Construction Project Audits—Examples of Poor Practices
October 2008
In the
last commentary we explored
several methods of gauging a contractor's safety performance before walking
on the project. Those initial steps will have given you both a feel for the
project and the team that will take you on the tour. This commentary is centered
on what you should look for outside of the building
and is no different than kicking the tires on a used car.
By TJ Lyons
Turner
Casualty and Surety
Remember two things before putting on your game face. First, the project
team cares about what they are building and whatever you find and how you react
will set the tone for the balance of that day and your long-term relationship
with them. Second, each site craves both attention and the need to show-off
what they have done. Remember the first and allow the second and you will get
honest conversations and be able to gauge the level of risk management inherent
on the project—but also the people that make it work. A clumsy start to this
day will put up the "shields" faster than Captain Kirk on his
Enterprise.
Following are guidelines for a risk manager to consider when evaluating a
construction project. Some appear simple but all are critical.
Orientation
Give your contact a call the afternoon before you arrive to get a feel for
a good time to meet. Most mornings the safety staff or operations team will
be tied-up overseeing orientations. Ask if you could sit in and get a feel for
the level of detail. Do they just throw in a video, hope everyone understands
English, and come back when the tape pops out?
The presenter must take the time to speak to the group and review specific
hazards on the project. On great projects the superintendent will stop by and
offer his views on site safety efforts and concerns he may have. This operational
involvement is a clear indicator of the culture of the site.
Walking the Fence
The ability of a construction project to hurt people on the
outside of the fence rarely is noted in
many audits yet these general liability (GL) losses are often three to four
times the cost of a workers compensation (WC) incident. So take the time and
walk the entire perimeter of the project and look for these indicators:
- Does the fence completely enclose the site? Unless it's a cattle range,
it's reasonable to expect a fence surrounding the property. Anything less
would be a bit negligent. Click for
Figure 1, which illustrates a fence that instills a hazard to the public.
- How is the public protected? Consider:
- If a sidewalk is closed, does the alternative route allow
for the disabled?
- Is the SIDEWALK CLOSED sign in-place and at the right
spot? Never expect the public to walk half down the block and be directed
back to the corner. They will cut between the cars and take the risk—your
risk.
- Are the surrounding structures "tagged" with graffiti?
If so, this is an active area at night and visitors should be expected after
hours to remove the nice copper piping install that day.
- Who are the neighbors? If hospitals do they have a rooftop
helicopter pad—think about your crane operations, if a propane terminal—evacuation,
if a school or car lot—dust control, condominium—noise complaints, etc.
- Verify where contractors will enter and exit in cars,
trucks, or on foot. Are there any wires over the exit waiting for a high
load? Is there an active sidewalk underneath?
- If streetlights are on the site ask if they will be removed
and how will temporary lighting be installed. Again, remove public protection
and negligence steps in.
- Inspect sidewalk shelters. If lights are installed they
should be fluorescent and sealed. The lonely light bulb is often taken by
the passerby when he or she needs one at home.
- Spend the time to make sure the sidewalk shelter is secure.
These are often shrouded and a favorite target of high winds.
- Lastly, as you walk make believe you have had too much
too drink, it's dark and raining, and you are heading home. Is there anything
you can hit or trip over? The photo in
Figure 2 was taken during a trip overseas. That is a razor sharp edge
of a steel beam left over the weekend in one of the prettiest cities in
the world. David MacCollum, an expert in safety, calls these "armed hazards."
Click for
Figure 2: Steel Column Hazard
Look for indicators that something dangerous is buried under the site. In
the photo in
Figure 3, this warning was installed exactly on the property line of a project.
Several feet away a grader operator was having a nice day digging a road out.
When asked how deep he was going and if there was anything in the area he pointed
to the sign and said "Only that line over there." When it was explained "offset"
means the hazard is set off from the sign,
he seemed a bit nervous. It was later determined he was a few feet
above this offset line.
Click for
Figure 3: Warning Sign
The Building Entrance
As you walked the perimeter of the property you will have had a chance to
check out the building. Regardless of the stage, there are several precautions
that a great contractor will take to limit risk on their projects. Now is the
time to stop thinking like Joey Public and put on your Builder Bud hat.
Data supports the fact that most people get hurt simply hiking around jobsites.
So as you start the building tour, take a moment to walk around the structure.
Here are a few things that a good contractor will have in-place.
Dedicated Walkways: Like sheep and kindergartners, clearly defined paths
are best for herding. Take a moment to watch workers who might be arriving at
the site. Are they forced to walk across equipment travel paths? Are they collecting
mud on their shoes before heading into the building? Does it seem obvious where
workers should enter the building? Look at each of the entrances and think of
a carpenter coming in at dawn or leaving in the dark, or how well everyone will
be able to evacuate when that propane tank next door starts to leak.
Several dedicated entrances should be installed complete with overhead protection.
If you wonder how often stuff actually falls from buildings either live in New
York City or look at the top of the entrance in the photo in Figure 4. That
is a brick and that is why entrance protection is so critical.
Click for
Figure 4: Overhead Protection
Lastly, consider what will happen to the walkways when it turns nasty. Ice
and snow cause incredible injuries since those walking are often unprepared.
When you leave a nice warm building, those toasty work boots become skates.
When you tie that contributor to someone walking with their hands in their pockets
to keep warm, the results are predictable. There are many options to eliminate
these types of falls but open grating or covered walkways, though costly, will
provide the best return on your investment. One of my safety friends once called
to say that OSHA had just visited the site on a complaint and left in an ambulance.
Yes, it was icy, and a broken shoulder was just the first pain felt on that
project. The alleged concern—icy walkways. You can't dream this stuff up.
At this time in the walk you have likely spent an hour or so reviewing the
GL exposure and the traffic flow of both people and equipment. So discuss with
your tour guide two more areas before you head in. First, how is the building
being loaded? Most material is lifted by fork truck to the first four or five
floors onto loading docks and then over the rails, and often rails are taken
down as the material comes in. Ask how the workers are protected from a fall
receiving this material, for as you audit the floors, this will be a consistent
exposure to monitor.
Second, ask how the site or building will be notified if an evacuation is
needed. It is like looking for the exit in a new hotel. Regardless of how much
building is up or how deep the foundation has been dug, an evacuation plan must
be in place and exercised. If the idea seems silly to your guide, file that
away but keep your eyes on the exits!
Click for
Figure 5: Perimeter Protection
Click for
Figure 6: Crane Footing
Click for
Figure 7: Stairway or Scaffolding Support
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