Protecting the public

Transcription

1 Health ad Safety Protectig the public Your ext move This is a free-to-dowload, web-friedly versio of HSG151 (Secod editio, published 2009). This versio has bee adapted for olie use from HSE s curret prited versio. You ca buy the book at ad most good bookshops. ISBN Price 9.95 Costructio work ca kill people who do ot work directly i the idustry. The importace of protectig such people caot be emphasised eough. Members of the public ad childre are killed or seriously ijured from costructio activity i accidets which could have bee preveted. This guidace is aimed at all those ivolved i costructio, ot oly the pricipal cotractor, but also the cliet, CDM co-ordiator ad desiger, where appropriate. It cotais practical advice o how those desigig, plaig, maitaiig ad carryig out costructio work ca miimise the risks to those who are ot ivolved i the costructio process but may be affected. This guidace i this secod editio has bee updated i light of the Costructio (Desig ad Maagemet) Regulatios HSE Books Page 1 of 38

2 Health ad Safety Crow copyright 2009 First published 1997 Secod editio 2009 ISBN All rights reserved. No part of this publicatio may be reproduced, stored i a retrieval system, or trasmitted i ay form or by ay meas (electroic, mechaical, photocopyig, recordig or otherwise) without the prior writte permissio of the copyright ower. Applicatios for reproductio should be made i writig to: The Office of Public Sector Iformatio, Iformatio Policy Team, Kew, Richmod, Surrey TW9 4DU or licesig@opsi.gov.uk This guidace is issued by the Health ad Safety. Followig the guidace is ot compulsory ad you are free to take other actio. But if you do follow the guidace you will ormally be doig eough to comply with the law. Health ad safety ispectors seek to secure compliace with the law ad may refer to this guidace as illustratig good practice. Ackowledgemets HSE gratefully ackowledge the help give by the followig orgaisatios durig cosultatio o this text: Buildig Employers Cofederatio EPR Architects Ltd Lovell Costructio Ltd Norma & Dawbar Health ad Safety Ltd RGCM Ltd Tarmac PLC Page 2 of 38

3 Health ad Safety Cotets Foreword 4 Itroductio 5 How to use this publicatio 6 Sectio 1 What the law says 6 Health ad Safety at Work etc Act Costructio (Desig ad Maagemet) Regulatios 2007 (CDM) 6 Maagemet of Health ad Safety at Work Regulatios Cotrol of Substaces Hazardous to Health Regulatios Reportig of Ijuries, Diseases ad Dagerous Occurreces Regulatios 1995 (RIDDOR) 7 Sectio 2 The site perimeter ad other boudaries 8 Plaig, provisio ad maiteace of perimeters 8 Security precautios 12 Sectio 3 Developig authorisatio procedures 13 Who do you eed to authorise? 14 Cotrollig access to site 14 Iformig visitors 15 Sectio 4 Specific hazards, risks ad their cotrol a summary 16 Scaffoldig ad other access equipmet 16 Opeigs ad excavatios 18 Slips, trips ad falls withi pedestria areas 18 Plat, machiery ad equipmet 19 Hazardous substaces 19 Storig ad stackig materials 20 Electricity ad other eergy sources 21 Dust, oise ad vibratio 22 Fallig objects 22 Delivery ad other site vehicles 23 Road works 24 Sectio 5 Vulerable groups ad premises which require special attetio 25 The disabled 25 Childre 25 Occupied premises 27 Refurbishmet of residetial properties 28 Refurbishmet of idustrial or commercial properties 29 Health care premises 31 House buildig 31 Appedix Idetifyig the hazards ad evaluatig risks 33 Refereces ad further readig 36 Further iformatio 38 Protectig the public Page 3 of 38

4 Health ad Safety Foreword Each year may costructio workers are killed or ijured as a result of their work; others suffer ill-health, such as musculoskeletal disorders, dermatitis or asbestosis. The hazards are ot, however, restricted to those workig o sites. Childre ad other members of the public are also killed or ijured because costructio activities have ot bee adequately cotrolled. The costructio idustry s performace has show a steady log-term improvemet, which I welcome. However, there is o room for complacecy, especially whe the cosequeces to others ca be so devastatig. I additio, accidets ad ill health have a fiacial cost. The busiess case for improvig performace is absolutely clear. Please read this publicatio ad tur the advice ito actio. Doig so may well prevet you ad other people from becomig victims of accidets or sufferig ill-health. Philip White Chief Ispector of Costructio Protectig the public Page 4 of 38

