Chapter-4

PRINCIPLES OF SAFETY IN
CONSTRUCTION
PRINCIPLES OF SAFETY
Constructing safe structures and providing safe working environment
is a factor in successful construction business. Concern of safety
starts from design stage and continues till the facility is delivered to
the owner
GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF SAFETY IN CONSTRUCTION

• Every large volume of construction project should have a safety department headed by a
safety officer
• Safety measures may be in cooperated as a clause in contract document
• Previous safety record of a contractor is an important consideration in the pre
qualification of contractor
• Safety is a cost item developed without providing funds
• 0.2% of estimated cost of construction project is used for safety management
• Safety education and training is the most important aspect of construction industry
• Government needs to improve safety inspection and data collection
• Contractor and trade unions in construction shall extend their concern to safety
• Safety measures should start at planning and design stage itself.
Causes,effects and prevention of accidents

Causes of accidents
1. Planning ,organisation
• Defects in technical planning
• Fixing unsuitable time limits
• Assignment of work to incompetent contractors
• Insufficient of defective supervision of the work
• Lack of cooperation between different trades
2. Execution of works
• Constructional defects
• Use of unsuitable materials
• Defective processing of materials
3. Equipment
• Lack of equipment
• Unsuitable equipment
• Defects in equipment
• Lack of safety devices or measures
4. Management and conduct of work
• Inadequate preperation of work
• Inadequate examination of equipment
• Imprecise or inadequate instructions from supervisor
• Unskilled or untrained operatives
• Inadequate supervision
5.Workers behavior
• Irresponsible acts
• Unauthorised acts
• Carelessness
Effects of accidents
• Construction includes large number of methods-
demolition,earthwork,digging shafts or tunnels,concreting,structural
steel erections,drilling,piling,weldings and electrical fittings
• All methods are hazardous and performed under normal working
conditions by unskilled workers
• Falls from scaffolds,ladders,roof and other heights ,failure of structure
due to collapse,damage due to fire,other mishaps results in safety
failures
PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS
• First step in any accident prevention is to collect useful information
about the accidents which have taken place in the organization
• Evolve a proper accident monitoring system
• Design of a system has proper orientation or prevention
• Machinery or equipment must kept in safe condition
• Slippery floors and dangerous stacking should be taken care of
• Training should be given in safe operations of machines and handling
of equipments to all new entrants
• Arise safety consciousness among the employees
Safety practices in construction industry
• Safety education and training of construction managers,engineers,
supervisors, and workers should be done
• Safety audit of plant machinery,tools and instruments is to be
institutionalized
• Flammable chemicals,corrosive liquids,harmful solvents need special
precuations in storage and handling
Site engineers /Supervisors role in safety
• He must ensure safe working environment
• He must regularly inspect and take up maintainance of all machinery, tools and
equipment used in the works
• He must provide efficient first aid to injured persons
• Site engineer should maintain suitable rescue equipment
• He must clean all construction areas and storage yards
• He must give training to workers and employees about precuations with respect to fire
prevention,protection and fire fighting
• He must provide personal protective equipment
• He must inculcate “safety first” concept in all who concerened with construction
• Supervisor/site engineers need to have competency to set up safety systems at work
Safety through legislation
• Safety in construction is being taken care by bye-laws formed by municipalities within
municipal limits, and provisions in contracts of Public Works Department, Military
Engineering Service, State government, Port authorities etc
• Large construction firms departmentally enforce safe work practices
• A set of comprehensive regulations covering health,safety and welfare of workers employed
in works of engineering construction by Director General,Factory advisory service,and
Labour institutes,Government of India
• Central and Power commission also filed a safety manual for project authorities
• Central Public Works department also have their own safety code on the lines of ILO code
• Occupational safety and health legislation aims to protect workers,from hazards which
endanger their health or safety at work place and to provide compensations
Precautions during handling of materials
• Manuals or training programs to guide persons in safe use of new
materials.
• All materials in bags, containers or bundles stored in tiers should be
stacked, blocked, interlocked,is stable and secured against collapse.
