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Health Safety Security Environment at Construction Projects

Health Safety Security Environment (HSSE)

“Prevent the worst and Put safety first, because being Safe today will keep you Alive tomorrow”

TOPICS:

HSSE General

Importance of HSSE in Project Construction

HSSE Concerns

HSSE Management

HSSE Concerns at Project

Tasks to Manage HSSE

HSSE Organization

HSSE Manager

On-site HSSE Team

Risk Situations

HSSE Management System

Required Actions

Set Targets

HSSE Checks

Get Fit and be Efficient

Hendricks Accident Triangle

Too often we exaggerate the risk of a hazard and categorize what is merely possible as probable because it is easier to enforce than if we make an honest assessment. Some safety professionals, in the name of “zero-injuries” will heap regulation after regulation on a job until the organization rebels and simply refuses to comply. When it comes to making the workplace safer, the more complex and/or burdensome the solution the far less likely the compliance.

 We must understand that there are limits to the amount of protection we can provide to people and if when exceed the perceived reasonable limits we not only fail to protect in that instance, but we lose credibility and jeopardize compliance with safety protocols that are essential for basic safety. When safety professionals’ risk tolerance is out of alignment with societal norms the safety professional is doomed to a life of frustration. – Phil Ladoke

 

General- Health Safety, security and Environment (HSSE) on Construction projects

 A project is unique in itself; no two projects may be the same. But they work within the same knowledge areas and process groups (may be customized as per requirement of the project)

The Health, Safety, Security and Environment management factors are valid for all the projects. Except a few unknown risks, all the risks in HSSE are known risks. As such HSSE management can be planned considering these risks and also customizing it  to the project or operations requirements.

 Most important thing is to assess the requirement of HSSE from the project activities and align the HSSE efforts accordingly.

 Importance of HSSE in project construction and operations.

HSSE revolve around the project Knowledge Areas and Process, and in doing so, they take up numbers of processes to execute the  project for  quality output of the product. This must be there, but ultimate result depends upon how the workplace environment and work force health safety along with security are designed in project execution.

 A secured environment enhances the working efficiency of the work force at the workplace. This is achieved by use of right type of equipment for the right job, avoiding hazard substance or environment, use of authorized persons, adopting equivalent designs and taking the necessary and required precautions for work. Workforce works with confidence and dedication, if secured environment is available in working places.

 Equivalent: Alternative designs, materials, or methods to protect against a hazard which the employer can demonstrate will provide an equal or greater degree of safety for employees than the methods, materials or designs specified in the standard.

Authorized person: A person approved or assigned by the employer to perform a specific type of duty or duties or to be at a specific location or locations at the jobsite.

 Equipment is the set of necessary tools, clothing, etc. for a particular purpose and to achieve the purpose efficiently without causing harm to operation process

 Hazardous substance: A substance which, by reason of being explosive, flammable, poisonous, corrosive, oxidizing, irritating, or otherwise harmful, is likely to cause death or injury

Precautions a measure taken in advance to prevent something dangerous and unpleasant or inconvenient from happening – is an important word being used in HSSE. Any action in real world these days is full of risks. We are prepared or must be prepared for known and at the same time must be prepared for unknown risks.

 Construction projects are full of risks- this include the risks inside the project operations and outside the project boundary that are related to project affected  areas.

Mainly these risks are related to human resources in the form of  injury, illness, accidents etcetera.

HSSE subject is important to any business, be it projects or operations, where workforce is employed, and work area environment is to be maintained.

 The engineers involved in construction and operations must be trained for the gap in their knowledge and skills, before putting them on the job.

 The industry must go through the technological changes and so it must manage in its HSSE implementation accordingly, and also remain in touch with educational institution to meet their requirement. These institutions accordingly impart education to engineer students for required inbuilt knowledge and skills, but even after this there remains some gaps when these engineers become workforce of the organization, which should be duly addressed by the organization before imparting necessary training.

 HSSE concerns are important at construction projects

To ensure a safe and healthy work environment and the workplace should provide a feeling to work without tension.

It is mandatory by law and enforcement measures.

It is necessary to avoid cost overrun due to unsafe working in unsafe health environment

One of the major concerns of the industry/organization is to maintain or upgrade the business value by good implementation of HSSE subject in the organization. (If there is well skilled and managed staff for HSSE, it will save the business cost on the time line)

 HSSE management is the concern for the following:

Organization

Sponsors

Project team

Constructors

Employees

Service Providers

Material Suppliers

Labor Unions

State Government

 As such the organizations must have their policies for the following disciplines, but not limited to:

Health Policy

Safety Policy

Security policy

Environment Policy

Quality Policy

Corporate Social Responsibility

 The policies must have accreditation such as, ISO-9001 for Quality, ISO-14001 for Environment Management, OSHA-18001 for Occupational Safety and Health .

 HSSE concerns at Construction Projects are addressed through the implementation of the approved management plans listed below.