5 Health ad Safety Itroductio 1 This guidace is aimed at everyoe ivolved i the costructio process. It provides practical advice o how those desigig, plaig, maitaiig ad carryig out costructio work ca miimise the risks to those who are ot ivolved i the costructio process but may be affected. 2 Each year costructio work ijures ad kills people who have o direct coectio to it. 3 The Health ad Safety (HSE) ad local authorities receive may complaits from the public cocerig costructio activities. Some complaits ivolve actual risks while other complaits pose little risk to health ad safety. Some complaits arise directly from uisace. Such public cocer impairs the image of the costructio sector. 4 Most of these accidets ad complaits could have bee avoided. This book aims to advise you how this ca be achieved. The advice is maily cocered with prevetig accidets ad ill health to the public, but it may also help reduce uisace issues. It idetifies the hazards ad risks which most commoly affect the public ad visitors to sites. It outlies the law that is most relevat to protectig the public ad provides advice o how you ca comply with your duties. The guidace covers how you ca defie ad maitai the site perimeter ad keep the public separated from costructio work. It highlights the importace of authorisig workers ad visitors who come o to your site, eve for short periods. It also idicates where problems are most likely to be ecoutered ad suggests ways to cotrol them. 5 Providig suitable protectio for those carryig out costructio work will ofte help to protect others who may be affected by it. The precautios which eed to be take to adequately protect the public ad visitors may, however, differ from those take to protect those workig o the site. The public are likely to be less aware of the dagers ivolved with the costructio process tha those workig o site. This kowledge gap ca be maaged by good commuicatio ad sharig relevat iformatio. 6 Visitors to site, icludig experieced costructio workers, may also require additioal iformatio if they are usure of the site layout. Specific groups, such as childre, eed special cosideratio because of their vulerability. Certai classes of premises also eed special attetio because of the ature of the works. This guidace attempts to explai what is reasoable for such special cases by cosiderig problems ad their solutios. 7 This guidace does ot cover illegal trespass or forced etry o to sites by those itet o crimial activity; however, the measures idetified here may help. The plaig for security of a specific site should be proportioate to the risk of this occurrig ad other law eforcemet agecies that have a role i public/ costructio work, icludig the police ad local authorities may be able to provide additioal advice. Protectig the public Page 5 of 38

6 Health ad Safety How to use this publicatio 8 This guidace has five sectios ad a appedix. Sectio 1 outlies what the law says you must do. The other sectios provide guidace o how you may comply with the law, but this guidace is advice oly ad ot compulsory. How you comply with the law depeds o a rage of issues icludig locatio, methods of work ad type of costructio activity. 9 A umber of projects have bee used as examples of how the advice ca be put ito practice. The sectios ca be used idividually for specific issues but readig the whole text will give you a more comprehesive picture. Sectio 1 What the law says 10 This sectio idetifies the health ad safety legislatio which is most relevat to protectig the public from costructio work. It is ot a exhaustive list ad you may also have duties uder other health ad safety legislatio. Health ad Safety at Work etc Act The Act places a duty o all employers ad the self-employed to take reasoably practicable steps to esure the health ad safety of people who are ot i their employmet, such as members of the public. 12 The Act also places a duty o employees to co-operate with their employer o health ad safety matters ad ot to do aythig which puts others at risk. Costructio (Desig ad Maagemet) Regulatios 2007 (CDM) 13 The CDM Regulatios apply to all costructio projects (except for the to eed to otify, which applies oly to work of certai size ad duratio see Maagig health ad safety i costructio. Costructio (Desig ad Maagemet) Regulatios Approved Code of Practice L144 1 ). It requires that health ad safety is take ito accout ad maaged throughout all stages of a project, from its coceptio, desig ad plaig through to site work ad subsequet maiteace ad repair of the structure. 14 CDM places a umber of duties o those ivolved i the costructio project. The cliet should make sure that ayoe they propose to egage, such as desigers ad cotractors, is competet ad has made adequate provisio for health ad safety. This should iclude measures to protect the public where ecessary. For otifiable costructio work (work lastig loger tha 30 days or ivolvig 500 perso days of work), a CDM co-ordiator should be appoited to assist the cliet with this role. 15 Cliets must also provide project specific health ad safety iformatio at the pre-costructio stage. The pre-costructio iformatio should iclude, amog other thigs, arragemets for plaig ad maagig the costructio work, icludig health ad safety goals for the project ad arragemets for the security of the site ad site hoardig requiremets. 16 O costructio projects that require otificatio, a competet pricipal cotractor should be appoited by the cliet ad has to esure that a costructio phase pla is prepared before the start of the costructio phase. The pla Protectig the public Page 6 of 38

7 Health ad Safety should set out the orgaisatio ad arragemets that have bee put i place to maage risk ad co-ordiate work o site, icludig site security. This will iclude authorisatio procedures for the maagemet of visitors ad workers o to site ad other positive measures to keep others off site. 17 The effectiveess of the arragemets should be reviewed regularly, particularly for example, if there is evidece of childre playig o or ear the costructio site. 18 There is also a specific duty o cotractors ot to begi work o a costructio site uless there are measures to prevet uauthorised access to site. Maagemet of Health ad Safety at Work Regulatios The Maagemet of Health ad Safety at Work Regulatios 1999 are iteded to improve health ad safety maagemet ad to detail what is required of employers (ad i some cases the self-employed) uder the Health ad Safety at Work etc Act Uder the Regulatios the employers have to: assess, i particular, the risks to the health ad safety of their employees ad of others who may be affected by the work activity. This is for the purpose of idetifyig the ecessary prevetative ad protective measures. Employers with five or more employees must record the sigificat fidigs of this assessmet; ad co-operate ad share iformatio with ay other employers who share the same workplace. 21 Five steps to risk assessmet INDG163 2 explais how you ca assess the risks i your workplace. Cotrol of Substaces Hazardous to Health Regulatios These Regulatios place duties o employers who are usig substaces hazardous to health. There is a wide rage of substaces which ca give a risk to people s health. May of these duties exted ot oly to employees but to ay other perso, whether at work or ot, who may be affected by the work carried out. Agai, this will iclude members of the public. 23 See Cotrol of substaces hazardous to health. The Cotrol of substaces Hazardous to Health Regulatios 2002 (as ameded). Approved Code of Practice ad guidace L5 3 ad A step by step guide to COSHH assessmet HSG97 4 for more iformatio o COSHH. Reportig of Ijuries, Diseases ad Dagerous Occurreces Regulatios 1995 (RIDDOR) 24 These Regulatios require that persos havig cotrol of premises (geerally the pricipal cotractor) report certai accidets ad dagerous evets that occur there. Accidets which result i members of the public beig take to hospital should be otified to HSE (or sometimes the local authority) immediately ad followed up by a report o form F2508, by telephoe or olie. See Icidet at work MISC Protectig the public Page 7 of 38