• Inflammable liquids and grease should be stored in no smoking area
and properly separated from other stored materials.
• Flammable liquids and lubricants should be handled and transported
in safety containers and drums tightly capped.
• Persons working in hoppers or high piles of loose materials should be
equipped with life line and safety belts.
• Petrol or other flammable liquids with flash point below 1000 F
should not be used for cleaning purpose.
• At every work site first aid shall be issued to injured persons under
guidance of medical officer.
• Persons handling corrosive materials, adequate equipment should be
provided.
• Adequate ventilations shall be provided by suitable respirators to
prevent inhalation of dust and fumes injurious to employees.
• Workers working on asphaltic materials and stone breakers should be
provided with protective foot wear.
• Suitable face mask should be supplied for workers when lead paints
are applied in form of spray.
OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS
• Accidents may results in temporary or permanent or may be fatal.
• Damage to eyes by welding operation by the use of laser, dust from
power tool operations etc.
• Ears may affected if exposed to high level of noise from heavy
construction equipments.
• Heavy machine operators who experience body vibrations are prone
to high heart disease.
• Number of men getting trapped and injured by certain types of
machine . For eg. Gear wheels, moving parts of engine, revolving
shafts, chain etc.
SAFETY IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY
• Every employee should be trained to safety by contractor.
• No employee should be given new assignment without proper explanation of
hazards with his fellow employees.
• Adequate fire fighting equipments should be provided at crucial locations.
• Employees under influence of intoxicating beverage should not be permitted.
• Sufficient first aid shall be arranged to the injured under medical officer.
• Employees working around moving machinery should not be permitted to wear
loose garments.
• Employees must use standard protection equipment for each job.
• All materials in bags, containers or bundles stored in tries should be stacked,
blocked and interlocked and limited in height so that it is stable and secure
against sliding or collapse.
• Adequate ventilation should be provided at working place.
• No person should be allowed to enter the wearing space if there is
poisonous atmosphere without wearing suitable breathing apparatus
and equipping with a life line.
• To prevent drowning on sites adjacent to water suitable rescue
equipment should be provided.
• Workers employed on mixing asphaltic materials and stone breakers
should be provided with protective foot wear.
• Lead compounds should not be used in the form of spray in interior
painting.
ENTREPRENEUR
• Entrepreneur is one who innovates and promotes a new venture rise
to the occasion and assembles the other factors of production and
sets the business going.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
• It is a purposeful activity in initiating, promoting and maintaining
economic activities for the production and distribution of weath.
• It involves the capacity to bear risk, to forecast prospects of an
enterprise confidence of competence to meet unforeseen and
adverse situations.
ENTREPRENEUR CONCEPTS
• Organizing, managing and assuming the risk of an enterprise.
• Having complete picture of enterprise, taking bold steps to establish
an enterprise, coordinating various factors of production.
• Ability to evaluate business opportunities, gathering required
resources, initiating appropriate timely action to achieve success.
• Ability to innovate and becomes the major factor of production.
• Decision regarding what, how, where, whom to produce.
• Mobilizing other factors of production like land, labour, capital,
organization and finally initiating production process.
ROLE OF AN ENTREPRENEUR
• An innovator introducing something new into the economy.
• A person who finds a method of production not yet tested by
experience in the branch of manufacture.
• A producer who produces a product with which consumers are not
familiar.
• A dynamic person who selects new source of raw material, new
market not yet unexploited.
EXPECTATION OF AN ENTREPRENEUR
• He should undertake the venture with the spirit of service to society and not for
profits.
• Should correctly assess the actual need of society for products or services he
wants to provide.
• He should work hard to improve economic efficiency through better management
of resources, finance and reducing overhead cost.
• Suitable support to large scale industries and results in reduction of cost of
certain products.
• He should help human capital formation by producing men who thinks in terms
of investing capital for productive activities.
• He should be successful example for self employment to entrepreneurship.
• He should plan and promote more labour intensive activities to
reduce the problem of unemployment.
• He should face challenges from his competitors and fully dedicate his
services for the growth of enterprises.