Health, Safety, Security, Environment Manuals

Pollution Control

Restoration and land Scape

Erosion and Sediment Control

Waste Management

Traffic Management

Biodiversity Management

Emergency Preparedness and Response

Healthy, Safety Management Plan

Muck Management Plan

Tasks to manage HSSE

Understand the needs of safety and health for the type of construction projects

Know your legal responsibilities

Make a commitment to health and safety in the workplace

Plan how you will implement a safe working environment

Identify, assess and manage hazards

Provide information, training and supervision for employees

Report, record and investigate incidents, injuries and illnesses

Involve employees in the process to improve health and safety

Plan and be ready for emergencies

Include contractors and subcontractors in your hazard management processes

Help employees return to normal work after injury

 Read more on the Psychology of Safety and Risk by Dr Robert Long and George Robotham

 

 HSSE Organization

 HSSE Manager – Projects / Operations

Key Responsibilities:

Ensure that the approved plans are being followed for execution to the satisfaction of all stakeholders.

Ensure that necessary skills are being used in process operations, and methodology is followed, taking into considerations the all required HSSE measures.

Monitor & Control all HSSE matters related with project team members, the contractors, and the workforce follow the set norms and standards for specific requirements.

Ensure that HSSE manuals based on organization’s policy are being followed and workforce actions for the process operations are observed and noted for analysis

Any changes required to be made to the base plan must be discussed with all stakeholders and must be implemented after due approval of change control unit.

 

HSSE manger shall be responsible for the health, safety, environment, & security throughout the project duration to achieve safe project completion with increase in business value for tangible and intangible state

He must be aware of all construction/ operation activities and the processes to find out the requirements for the HSSE and participate in Risk Assessment and hold relevant meeting, workshop internally and with  other stakeholders.

Ensure that the necessary standards and norms of the local bodies and government are implemented efficiently and effectively.

Enforce and audit activities to ensure they meet design / plan requirements and other HSSE guideline.

Monitor and update the HSSE risks register and ensure all mitigation measures are adhere to, throughout the project life cycle / operation period.

 Prepare and manage required documents for related internal / external communication and audit.  

The On-job HSSE team

 The on-job HSSE cadre must follow the HSSE plan, and during the execution process, it should observe, the workforce’s actions on HSSE measures. And align them to the planned efforts, to be taken during construction operations.

 The team should note the processes to be performed, precautions to be met, and observe the actions of workforce in doing the job skill wise.

 The data collected should be analyzed for different categories of works and risks associated with their jobs or undesirable actions, some of which are mentioned below:

 Onsite facilities misuse

Falls into ditches

Electricity misuse

Barricade misuse

Improper use of equipment

Fire accidents

Vehicle accidents

No use of PPEs

Violation of work standards and norms

Non-participation on in awareness trainings

 (All such actions / violations notices must be brought to the notice of supervisors and to senior staff for follow up action which may include:

 High level meetings

Field level meetings

Training for awareness

On job training

PPE use awareness training

Training on security measures

Appointment of certified skilled staff)

 Acceptance of HSSE subject norms, like other norms is not effortless. It depends on the attitude of the worker-his behavior.

(Those who do not know can be trained. Those who do not want to know is an attitudinal problem. And needs special attention.)

 

Risk situations may be created by:

 

Electricity supply
Airborne particulate matter
Excavation operations
Underground blasting operations

Material handling and fabrication
Noise of construction operations
Vehicle movement

Slips

Works at height

Suicide

Etcetera

HSSE Management System
( The Principle- Zero accident in Project Life Cycle)

 HSSE Management System Documents encompasses:

A -Organizational Commitments for HSSE

(HSSE Policy and Goals, Responsibility and Accountability Matrix, Performance Reviews, Actions on unlawful involvement of work force, Issue Resolution, Change management, Staff management and High-level inspections)

 B -Planning, Identification of HSSE tasks from the Process groups, Monitoring & control, Evaluation and feedback system design.

 Depending on the perceived HSSE Challenges and project  HSSE requirements, project planning should include actions required during the project execution process. These may include perceived site specific Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Control Measure, Facilities Inspection designs, HSSE task lists, Instructions, Record Logs, Manuals, Training Requirements, Checklists, Emergency Response Planning, Incident Reporting and Investigation instructions and Reporting formats, Controls, Feedback and Communication implementation strategies. Preparation of  HSSE execution plan and its approval from team and the stakeholders.

 C -Execution of HSSE tasks

The execution processes must use required Inputs, Tools & Techniques for the desired Outputs as suggested in HSSE plans.

It is to be ensured that the execution is inline with the approved planning. Any changes required during execution process, or incorporation of additional requirements should be duly approved, and implemented after revised plan approval for further execution.

It should also be ensured that the quality of implementation operations is as per set standards and necessary report is generated.

D – Monitoring and Control.

It should be ensured that the implementation unit is following the planned instruction and no unauthoried deviation means are adopted. The field units  should follow the set rules and in case of any variations found by the monitoring unit the , these should be complied and reported. Any unusual implementation process exection should be brought in the knowledge of high level team for information and advice.

Also ensure that:

The compliance is done. ( Non Conformance Notices should be issued for any unacceptable output).