8 Health ad Safety Sectio 2 The site perimeter ad other boudaries 25 This sectio describes how to pla, provide ad maitai suitable perimeters ad barriers at locatios where it is ecessary to separate the public ad others from the work. It also shows how the priciples of risk maagemet explaied i the Appedix ca be implemeted after you have idetified the hazards which are likely to affect members of the public ad visitors. The risk assessmet should also idicate where ad whe risks arise ad their sigificace. Plaig, provisio ad maiteace of perimeters Plaig 26 For most sites the perimeter is a geographical area withi which costructio work will be carried out. Determiig this perimeter is a importat aspect of maagig public risk. Specific areas of risk may occur withi the site, such as aroud deep excavatios. Sometimes costructio work ca create risks outside the site perimeter (eg uloadig materials from a delivery lorry outside the perimeter). Three issues eed to be cosidered: plaig what form the perimeter will take; providig the perimeter; ad maitaiig what has bee provided. 27 Idetifyig the issues at pre-teder stage allows specific items to be icluded i the bill of quatities ad prospective pricipal cotractors ca take them ito accout whe tederig. This helps reduce the likelihood of costs overruig i this area at the ed of the project. 28 Risk assessmet should decide how the perimeters will be defied, what type will be eeded to protect the public ad where it should be placed. Factors to cosider will iclude: the ature ad type of the costructio work; how heavily populated is the area; who will eed to visit the site durig the work; whether the site may attract childre; ad site characteristics. 29 Whe plaig for the delivery of materials there are may positive precautios that ca be take to esure people outside the site are protected icludig: elimiate reversig ito the street or o to site by providig oe-way systems ad turig areas withi the site where possible; providig specific drive-i loadig areas for safer movemet of goods o to site; pla deliveries to make sure they do ot coicide with heavy pedestria traffic, such as takig childre to school; cosider whether the deliveries should be scheduled at times outside of large movemets of people such as rush hours or the joureys to ad from school. Protectig the public Page 8 of 38

9 Health ad Safety However, for higher risk activities, such as usig craes or fork-lift trucks to uload vehicles, it may be ecessary to temporarily exted the existig site perimeter while this work is carried out. Alterative pedestria routes may be required ad this will ofte eed permissio from the local authority. The site perimeter 30 O may sites the locatio of the site perimeter will be obvious. The layout of the site ad the site characteristics will ifluece the positio of the site perimeter fecig, eg it may be possible to cosider usig existig permaet features such as walls, feces or other structures provided they are structurally soud. 31 It may also be possible to phase the costructio of ew structures so they will form a effective barrier as the work progresses (see Figure 1). Where existig features caot be used, you will eed to decide what materials will form a suitable barrier ad where it is required. 32 The precautios take to secure the site perimeter should reflect the level of risk. 33 The locatio of site offices will eed to be cosidered i the developmet of the site ad, they should be preferably located ear the mai site etrace. This allows supervisio of those arrivig ad avoids people havig to cross the site uecessarily. The etrace ad access routes to the site office should be clearly sigposted. This is particularly importat where there are multiple etraces, where the site is shared, or where the office is located outside the perimeter fecig. Space costraits will affect activities such as site deliveries ad offloadig, ad may affect the types of costructio plat ad techiques which ca be used. 34 Durig the plaig of the project certai local issues such as public footpaths or rights of way which may cross the site may be idetified. It will be ecessary to cosider appropriate closure or diversios of these, with the ower ad relevat authorities coset as early as possible. Figure 1 Use of a ew structure as part of the perimeter or boudary Protectig the public Page 9 of 38