• He should be totally involved and committed to the venture he has
taken and must be a prime source of innovation and creativity.
• He should have thorough and operating knowledge of business.
• He should have greater integrity and reliability to raise conventional
investment money.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN CONSTRUCTION
RELATED ACTIVITIES
• Consultancy services in structural design, interior design, landscaping etc.
• Contract services in construction of buildings, public works etc.
• Manufacturing building materials like building blocks, windows and doors with light
weight materials.
• Testing of building materials.
• Structural safety services using non destructive test equipment.
• Surveying works like preparation of layout, alignment of highways etc.
• Technical valuation of properties.
• Establish training institutes for training skilled labour in form work, bar bending etc.
• Establish training institutes for training in computer aided design and drafting software.
 ENTREPRENEURIAL STYLE Vs
MANAGERIAL
ENTREPRENEURIAL STYLE STYLE
MANAGERIAL STYLE
• Starts an industry without any experience.
• Takes up task after an industry is launched.
• Over self confidence.
• Experience makes balanced attitudes.
• Utilises resources rationally and economically.
• Conventional methods are followed.
• Skills are more organizational.
• Systematic and are subjected to rather
• Needs training to know various details like raw scientific individual experience and capacity.
materials, equipment, market condition, sales,
govt. assistance etc. • May not be necessary in all cases.
• Adopts new techniques and produces new • Sticks to conventional method and cannot
commodities. change production abruptly.
• Has to sharpen managerial capabilities like basic • This may not arise.
management tools, finance and accounting.
• Has to refine psychological characteristics in an
individual. • Sufficiently experienced.
• Has fairly strong ambition. • Normal.
 ENTREPRENEURIAL STYLE Vs
MANAGERIAL
ENTREPRENEURIAL STYLE STYLE
MANAGERIAL STYLE
• Takes certain amount of risk. • Generally avoids any kind of risk.
• Being an innovator introduce something new • Follows systematic and conventional ways.
to economy.
• Searches for a new market hither to
• Thinks of existing conditions.
unexploited.
• Deals in organisational aspects. Helps to
• There is a complete union of ownership and
promote co-ordination.
control.
• Has to consult before executing and
• Need not consult anybody while taking
implementing any decision.
decision.
TECHNOCRATS
• Technocrats are specialist in engineering subsystems dealing with mechanical,
production engineering, civil and structural engineering, metallurgy,electrical and
electronics engineering ,chemical engineering etc
• It is conversant with application of scientific methods in using resources
CHARACHTERISTICS OF
TECHNOCRATS
• Conversant with logical thinking and can deduce results from assorted data
• Know to test the validity of data and quantify them
• More interested in mechanisms than meanings, processes than purposes
• Emphasis on quantifiable performances, optimum use of resources, than
manpower and money
• Asset in systematic thinking aids decision making in optimum use of resources
and complex planning
• Understand and manage financial problems, through formal education system
• Weakness lies in handling of human, financial and market problems
MANAGERS
• Management is a function or process necessary for organization may
be business or non-business
• The responsible individual is a manager who exercises leadership by
assuming authority, accepting responsibility, delegating power to act,
establishing accountability by individuals
• Management organizes, directs, and controls various activities of
enterprise towards specific objectives by use of resources
• Management combines all duties and functions for initiation of an
enterprise, financing, establishment of all policies, provision of
necessary equipment
• Management coordinates and gets things done through others
• Management has scientific basis,management techniques are to
measurement and factual determination
• Management actively directs human efforts towards common goal
FUNCTIONS OF MANAGEMENT
• Determine and lay down objectives and maintain them, objectives should
be clear, definite and realistic
• Putting together bits of information gathered from different sources to get
a picture of situation,
• Planning involves analysis of a problem, thinking out forward solution to
that problem, outlining the steps to reach objectives
• Organizing creation of a structure of functions and duties by a group of
people for attainment of objectives, and goals of enterprise
