HAZARDS AT CONSTRUCTION SITES

Type Of Hazards That Required Attention

A. Scaffold

Scaffold was identified as one of the main hazards in construction sites. Checklist of
hazards regarding scaffold works at site include items such as competence person,
access, condition of elements, ties and working platform, guard rail, toe boards,
signage and inspection. Among the items that require attention are: -

1. Additional precaution condition i.e. intermediate guard rails are still lacking and
only received 156 scores which are the lowest among all other hazard in
scaffolds.
2. Barrier or warning notices are most of time unavailable or insufficient to warn
people using the incomplete scaffold received 170 scores.
3. Insufficient or never conducted the periodical inspection of the scaffold. The
score obtained for this hazard is 190.

Howev er, item for condition of scaffold that secured to the building or structure
to prevent collapse for most of the sites visited was quite satisfactory with the score
of 254 (highest score).

B. Power Access Equipment

Hazard in association with power access equipment identified include competence
person, skill of operator, equipment security, guard rail, barrier and power supply.
Item such as precaution taken to prevent people being struck is being identified to be
having the lowest score of 70. However, overall ranking for power access
equipment still satisfactory with rank 3 that demarcate additional works still require
to satisfy o riginal specification.

C. Ladder

Hazard in association with ladder include item such as ladder condition, position and
foundation, suitability and prevention to slipp ing sideways. The cond ition of all
ladders receive the lowest score with 336. The other hazard identified was the
preventio n of ladder to slip sideways or outward with 380 points. However, overall ranking for ladder still satisfactory with rank 3.

D. Roof Works

When dealing with roof works, precaution to exclude people from area below roof
works and other additional precautions to stop debris falling onto them were the
lowest score among all with 136. It is followed by barriers and guard rail or cover to
provide people pass or work near fragile material or etc with second lowest score
156. Overall ranking of roof works are 2 due to ex tensive works required to satisfy
the safety regulation for the said works at sites.

E. Manual Handling

Hazard in association with manual handling was identified as risk of injuries due to
manual handling. It is being identified to be having the lo west score with 336.
Howev er, overall ranking for manual handling still satisfactory with rank 3 that
demarcate additional works still require to satisfy original specification.

F. Plant And Machinery

Most of the hazards in association with plant and machinery were identified to be
more significant at site involve in infrastructure works and industry building.
Howev er, overall rank for these groups of hazards are quite satisfacto ry with overall
ranking of 3 which demarcate on ly additional works required to satisfy the
specification. Hazards that need to take note by all community at sites in association
to plant and machinery shall be condition of guards for any dangerous p art and the
precaution on the dangerous part.

G. Excavation

Excavation was identified to be the major hazards in construction sites involve with
infrastructure works. For other sites, the excavation had already completed at the
time of survey. Among the items survey are method and adequacy of support for
excavation, slope, access, guard, barrier, signage and spoil. From the analysis, the
following hazards in association with excavation are identified to be the most
significant for infrastructure works at sites in chronological order: -

1. Unavailability of insufficient stop block or signage to preven t or warn tipping
vehicle falling in with score of 30.
2. Inadequate guard rail to prevent people falling in with score of 35.
3. Edge of excavation stored with material, plant, etc with 45 scores.

H. Fire And Emergency

Fire and emergency was detected as one of the most common hazards in all
construction sites. In the earlier part, we had defined this hazard to be one of the
common hazards that had great exposure to the workers at construction sites.
Among the items survey are storage for flammable substances, suitability and
availab ility for extinguisher, ignition sources, exit, alarm, awareness and emergency
procedure. From the analysis, the following hazards associated with fire and
emergency at sites are identified in chronological order from lo west score to the
highest: -

1. Emergency procedure of evacuating during fire alarm was detected to be the
lowest score with 224 scores and rank 1 which demarcate no way to satisfy the
original specification. During the sites visit, it was realized that majority of the
project sites do not have any evacuating procedure during fire alarm.
2. Regarding the awareness of emergency procedures by workers at sites, it had
scored 252 scores which are the second lowest in the checklist o f fire and
emergency and rank 1 as well. Most of the sites had a total ignorance to the
importance of procedure during fire alarm not even by the workers at sites but
the upper management as well.

I. Hazardous Substances

Hazard related to hazardous substances was identified having the lowest score with
420 as protective equipment used in handling the substances. However, overall
ranking for hazardous substances still satisfactory with rank 3.

J. Noise

Hazard associated with the noise was identified to be the appropriateness of hearing
protection used by worker which receive the lowest score with 168 and rank 2 which
demarcate that extensive works require to achieve or meet the specification.

K. Protective Clothing

Hazard regarding the protective clothing was identified to be the attitude of workers
toward using this equipment which score the lowest with 308 and rank 2. Other
items surveyed were the supply and condition of the personnel protective equ ipment.

L. Protecting The Public

For protection to the public, signage to warn public was detected to be the lowest
scores which had obtained 350 scores and rank 3. Overall ranking for this hazard
was still satisfactory with rank 3.

Within the scope of the study the following conclusion can be made:-

i. Work Place Environment

Within the area of th e scope of project regarding site environment (in chronological
order) the following items would require a great attention for our safety practitioners
due to the lowest scores obtained ; -

1. Condition of holes and opening to prevent fall
2. Site tidiness
3. Arrangemen t for debris collection

ii. Common Hazards At Construction Sites

It can be concluded that in general for most of the project sites around the study area
had a common hazards as follows (in chronological order from highest frequency to
lowest);

1. Protective clothing
2. Noise
3. Fire and emergency

It was observed that most of the project site workers within the scope of study
had a low level of awareness toward using the personal protective equipment. Even
for the employer, the supply for this equipment is seen to be quite inad equate
compare to the quantity of workers at sites. This situation still required an enormous
improvement to catch up to the acceptable level of safety and health practice at site.