10 Health ad Safety Case study O a project which ivolved the costructio of a ew road i a o-urba area, the pricipal cotractor s risk assessmet idetified that very few members of the public were likely to be i the area ad risks from the work were low. Suitable meas of demarcatig the perimeter of the site usig tape ad warig sigs were erected. However, i certai parts of the site where there was public access or process risks were higher, additioal precautios were take such as usig a 2 m high fece. I a shoppig precict, mior costructio work ivolvig the paitig of timber beches was carried out. The cliets, i cojuctio with the cotractor, decided to provide a barrier although it was ot eeded o health ad safety grouds, but it was felt it was required to prevet people gettig pait o their clothes. Outside the site perimeter 35 Costructio work ca preset a risk to the public outside the site perimeter. These risks might iclude materials fallig from access platforms, materials stored temporarily off site, the operatio of craes ad other liftig equipmet either o or off site (see Figure 2). This ca chage as costructio work progresses. The process of risk assessmet should have idetified these areas as well as ay ecessary cotrol measures. Withi the site perimeter 36 Iside the mai site perimeter there may be also specific risks which eed to be specially cotrolled, eg aroud deep excavatios or areas where site radiography is takig place. Precautios take to cotrol the risks might ivolve excludig cotractors ad others ot directly ivolved i the work. Areas of risk will chage as the work progresses. Risks may also be created at levels above the groud. For example, where mast climbig platforms are used durig the exteral refurbishmet of tower blocks, residets opeig widows ca create a hazard to themselves ad the workers at each floor. I these circumstaces physical cotrol measures ad a safe system of work are ecessary to cotrol the risks at higher levels Figure 2 Always esure that equipmet ad parts of equipmet such as elbows of craes, excavators, loaders etc do ot swig ito the path of vehicles or pedestrias Protectig the public Page 10 of 38

11 Health ad Safety Provisio The site perimeter 37 A 2 m high fece is a effective site barrier for most sites, exceptios to this may be city cetre sites ad residetial areas where there have bee previous attempts by childre to gai access to the site. I these cases larger hoardigs may be appropriate. Perimeter feces ca be costructed from a rage of materials, icludig metal mesh. If a fece is to be used the it should be difficult to climb. Usig a close mesh which prevets childre gettig their hads ad feet through should mea that o oe ca gai hadholds or footholds. Sectioal fecig should be locked together ad ot easily separated without usig a tool from the iside of the site. Keep gaps udereath the fece or gate as small as possible to stop ayoe gaiig access uder the fece. Make sure childre caot get access through gaps uder temporary fecig. O ueve groud gaps ca be quite cosiderable if steps are ot take to level the surface. Where the feet of sectioal fecig poits ito pedestria areas, they should be highlighted to avoid trippig hazards. 38 O plywood, ad other similar sheetig materials, wid loadig ca be cosiderable ad this ca be icreased by localised evirometal coditios. Desig the perimeter fecig (icludig the support ad fixig arragemets for the structures) to withstad such coditios. It ca be useful to provide public visio paels. These requiremets eed to be reflected i its desig ad costructio. 39 Provide securable gates at access poits. The gates should form part of the fece ad be of the same size. Cotrollig access through gates is very importat. Esure that the gate ca be secured, whether it is ope or ot, to avoid it beig blow shut i a ucotrolled maer. I some eviromets, it may also be ecessary to close the gates while work is i progress, eg, for a school s iteral security. However, this must ot hamper the ability to escape i a emergecy. Keep the gate locked ad whe the site is ot occupied secure ay temporary fecig. 40 Site storage compouds should, wheever possible, be big eough to accommodate all the plat, equipmet ad materials out of workig hours. Strict cotrol over the amout ad timig of deliveries will help keep storage to a miimum outside the compoud area. Sometimes the compoud may be i a differet area to the mai site, but it will still eed the same levels of protectio, sigig etc. Avoid storig materials i a way which allows the fece to be climbed more easily. Some materials pose a sigificat fire risk ad separate, properly costructed, secure compouds may be eeded for these materials. Outside the site perimeter 41 For activities such as the delivery of materials, a baksma may be sufficiet to esure that people outside the site are ot put at risk. However, for higher risk activities, eg the use of a crae, it may be ecessary to temporarily exted the existig site perimeter while this work is carried out. Alterative pedestria routes may be required ad this will ofte eed permissio from the local authority. 42 It may be ecessary to use pedestria tuels or properly costructed false ceiligs or crash decks to protect the public from fallig materials durig work over occupied areas. Protectig the public Page 11 of 38

12 Health ad Safety Figure 3 Office demolitio i a city cetre showig separate etraces for workers ad vehicles ad a protected thoroughfare Withi the site perimeter 43 Eve if the site has a fece which is desiged ad costructed so that idividuals caot ormally eter, precautios may still be ecessary for areas of high risk withi the site. This protects those workig o the site, visitors ad ayoe else who may get i. These barriers ad precautios should reflect the ature of the risk. For example, where steelwork is beig erected, the warig tape, otices ad istructios to site persoel to avoid the area may be adequate. However, a strog, physical barrier may be eeded to prevet people fallig dow deep excavatios which are likely to be ope for a period of time. Maiteace 44 Site perimeters may eed to chage as the costructio work progresses. Pla how you will esure the perimeters remai curret ad effective. Cotrol measures may iclude omiatig a idividual to maage the perimeter ad check it is adequately maitaied. If delivery poits or the office accommodatio are moved, alter the sigs accordigly. Review the effectiveess of the cotrol measures. Additioal measures will be eeded if there is evidece that people ca get i. Arragemets for the maiteace of the perimeter fecig should be part of the maagemet pla for the site ad a regime for maitaiig ad checkig should be itroduced. Security precautios 45 May of the precautios take to prevet access will improve site security. However, the use ad locatio of extra security-oly measures, such as barbed wire or razor wire, eeds careful cosideratio. Accidetal cotact eeds to be preveted, so the use of security wire should usually be restricted to aroud iteral compoud feces at a height i excess of 2 m. Where it is used aroud the perimeter, provide warig sigs to make sure people kow it is there. Other security precautios, icludig surveillace equipmet such as CCTV ad ifrared systems, are useful deterrets. 46 If security guards are employed o either a permaet or visitig basis, they will ofte work aloe. You should provide iformatio about site risks to their employer ad co-operate with them. If they patrol the site, the pricipal cotractor should esure there is safe access, plus a well-lit route, ad clear iformatio icludig ay chages to the site. Esure that a appropriate loe workig procedure is i place so that there are arragemets to deal with emergecy situatios. Protectig the public Page 12 of 38