• Staffing defines requirements regarding people for job to be done, selecting
suitable persons for positions, training subordinates to fulfill the tasks
• Coordinating is the essence of management with high productivity depends on
interest and willing cooperation of management and workers
• Directing –directing, guiding,or counselling combines activities related to guiding,
advising and supervising subordinates
• Motivation-it is necessary to make the employees to work harmoniously to attain
goals
• Controlling-call attention to deviations of performance from plans point out
trouble spots, and corrective action is taken, leads to finding of difficulties,
overcoming difficulties, adjusting operations
• Promoting Innovation:-permanent success promotion of innovation is needed,
innovation is introduction of new philosophy, idea, policy or procedure
Factors that make a successful entrepreneur
• Strong desire for independence and ability to stand alone
• Drive and energy in organizing ability
• A desire to diversify, expand and innovative
• Technical and managerial knowledge
• Above average intelligence
• Capacity to take risk
• Self confidence and long term involvement
• Persistent problem solving and goal setting
• Tolerance of ambiguity and uncertainty
Factors that make a successful contractor
• Confidence,independence,individuality optimism
• Thorough knowledge of various civil engineering works,ability to list the work
into constructional activities,assessing their sequence and interdependence
• Ability to organize,schedule and execute the activities
• Good foresight in arranging resources like men,money,materials, machines
and skilled management techniques
• Need for achievement,profit oriented persistence,perseverance,
determination,hardwork
• Leadership qualities to get along with others ,responsive to suggestions and
crticism
Requirements of an enterpreneur
• Accuracy –it depends on accurate thinking
• Time sense and foresight-always think in terms of time,able to forecast with
foresight,look into future
• Alertness-keep in touch with the world,up and doing to satisfy wants,create
fresh wants
• Honesty-entrepreneur must be honest,use all ability to provide precisely he
wants
• Ability to cooperate-cooperate with large number of others, able to compromise,
adjust, adapt, willing to admit his judgement may be wrong
• Consistency and dependability-must be consistent to exercise firmness in
dealings with others and able to satisfy co-workers loyal to him
• Energy-a reasonable physical and nervous energy ,processes forcefulness to put across his
ideas and suggestions belives to be right
• Personal qualities-
better than average intelligence,
constructive imagination
,knowledge of human nature,
enthusiasm,
sense of humour
 self confidence
self control
pleasing personality
concentration,
tolerance
ENTERPRENEUR MOTIVATION
ADVANTAGES
• Higher industrial mobility and full utilization of resources
• Production and employment at low cost
• Exploitation of short run oppurtunities, economic scale, locational
advantages, ancillary activities
• Decentralized growth and deployment of purchasing power.
• Extension of opportunities for innovative talents and techno
managerial skills.
• Intimate personal contacts and better industrial relations.
• Reduction of monopoly and skilled work force.
ENTERPRENEUR MOTIVATION
DISADVANTAGES
• Lack of finance for initial investment.
• Lack of requisite managerial skills.
• Limited resources – low production.
• Poor organization.
• Lack of technical know how.
• Ignorance of market condition.
• Lack of quality control and research facilities.
• Inefficient methods of production.
PROFILE AND REQUIREMENTS OF
ENTERPRENEUR
• Accuracy – Accurate thinking.
• Time sense and foresight – Requirements should be thinked in terms of
time, he must be able to forecast and foresight and look into future.
• Alertness – He must keep in touch with the world, he must be up and
doing to satisfy wants and also create fresh wants.
• Honesty.
• Ability to co-operate.
• Consistency and dependability – Consistent mind will be able to exercise
firmness in his dealings and dependable entrepreneur satisfies his co-
workers.
• Energy – Reasonable physical and nervous energy is required and he
should put across his ideas and suggestions which he believes to be
right.
• Personal qualities – Average intelligence, constructive imagination,
knowledge of human nature, enthusiasm, sense of humor, self-
confidence, self-control, pleasing personality, concentration,
tolerance.
 SMALL SCALE INDUSTRY
• Small scale industry sector to make and ever growing contribution to
national economy like production, distribution, development of exports,
expansion in employment opportunities, import situations etc.