Involving Stakeholders in decision making

Training of all persons for plans of Health, Safety, Security a

All stakeholders must be aware of HSSE plans and its implementation

Roles and responsibilities of the persons under project manager must be clearly complied.

Involve everybody from initiation to planning to execution to end through a well-managed communication system

Important Required actions During Implementation Stage

Set procedures for processes
Set work instructions at the workplace
Create awareness about known risk
Supervisors must foresee the risks during construction operations and apprise workers about it

Conduct safety meetings
Ensure that work supervising force uses the required treatment for physical and mental ailments

Provide short rest breaks and avoid overtime.

Maintain HSSE files

 Set targets for :

Review and discuss the status in reality

Be open to receive other’s opinions
Active participation, learning from past and related projects Learning from incidents
Tool Box Training
Training of all stakeholders
Development of monitoring system
Employ trained and certified persons
Analyze the job and search for support providers

 A project involves both the shop floor activities and construction activities. So, whole area of the project must be given important attention by dedicated team of managers and supervisors so that accidents are bare minimum or Zero. It shall boost the morale of the work force and increase the efficiency.

Contrary to this, organization may face labor problems, legal problems etcetera which will affect the project timelines and other project constraints.

As such

Focus on the topic
Create awareness
Connect to work force
Evolve methods
Manage projects
Inbuilt HSSE in all knowledge areas and processes of project management

Special considerations be given to fire, electricity, lights, vehicles operations along with process hazard analysis and suggested precautionary measures required for awareness creation training and execution.

 Anything happening against these parameters in project management, spread in a big way and affects project operations and business. Without the required amenities it is always difficult to move within the limitations of the project constraints. It may affect schedule, cost, quality, resources and reputation.

 HSSE checks for system implementation

 Ensure that /mechanism/ arrangement exists and check for:

The workplace is safe to work for the required number of persons

HSSE head is in place

Awareness creation mechanism exists

Top management is committed

Awareness creation about existing enforcement measures Awareness about age of persons for construction jobs

Ensure safety of other service providers at the project

Ensure safety of community outside the boundary of the project Necessary insurance measure for all project participants Apprising the project team about HSSE plans

 

Apprising stakeholders about risks and plans

Policy document existence

Creation of milestones in planning

Hazard identification processes

Known hazards

Engagement of third party for training and consultancy

Availability of responsibility matrix

 

Ensure that the supervisory staff is duly certified

Crisis manager is available

Risk management plan and risk response plan exists

Existing of Injury / incident reporting and management system.

Arrangement of onsite training for staff

Site safety management for workers

Emergency procedures

Non -conformance notices implementation system

Injury / accident management system

Induction training

HSSE concerns documentation in contract

Awareness about legal requirement of HSSE training

Information and communication system about hazard management

Monitoring and feedback system

Functioning of digital real time equipment

 

And many others as per need of the project tasks

 Get Fit and be Efficient

Fitness is very important now in this fast-action-packed scenario to avoid accidents at work during travel and at home. It is not the gym exercises and is different.
It keeps you fit to carry out your functions.

A footballer, hockey player, badminton player or cricketer, plays the game part. These players to play the game without disruptions in actions need to be fit and therefore they get regular fitness training which is additional to their game.

The put the purpose is to make you understand that developing of EQ as well as to keep yourself fit for actions effectively and efficiently, is the requirement for the success. How important the follow up of HSSE guidance is, is clear from the information given by Heinrich Accident Triangle be

The Health, Safety, Security and Environment affect the workforce efficiency and their morale.  If duly taken care of, there is boost in production and recreation.
Contrary to this, business Value may reduce..

Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity. John F. Kennedy

 

Project Completion Report Format

 https://techconsults.in/project-completion-report-format/

Project Organizations

 https://techconsults.in/project-organizations/

The Role of Project Manager

 https://techconsults.in/the-role-of-project-manager/

Project Manager

 https://techconsults.in/project-manager/

Organisations

 https://techconsults.in/organisations/

Water Quality for Consumption & Construction — Part 2

 https://techconsults.in/water-quality-for-consumption-construction-part-2/

Water Quality for Consumption & Construction———(part 1)

https://techconsults.in/water-quality-for-consumption-construction-part-1/

Management Skills to Manage Unlawful Actions

 https://techconsults.in/management-skills-to-manage-unlawful-actions/

TechConsults Professional and Social responsibility

 https://techconsults.in/techconsults-professional-and-social-responsibility/

Project Management Framework Essentials 2

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Project Management Framework Essentials – 1

 

https://techconsults.in/project-management-framework-essentials-1/

Process Developement Supports – Fitness & Emotional Intelligence

 

https://techconsults.in/process-developement-supports-fitness-emotional-intelligence/

Emotional Intelligence at Workplace 2/2

 

https://techconsults.in/emotional-intelligence-at-workplace-2-2/

Emotional Intelligence at Workplace 1/2

 

https://techconsults.in/emotional-intelligence-at-workplace-1-2/

General – Workplace Enviroment

 

https://techconsults.in/general-workplace-enviroment/