13 Health ad Safety 47 Security staff may eed to move aroud the site, so select ad positio the lightig to esure that sigs are readable ad that shadows do ot mask hazardous areas. Lightig is a good meas of deterrig those who wish to gai uauthorised access to the site. 48 For advice o site security ad how to prevet trespass, cotact the local police crime prevetio officer. Summary Pla by: idetifyig the hazards; assessig the risk; elimiatig risk from costructio operatios by desig or other meas if reasoably practicable; defiig the area to be protected; idetifyig what is required at the site perimeter ad other areas where people may be at risk, eg: large hoardigs; 2 m sectioal fecig closed mesh; 1 m fece; 2 m fecig broad mesh; security cameras; ad security guards. Provide by: erectig the protectio makig use of ay existig site features, eg buildigs, walls etc; ad erectig warig/iformatio sigs. Maitai by: implemetig procedures for regular ispectio, maiteace etc; ad reviewig i the light of experiece ad modify accordigly. Sectio 3 Developig authorisatio procedures 49 Durig the costructio phase there will be may visitors to the site, both plaed ad uplaed. Uder CDM the pricipal cotractor is required to take reasoable steps to esure that oly authorised people are allowed o site. Some cliets, however, may have specific rules or eeds that eed to be maaged, such as access to a area withi a refurbish site, visitors to show homes etc. The pricipal cotractor, as perso i cotrol of the site, should have a system i place to maage the risks to the health ad safety of these visitors. The sophisticatio of these precautios should reflect the size, risks ad complexity of the site ad the work what is suitable for a major project may be quite iappropriate for a small oe. While other sectios of this book focus o public protectio, this sectio is chiefly cocered with maagig ad cotrollig access for workers ad visitors. It provides examples of authorisatio procedures ad explais how they ca be operated. Protectig the public Page 13 of 38

14 Health ad Safety Who do you eed to authorise? 50 The simple aswer is every visitor who is to come o site. This icludes: workers: those carryig out work o the costructio site; ad visitors, who will ormally fit ito oe of the followig categories: people who have some ivolvemet i the costructio process, eg cliet represetatives, members of the desig team, delivery drivers ad utility compaies; those whose work o site is part of a regulatory process ad have a statutory right of etry, such as buildig cotrol officers or HSE or local authority ispectors; those who work o the site but are ot directly egaged i costructio work, such as sales staff, security staff etc; possible future occupiers; ad the geeral public (icludig those who may come o site i search of work). Cotrollig access to site 51 If there is appropriate perimeter fecig all visitors should be usig the site etrace(s). Site etraces should be clearly marked ad there should be separate access for vehicles ad pedestrias. Both visitors ad workers should report their presece o site as soo as they arrive. Clear sigs should be used so everyoe kows where ad how to eter the site. They should be directed to a fixed cotrol or reportig poit ad safe access to this poit should be provided. O a small site the site hut is likely to act as the reportig i poit but o a larger site a staffed security booth might be eeded. Do ot allow visitors ad workers to walk aroud uaccompaied uless they are familiar with the site ad the risks they may be exposed to. 52 Keep a record of who is o site ad whe they arrive ad depart. This helps keep track of people ad ca be used as a aid for the emergecy services i the case of a fire or accidet. It may also improve security of plat ad materials. Case study O a large ad complex site a card scheme or swipe card access system could be established so that oly those who have a pass are allowed o to site. This would also help to create coditios for etry o to site. For example a card may be issued after visitors have bee through a safety iductio. O smaller sites it may be eough for visitors to sig ito the site log book ad report to the site maager. Kowig who is o site ad esurig they have all of the iformatio eeded for their ow health ad safety is key to reducig accidets. 53 Issuig some meas of idetificatio at the cotrol poit allows you to check quickly ad easily whether someoe is authorised to be o site or i a particular area. Some cotractors have provided visitors with a badge or a distictive coloured hard hat, highlightig their presece. Protectig the public Page 14 of 38

