Construction News December 2012

Construction Rules of Nature

As winter approaches, Fredrik Blomberg provides a brief overview of some of the weather-related hazards and solutions that can be employed to keep building workers safe.

Temporary protection

For both contractor and client, a carefully considered build program is crucial to any project's success. The most common method to avoid unnecessary delays caused by bad weather is simply to protect a site from the elements. Solutions such as temporary roofs can keep sites protected and prevent rainwater or snow ingress at any time of year.

High work, high risk

Weather not only influences the pace of construction work but also affects the level of risks to which building workers are exposed.

Rain and icy weather can lead to personal injuries and damaged properties, while strong winds may cause workers and to fall, or heavy equipment to lose balance and topple over.

Site safety should never be compromised so risk assessments must be reviewed. Walkways should be cleared of snow and ice, with regular gritting and salting, while platforms and edge protection should be regularly checked.

Last line of defense

PPE is one of the simplest ways of ensuring your workers are ready for what Mother Nature throws at them. It is every employer's responsibility to ensure PPE is adequate and fit for the job.

Planning importance

Despite the obvious risks of working at height some companies still fail to plan jobs appropriately and ensure all works are carried out in a safe and secure manner.

With a considered planning process carried out by competent persons, many of the risks associated with working at height can be eliminated. The ideal solution is to avoid the need to work at height entirely. One such approach is to pre-assemble safety components. By planning every part of the build this avoids the possibility of having to drill into a new building's structural concrete and steel elements.

The integration of building information modeling (BIM) into the construction process can also positively influence the way safety is planned. BIM programs enable the creation of a virtual building to incorporate safety measures for a more efficient process and eliminate as many uncertainties as possible before construction begins.

In the planning stage, all forms of collective safety measures must be considered. A steel-mesh barrier system will integrate guardrails, toe boards and containment mesh in a single system. A safety net fan, or similar solution, can protect people below from falling debris and materials.