Factors responsible for growth of small scale industries
• Considerable cost advantage is achieved.
• Reserved product lines for small scale industries, a policy taken by govt.
• Study of economic viability and optimum utilization of capital resources.
• Availability of larger credit from nationalised banks.
• Procurement of imported and scarce raw materials along with existing
facilities.
SMALL SCALE INDUSTRY – ROLE IN
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
• Small scale industries is important towards poverty eradication,
employment generation, rural development and creating regional
balance in promotion.
• Employment generation – provides huge number of employment
opportunities.
• Mobilisation of resources and entrepreneur skills – mobilise a good
amount of savings and entrepreneur skill, improves social welfare of a
country.
• Equitable distribution of income – stimulate redistribution of wealth
income and political power within societies.
• Regional dispersal of industries – Utilises local resources and brings
dispersion of industries in various parts of country, promotes
balanced regional development.
• Provides opportunities for development of technology.
• Indigenisation – Makes use of indigenious organizational and
management capabilities by drawing entrepreneurial talent and
testing round for new venture.
• Promotes exports.
• Supports the growth of large industries – by providing components,
accessories, semi finished goods.
• Better industrial relations.
REQUIREMENTS TO BECOME A
LICENSED SURVEYOR
• Any construction, residential, industrial, shopping center, recreation
places, restaurants in a town or a city shall be approved by
municipalities or corporations.
• Such proposals are submitted in form of drawings like site plan,
proposed building, adjacent property boundaries, existing roads.
• These drawings showing plans, section, elevation are certified by
registered licensed building surveyor.
• He should be thorough with town planning rules during the time of
submission of drawings.
• The number of licensed building surveyors shall depend upon nature
of town or city, growth of town and determined by council.
• The minimum qualification for a registered building surveyor shall be
Diploma in Civil Engineering or Degree in Civil Engineering or
corporate membership (Civil) of Institution of Engineers (India).
• He shall submit application form with proof of qualification to
municipal authorities and the registration fees according to rule.
• The council shall verify requirements and approve registrations.
• The council also conducts interviews and has got legal right to cancel
license of surveyor.
REQUIREMENTS TO BECOME A
LICENSED CONTRACTOR
• Contractor may be an individual or a group of person registered as a firm.
• They should form a company and shall submit technical and financial viabilities
and experiences in construction field.
• Depending upon financial abilities engineering department will register under
different classes. ie; A class contractor, B class contractor.
• Before submitting a tender registered contractor should submit a clearance
certificate from income tax department.
• After categorizing contactors, registration fee is paid to engineering department.
• This enables contractor to enter into a contract agreement if tender is accepted
by an engineer.
Requirements of small scale buisness
• License:-
government issued permission to engage in an activity or to operate a
business
• Criteria for small scale industry in India
• Industry employing less than 100 workers
• Having fixed assets of less than 10lakh need not obtain any license
• Confirm rules and regulations by state or local authority under
factories act
Agencies promoting small scale industry
• State financial corporations-grants loans for purchase of land,construction
of factory,machine purchase and equipment.
• State directorates of industries-extend assistance between Rs 10000/-and Rs
50000/- for construction of factory,purchase of machine,loans are repayable
• Commercial banks-provide short term and medium term financial assistance.
• Industrial Development Bank of India-offers
Bills rediscounting scheme
Refinance scheme
• National Bank of Agricultural and Rural Development
QUALITY MANAGEMENT
• Quality management is the act of overseeing all activities and tasks
that must be accomplished to maintain a desired level of excellence.