15 Health ad Safety Iformig visitors Provisio of iformatio 54 At the access poit people ew to the site ca be give iformatio about relevat hazards o site ad ay ecessary traiig about special rules, emergecy procedures etc. This ca iclude ay chages which may have take place sice they were last o site. Case study A steel erectio cotractor prepared a safety method statemet which icluded iformatio about the health ad safety risks to those ot ivolved i the work. The pricipal cotractor icorporated this iformatio ito the iductio traiig give to all visitors ad other cotractors while the work was beig carried out. 55 Sometimes iformatio about potetial risks may ot be eough, eg o a large complex site or where there is sigificat risk. I this case it may be ecessary for the visitor to be accompaied at all times while o site. 56 Risk assessmets should idetify all ecessary persoal protective equipmet (PPE) that visitors should wear, such as safety boots, high-visibility clothig, safety helmets etc. Everyoe o site must wear the appropriate PPE for the area ad the site should carry surplus equipmet for kow or likely visitors. Case study A ew housig project had a completed show home at the frot of the developmet. It was separated from the rest of the site ad had urestricted access. The compay s policy stated that prospective customers had to be accompaied by a member of the sales staff if they wished to view the actual locatio of their ow house. Appropriate PPE was provided ad had to be wor. Sales staff were iducted ad give regularly updated iformatio o the potetial hazards of the site. They also had to obtai permissio from the site maager before eterig the site where the work was beig carried out. The compay had a policy of ecouragig visitors to come whe work was ot i progress, such as at weekeds. A group of medical staff wated to visit the site durig the costructio of a ew medical departmet. The pricipal cotractor wrote to the cliet before the visit advisig of the ecessary protective equipmet. The visitors chose to provide their ow protective clothig ad footwear but did ot brig hard hats. The pricipal cotractor provided hard hats ad gave the visitors the ecessary iductio traiig before the accompaied tour bega. 57 Some work of a particularly hazardous ature may eed to carried out uder a formal permit-to-work system. Such work is ot withi the scope of this guidace. Case study A idustrial radiography compay carried out o-destructive testig of welds o a site. A permaet record of the tests was required. The work ivolved the use of ioisig radiatio. Although the work was doe out of hours the area was taped off, ad warig otices ad lights were erected. The compay patrolled the taped perimeter to esure oly those actually carryig out the work etered the area. Protectig the public Page 15 of 38

16 Health ad Safety 58 Make sure your authorisatio procedures are implemeted ad that they remai effective as the work progresses. Summary Implemet a authorisatio system for visitors, ad esure those who operate it uderstad it. This should iclude: a readily idetifiable reportig-i poit; providig safe access betwee the site etrace(s) ad the cotrol poit; makig sure the route betwee the etrace ad the reportig-i poit is clearly marked; providig appropriate iformatio o the site rules, hazards ad special precautios; PPE; ad makig sure people are accompaied aroud site, ad issued with ID if eeded. Make sure the scheme matches the precautios to the risks, ad is adapted as these risks alter. Moitor ad review the scheme, as ecessary. Sectio 4 Specific hazards, risks ad their cotrol a summary 59 May of the hazards discussed i this sectio will be familiar to those who pla ad maage health ad safety o site. Risk assessmets will idetify whether precautios over ad above those take to protect site workers should be take to protect others. This sectio outlies commo hazards ad the precautios eeded to cotrol the risks to members of the public ad visitors. It is ot a exhaustive list your work may preset other hazards which eed to be cotrolled. Scaffoldig ad other access equipmet Problems 60 The erectio, dismatlig ad use of scaffoldig ad other access equipmet, eg mobile elevatig work platforms, preset various risks because people outside the site ca be struck by: compoets which are beig moved across a public area durig erectio or dismatlig; compoets which fall durig erectio or dismatlig; stored materials or debris which fall off or through gaps i the workig platform (this ca be a particular problem where the buildig facade is curved or is ot flat); scaffoldig ad other equipmet which collapses because it is ot properly desiged, erected or secured; plat or equipmet which collapses as a result of istability or followig impact; ad movig parts of mobile access equipmet erected i a area to which the public have access. Protectig the public Page 16 of 38

17 Health ad Safety 61 Where access equipmet is ot adequately feced off people may also: walk ito or otherwise make cotact with access equipmet; gai access o to the equipmet ad the fall off or through the workig platform or ladder; use the equipmet to gai access to other elevated areas ad subsequetly fall from there; ad use debris chutes as slides. These last three issues are ofte a particular problem with childre. Precautios 62 You will eed to liaise with the local highways authority, ad may eed authorisatio from them if your work ivolves the closure or obstructio of public footpaths or roads. You will probably eed a licece from them before you ca begi. The licece may set stadards which describe aspects of how a scaffold should be costructed, how it should be marked (pait, tape etc), ad whe it eeds to be lit. But regardless of this, there are always certai precautios which you ca take: exclude the public from the work area wheever possible; fece off the area ad provide alterative routes which are clearly sigposted ad avoid additioal crossig of the road wherever possible; erect, modify ad dismatle equipmet whe there will be fewer members of the public i the area ad always use warig otices; fas, tuels ad sheetig are a useful meas of protectio. Make sure the scaffold is desiged to take the extra loadig ad wid resistace; ask for protective measures to be put i place at a early stage durig erectio ad have them removed as late as possible durig dismatlig; lightig may be ecessary i tuels; use brick guards, ettig or other suitable protectio to prevet materials fallig; do ot drop or throw compoets durig erectio or dismatlig; make sure the workig platform is costructed to prevet materials fallig through it, eg double board scaffold platforms ad isert a layer of strog polythee betwee the two sets of boards (a few small puctures will allow raiwater to drai away); make sure scaffold compoets do ot project where there is a risk to people or vehicles; bolts o coupligs should face away from the public or be wrapped; cosider eclosig the base of the scaffoldig to prevet climbig, especially o or ear occupied residetial premises ad schools. Cosider the use of aticlimbig pait; out of hours, remove ladders from the scaffold. Secure them i a compoud or i storage cotaiers; make sure that doors to buildigs or those allowig access to the roof, lift motor rooms etc are locked at all times whe work is ot i progress, eg durig luch breaks, at the ed of shifts ad at weekeds; cosider usig alteratives to scaffoldig such as mobile elevatig work platforms, cradles ad mast climbers. These ca reduce the likelihood of people gaiig access to heights providig the equipmet is properly isolated whe ot i use; ad debris chutes should be protected either by providig lids or covers etc. Protectig the public Page 17 of 38

