefore at most care should be taken.
 Vehicles tipping into the excavation work must use stop blocks, so as to avoid the
collapse of the trench.
 Make sure that the excavation work is inspected daily.
 Make sure that you know where the position of underground pipes and electric
cables are laid in the site, so that you will not hit them during the excavation work.

Scaffolding Work: Scaffolds are temporary structures of steel work, timber or bamboo. The
criteria for their erection are the same as those for permanent structures. The strength of the
scaffolding depends upon the combined strength of individual members. Failure of one or two
of them can result in the collapse of the entire structure. Modern scaffolds are invariably made
of steel tubes, pre-fabricated in convenient units.
They are safer and turn out good quality work. Of course, the steel scaffolds are too costly, but,
it would be cheaper in the long run. In spite of the fact that the steel scaffolds are much safer,
many of the smaller and medium size builders in India, neglect the safety aspects and prefer to
use timber or bamboo scaffolds in order to cut the cost. In any case, while erecting the scaffolds,
the workers should be forced to wear necessary safety belts with fall arrestors and helmets, so
that the fall accidents can be avoided.

Crane Operations: Various type of cranes are used in construction sites, which includes (i)
Portable Cranes (ii) Tower Cranes (Sig Fig.04). A number of accidents are reported in the use
of cranes, and many of them could be averted by adopting safe methods of operations. Some
of the methods to be adopted for safe crane operations are given below:
  The weight of the load intended to be lifted by the crane must be carefully estimated.
 The crane must be fitted with an automatic safe load indicator.
 The crane must always work on a hard, level base.
 The load must be properly fixed and secured.
 The signal man must be trained to give clear signals.
 The ropes, hooks, chains, slings, etc. used in the lifting operations, must be inspected
regularly for their worn out.
 When mobile cranes are used, care must be taken to prevent overturning of cranes.
 Wear appropriate personal protective equipment.

Hoisting Operations: Hoists are used to move heavy objects and equipment. The Fig. shows
various parts of hoists. As the hoists consists of various components, failure of any one
component can lead to disastrous accidents. Therefore these components should be inspected
daily.

Fig 05 – Parts of a hoist – Courtesy: disabilityworktools

The thumb rule is: if there is any doubt about the working conditions of a hoist, do not use it.
The hoist inspections should cover the following aspects: (i) The hooks on all blocks, including
snatch blocks, must have properly working safety latches, (ii) All hooks on hoisting equipment
should be free of cracks and damage, (iii) The maximum load capacity for the hoist must be
noted on the equipment, (iv) Electric cables and wiring should be intact and free of damages.
When using hoists, some basic safety rules should be observed, which are given below:

 Never walk, stand or work beneath a hoist.

 Isolate hoisting area with barriers, guards and signs as appropriate.
 Never exceed the capacity limits of your hoist.
 Wear gloves, helmets and other personal protective equipment as appropriate, when
working with hoists and cables.
 Ensure that hoists are inspected regularly.
 When the work is completed, always rig the hoist down and secure it.
 When the load block or hoist is at floor level or its lowest point of travel, ensure that
at least two turns of rope remain on the drum.
  Be prepared to stop operations immediately of signalled by the safety watch or
another person.
 Ensure that the hoist is directly above a load before picking up. This keeps hoist
from becoming stressed.
 Picking up loads at odd angles may result in injury to people or damage to the hoist.
 Do not pick up loads by running the cable through, over or around obstructions.
These obstructions can find the cable or catch on the load and cause an accident.
 Do not hoist load when any portions of the hoisting equipment within 6 feet of high-
voltage electrical lines or equipment.
 If you need to hoist near – voltage electrical lines or equipment, obtain clearance
from your electrical supervisor first.