• This includes the
determination of a quality policy,
creating and implementing quality planning
 assurance, and quality control and quality improvement
Elements of quality

Leadership
Training
Incentives
Management
Myths
Traps
Tricks
ISO 9000
• Quality is a product or service refers to totality of features and
characteristics to satisfy customers needs
• ISO 9000 series of quality systems use these standards as effective tool
for business sucess
ISO 9000 includes integration of
• Statistical applications
• Quality and relability engineering
• Management techniques
• Motivational aspects
TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT-(TQM)
• It is a dynamic process involving all levels in organization to promote
improvement in effectiveness and efficiency of all elements in business
• TQM has to improve efficiency and effectiveness by
 statistical thinking
Managing with facts
Detect and error prevention
Elements of TQM
• Customers satisfaction
• Employees involvement
• Morale of employees
• Quality control circles and suggestion system
• High revenue
• Lower cost
• Quality control
• Control of production
• Quality planning
• Quality improvement
• Quality implementation
• Quality assurance system
• Vendor control and quality in procurement
• Customer relationship management
• Total organization involvement
• Quality education and training
• Measurement information analysis
• Strategic quality management
• leadership
Requirements of TQM
• Sound foundation: philosophy,policy,culture,leadership,commitment
• Sound infrastructure:
Organisation systems,
procedures,
Mannuals
, customer involvement,
suppliers involvement,m
training and education,
total employee involvement
• Use of specific tools and techniques
Aims of TQM
• Conformance to customer requirements
• Prevention of producing bad quality
• Ideal of zero Defect as performance standard
• Measurement of cost of quality
Ways to TQM
• Adopting new philosophy of refusing any defects
• Creating consistency of purpose of improvement
• Improving production and service quality
• Avoid dependence on mass inspection and adopting Statistical Quality Control
• Insisting quantifiable evidence from suppliers
• Train the employees about refresher cources
• Providing proper tools to all employees
• Avoid proper communication system
• Encouraging productivity
• Permenant commitment of top management towards quality
• Respect towards work and quality
• Adopt customer orientation
• Aims “quality first and not short term profits”
• Strictly using facts and data
Quality system
• It is the agreed company wide and plant wide operating work structure
documented in effective way
• Integrated technical procedures for guiding coordinated action of
people, machines, information of company or plant to ensure
customers satisfaction, economical costs of quality
Elements of Quality Systems
• Management responsibility:
define and document its quality policy to overall corporate policy and
identify organizational forms and resources to manage the
implementation of quality policy
• Quality systems
Establish and maintain documented quality systems to ensure the
product confirms to specified requirements
Ensure effective implementation of documented quality procedures
and instructions
• Contract review
Establishes and maintains procedures for contract reviews for coordination of these activities
Requirements are adequately defined and documented
Any requirement differing from tender are resolved and management should evaluate its
capability to meet contractual requirements
• Design Control
Establish and maintain procedures to control and verify design outputs meets design input
requirements
• Document Control
Recognize scope on documentation to be controlled
Identify essential controls
• Purchasing :
Understand the steps taken to select subcontractors to meet the
requirements
Identify essential features of a purchase
Identify its own responsibility ,purchaser undertakes product verification
• Purchaser –Supplied Product
Establish procedures for verification or storage and maintenance of
purchaser supplied product
Understand controls in respect of subcontract
• Product identification and traceability:
Identify product from drawing, specifications of other document during various
stages of production, delivery, and installation
Individual products or batches have unique identification for easy traceability to
establish origin of products
• Process control
Identify and plan the production in installation processes
• Inspection and testing
• Corrective action
• Handling, Storage, Packing and Delivery
• Training
• Servicing
• Statistical technology
Merits of ISO 9000
• It is procured by people conversant with problems and failures in
industries
• Standards where specifications of Quality System is provided
• Little dictatorial in standard
• Standards have gone to great extent from traditional confines of metal
cutting industry and applied with minimum interpretation to food
process,service industries,hospitals,financial institutions etc
• ISO 9004 mentions quality cost, production safety and many other
considerations
Demerits of ISO 9000
• Each individual has to interpret guidelines to their own systems requirements
• Models are not specific in nature,intended to apply to all industries or to every
activity
• Donot dictate the method of implementing the requirements leads to difficulties
• Standards are applicable in contractual situations conformance to specified
requirements to be assumed in all stages of production cycle
• Standards are applicable for specific requirements of a product in terms of design or
specification
• ISO 9000 stress on contractual review and states servicing as mandatory requirement
• Standards expects suppliers to demonstrate machine performance and process
capabilities as per design specifications