18 Health ad Safety Case study A local authority wated double-glazed widows istalled i its high-rise flats. The pre-cotract documet stated that the cotractor would eed to use mast climbig work platforms or similar, rather tha traditioal scaffold, to reduce the likelihood that residets or others would climb o to the workig platform from balcoies. The successful cotractor was also cotractually obliged to take steps to prevet the equipmet beig tampered with. Opeigs ad excavatios Problems 63 People ca be ijured if they fall: ito excavatios, maholes or other holes i the groud; over ope edges such as stairwells or ope floor edges; or o to poited metal or timber objects such as projectig reiforcemet bars. They may also drow if they fall ito deep excavatios where water has gathered or otherwise be ijured because they caot see aroud or through physical precautios take to reduce other risks. Precautios 64 The risk of ijury ca be reduced i a umber of ways: shore or batter excavatios to prevet accidetal collapse of the sides; provide guard rails ad toe boards or similar where it is possible to fall 2 m or more; barriers such as chestut palig or similar may prove adequate where the excavatio is shallower; barriers should preferably be placed at least 1 m away from the edge of the excavatio; securely fixed marked covers may also be used; protect opeigs, shafts etc from approachig traffic; pla ad cotrol the work so that you are able to back-fill as soo as possible ad where possible, do ot leave the excavatio ope overight; do ot pile materials or spoil o to pavemets, forcig pedestrias ito the road. Clea up as soo as possible; make sure that ay precautios do ot obscure the view of pedestrias ad drivers. Use visio paels i solid barriers or keep their heights to a level that people ca see over. Slips, trips ad falls withi pedestria areas Problems 65 Slips, trips ad falls are a frequet source of ijury to members of the public. Iadequate protectio of holes, ueve surfaces, poor reistatemet, trailig leads ad cables, spillage of oils, gravel etc are just some of the causes. Poor storage of materials ad equipmet ad other obstructios i public areas, icludig iadequate cotrol of waste materials, are other commo causes. Protectig the public Page 18 of 38

19 Health ad Safety Precautios 66 The risks ca be reduced i the followig ways: segregate or cotrol access to the work area by physical barriers or warig sigs. If tape is used esure it does ot become a trippig hazard itself; work durig hours whe the public is less likely to be i the area; provide clear sigs ad proper protectio at obstructios; use temporary floorig material, eg plywood or steel plates, to cover ueve groud or potholes; avoid trailig cables (especially o stairways). Cover or fix ay which eed to cross pedestria areas; provide lightig at ight ad i dark areas; remove waste ad rubbish as it arises; reistate surfaces properly ad as soo as work is complete; ad clear all spillages ad obstructios from public routes as soo as possible ad always before the public are allowed access to the area agai. Case study A shoppig cetre was beig refurbished. Repair work to the floor was doe outside shoppig hours. Durig the day, the whole area was covered by a substatial plywood sheet ad rubberised mattig to provide a safe, level walkig surface. Plat machiery ad equipmet Problems 67 The authorised ad uauthorised use of plat ad equipmet presets a rage of hazards. Almost ay piece of plat is dagerous i the wrog hads ad some plat ca be started easily without the proper keys or tools. Precautios 68 The risks ca be reduced i the followig ways: all plat should be immobilised out of hours; remove keys ad startig hadles ad try to store them i a compoud or similar secure area; cab covers also make vehicles more difficult to eter; place excavator buckets, lift-truck forks etc o the groud at the ed of the day; do ot drive fork-lift trucks alog public roads with the forks raised too much. The driver should have a clear view; avoid liftig across public areas if possible; properly support ad chock bowsers to prevet accidetal displacemet; check that all plat ad equipmet operatives are competet; ad remove cartridge gus ad cartridges from site where possible, or lock them up at the ed of the day. Clear up all used ad misfired cartridges at least daily accidets have occurred whe childre have struck ufired cartridges which have bee left o site. Hazardous substaces Problems 69 Members of the public ad visitors may be affected by the poor storage, trasportatio, use or disposal of hazardous substaces. Other substaces cause ill-health effects whe they are ihaled, swallowed or come ito cotact with the ski or eyes. Flammable liquids ad gases ca cause fires or eve explosios. Some substaces ad materials, such as foams, give off toxic fumes whe bured. Protectig the public Page 19 of 38