Fork Lift Operations: Fork Lifts are very commonly used in construction sites for movement
of many construction materials and stacking them at heightsWhile operating the Fork Lifts, the
following general safety guidelines should be observed:

 Do not walk, stand or work under the elevated portion of a fork lift even if it is not
loaded.
 Ensure that the fork lift has an overhead barriers to protect the operator from falling
objects.
 Do not allow riders on the fork lift.
 Do not raise people on a fork lift.
 Always work within the capacity limits of your fork lift.
 Before modifying the operation or capacity limits of a fork lift, consult with the
manufacturer.
 Do not operate a fork lift in an area with hazardous concentrations of acetylene,
butadiene, hydrogen, ethylene or diethyl ether, or other explosive environment.
 Never lift a load while moving a fork lift. Wait until you are completely stopped
before raising the mast.
 Be sure, the top load sits squarely on the stack. Remember uneven load could topple
the fork lift.
 When you want to travel with loads, slightly lift the loads back to provide stability.
 Make sure that you travel with loads at the proper height. A stable clearance height
is usually 4 to 6 inches at the tips and 2 inches at the heels of the fork blades.
 When preparing to leave the fork lift unattended, lower the mast, neutralise the
controls, shut the power off, and set the brakes.
 If you cannot see over the load, drive in reverse. Do not try to look around a load
and drive forward.

Ladder Safety: Ladders are one of the most popular item used in the construction sites for
working at heights. However, if not used safely, it can kill a lot of people. The following safe
methods should be adopted while operating ladders:

 Always have a firm grip on the ladder and keep a good balance.
 Never allow more than one person on a ladder.
 Use tool belts or hand line to carry objects when you are climbing the ladder.
 Do not lean out from the ladder in any direction.
 If you have a fear of heights – don’t climb a ladder.
 Do not allow others to work under a ladder in use.
 Do not use a defective ladder.’
Fig 07 – Wrong way of using a ladder – Courtesy: eavestroughkits.com

Fig 08 – Right way of using a ladder – Courtesy: eavestroughkits.com

Electrical Safety: Electricity can cause great damage to both people working in the
construction sites and property. Contact with the electric current can trigger other accidents,
like falls from ladders or scaffolding. Electrical shocks or flashes can cause serious injuries
such as burns. Electric shock may also cause the victim to stop breathing and nerve centres
may be temporarily paralysed.

The heart beat may fluctuate or the heat rhythm may actually be interrupted, thus causing a
stop in the circulation of blood throughout the body. Apart from human injuries like shock,
burns or falls, another major hazard is the situation in which an electrical fire or explosion may
occur. Fires and explosions generally cause extensive property & equipment damage. Electrical
Fires often start when an overloaded circuit becomes overheated – igniting the insulation
around the wires. If cords and cables are frayed or worn out, bare wires might touch each other,
thus causing a short circuit that could spark a fire.
If the workers find a fault or malfunctioning piece of equipment, they should take it out of
operation, and make the necessary arrangements to have the equipment repaired. Make sure
that the workers at the construction site understand the importance of electrical safety and
recognize, that abusing or misusing electrical equipment is an invitation to an accident. The
workers should also make sure that the work area is safe and free from all electrical hazards.
Provide necessary personal protective equipment in particular, electrical gloves & breathing
apparatus.

In India, departments under the Ministry of Labour and Employment deal with OSH issues in
construction sector under the head of Chief Labour Commissioner. Directorate General Factory
Advise Service Labour Institute (DGFASLI) provides technical support in drafting model
rules, carrying out surveys, and conducting training programmes in construction sector. A
number of Labour Laws are applicable to the workers engaged at construction sites. These are
as follows:
(i) Contract Labour (Regulation & Operative) Act, 1970,
(ii) Minimum Wages Act, 1948,
(iii) Payment of Wages Act, 1936,
(iv) Equal Remuneration Act, 1976,
(v) Inter-State Migrant Workmen (Regulation of Employment and Condition of Services) Act,
1979,
(vi) The Building and Other Construction Workers Act, 1996.

In India the Construction Sector is covered by - The Building and Other Construction Workers
Act 1996 and Rules 1998. - The Act is Central Act and Rules also have been made by the
Central Government, However each State has the power to make and notify its own Rules

7 GOLDEN RULES for Safety

Rule 1: make leadership commitment

Rule 2: identify all hazards and risks systematically
Rule 3: create a safety and improvement programme and set verifiable targets
Rule 4: ensure that occupational safety measures are organized
Rule5: use only safe and healthy technology
Rule 6: ensure that employees are competent by investing in training
Rule 7: invest systematically in staff participation

Specific features of the construction industry

√ Migrant labour
√ Subcontractors (all kinds of outsourcing) are the main employers in the construction industry
(most of them are micro or small enterprises).
√ Construction is a labour-intensive activity.
√ “Labour-only “subcontracting and self-employment on short-term contracts are common
practice.
√ Payment on the basis of “work performed” (rather than hours) is becoming the norm in many
countries (favouring a high number of working hours per day and working days per week).
√ It has the highest rate of fatal and non-fatal occupational accidents (sometimes more than
50% of all occupational accidents in all industries).
√ Falls from height are the main cause of fatal accidents in most countries (sometimes more
than 50% of the fatal accidents in construction).
List of hazards and risks in construction

(1) Mechanical (falls from height, fall of objects, cave-ins, etc.)

(2) Electrical (electric shock, electrostatic discharges, etc.)
(3) Thermal (heat, cold, fire, etc.)
(4) Radiation (ultraviolet radiation, ionizing, etc.)
(5) Noise (exposure to noise, etc.)
(6) Chemical (dust, fumes, gases, vapours, etc.)
(7) Biological (pathogenic material, fungus, etc.)
(8) Other hazards/risks (humidity, confined space, low visibility, etc.)
(9) Hazards/risks affecting health (back injuries, skin disease, etc.)

Main OSH hazards/risks in the construction industry

Hazards/risks that may cause occupational accidents

1. Struck by
2. Electrocution
3. Cave in
4. Caught in between
5. Falls from height

Hazards/risks that may cause occupational illness

1. Skin diseases
2. Hearing losses
3. Musculo-skeletal disorders
4. Respiratory diseases
5. Back injuries

General Principles of Prevention

1. Avoid risks
2. Evaluate the risks that cannot be avoided
3. Combat the risks at source
4. Adapt the work to the individual
5. Adapt to technical progress
6. Replace the dangerous by the non-dangerous or less dangerous
7. Develop a coherent overall prevention policy
8. Give collective protective measures priority over individual protective measures
9. Give appropriate instructions to the workers.

Safety Principles:
1. Ensuring safety at construction sites is mandatory requirement as it is directly related
to welfare of staffs and contractors’ workers.
2. All accidents and occurrences of near‐misses can be avoided by proper planning and
thorough implementation of safe practices at work place.
3. All types of injuries, fatalities, loss of property and time can be minimized through
preventive measures.
4. To increase the safety consciousness of the workforce and the supervisory staffs
through continuous training and motivation towards safe practices.
 5. Regular monitoring, inspections and safety audits will form an integral part of the safety
programmes at the worksite.

Safety Objectives:
1. To provide a safe working environment to all workers and supervisory staffs.
2. To ensure safety at each and every level of the project as an integral part of the activities.
3. To enhance the safety standards as a continuous effort.
4. To complete project in an incident‐free manner, without any damage to health, property
and environment.

Note:
1. Employees Compensation Act 1923 (formerly called the Workmen’s Compensation
Act 1923). This Act discusses the terms on which compensation will be paid by the
employer in the event of the death or disability of an employee.
2. SP 70 - 2001 - Handbook on Construction Safety Practices
3. IS 7293:1974 Safety code for working with construction machinery
4. IS 1641 : 1988 Code of practice for fire safety of buildings (general):
General principles and fire grading and classification (first revision)