20 Health ad Safety Precautios 70 The precautios take to protect workers from these substaces will ofte reduce the risk to everyoe else: use less hazardous materials if possible, eg water rather tha solvet-based paits; chage the way work is doe, eg use water suppressio or local exhaust vetilatio where dusts are created; apply solvet-based paits or adhesives by brush rather tha sprayig; exclude everyoe ot directly ivolved i the work from the viciity this ca be particularly ecessary durig woodworm ad damp-proof chemical treatmets; pla ad cotrol the amouts ordered ad delivered; limit the amout of flammable or hazardous substaces hadled or used o site at ay oe time; oly decat hazardous materials ito suitable, properly marked cotaiers; collect ad dispose of empty cotaiers; ad store all hazardous substaces i suitable cotaiers or i secure compouds whe ot i use. Storig ad stackig materials Problems 71 The storage of materials presets several hazards: materials may fall from storage areas, scaffolds or other workig platforms; pallets ad mahole rigs may topple or otherwise move; part-opeed pallets ad badly stored bricks ca topple; certai materials which are stored horizotally ad ot secured ca move i high wids, eg ope packs of roofig sheets stored o roofs; materials which are stored upright ca topple over, eg usupported roof trusses propped agaist a wall; piles of sad, gravel, earth etc may shift, buryig those who are climbig o them or earby; people ca fall from the top of storage areas, stacks etc. They may also be used as a meas of climbig o to other positios of dager; the public may be struck by materials ad plat or exposed to hazardous substaces; ad durig the trasfer of materials betwee off-site storage areas ad the site. Precautios 72 The risks associated with the storage of materials ca be reduced i several ways: store materials withi the site perimeter, preferably i secure compouds or away from the perimeter fecig. The area should be well lit to discourage uauthorised etry; pallets should be stored o level groud, o more tha three high. Remember the cotets of pallets become less stable oce the packagig is broke; prevet mahole rigs ad similar materials rollig. Store them o their ed rather tha chockig them. Store them o level groud, o more tha two high; store materials such as roofig sheets ad plywood horizotally, make sure they are firmly secured to prevet them beig blow away, especially whe they are stored at height; vertical stacks of materials ad materials stacked agaist walls etc, eed to be propped or secured to prevet them topplig. Purpose-built storage frames may be appropriate; Protectig the public Page 20 of 38

21 Health ad Safety make sure loose materials stored o platforms or other similar areas caot fall accidetally. Toe boards ad brick guards should be i place. Materials should ot be stacked above the height of the brick guards; limit the height of all material stacks; avoid leavig vertical faces o sad piles; prevet items such as scaffoldig tubes from fallig or topplig over. If it is impracticable to store them other tha vertically, eve for a short period, the take steps to esure they do ot topple over; ad avoid storig materials off site where possible. If it is uavoidable, positio storage areas away from busy public routes, ad keep distaces betwee stores ad the site as short as possible. Post warig sigs. Electricity ad other eergy sources Problems 73 Eergy sources o site preset a rage of hazards: cotact with electrical supplies or arcig ca cause shock, burs ad eve death; bottled gas ca cause fires or explosios if they are ot stored safely or if they are tampered with; ad fuel ad gas oil ca also igite causig burs. Precautios 74 These risks ca be reduced at the plaig stages ad while work is beig carried out i the followig way: use a suitably protected supply, cordless tools or reduced voltage equipmet, eg 110 V cetre tapped. For other purposes, such as lightig, it may be possible to use eve lower voltages; place lights out of reach ad away from other parts of the electrical system which may expose people to dager; make sure gas cyliders ad appliaces are fitted with valves which require special tools to tur o the supply; isolate gas cyliders whe ot i use ad lock them i a secure cage out of hours; secure cyliders to prevet them topplig; secure bowsers i a stable frame ad padlock them off; ad avoid lightig fires. Remember, some substaces give off toxic fumes whe bured. Make sure that ay fires which are lit are properly extiguished well before the ed of the day. Case study A delivery driver arrived at site with his two childre i the cab. As he bega raisig his tipper, it came ito cotact with a 11 kv overhead lie. The cotrols i the lorry cab bega to bur ad i a paic to rescue his childre, the driver climbed up to the cab. He was electrocuted as he touched the cab hadle. The childre escaped by jumpig away from the lorry. Protectig the public Page 21 of 38

22 Health ad Safety Dust, oise ad vibratio Problems 75 Noise, dust ad vibratio do ot usually pose a health risk to members of the public if their exposure is likely to be low ad of a short duratio. They ca, however, cause serious problems i urba areas ad work such as refurbishmet, especially if part of the buildig is still occupied. Noise, dust ad vibratio are a commo source of complait. Precautios 76 The cotrols adopted to protect the workforce will ofte reduce the risk of the uisace to others: use oise suppressio o equipmet; adopt differet work methods, eg whe cuttig pavig slabs cosider the use of guilloties rather tha disc cutters; use stacks of materials or existig features as temporary oise barriers; use low-dust products; use water suppressio or exhaust vetilatio; carry out the work off site; work at times whe the public are less likely to be i the area; ad provide solid barriers adjacet to public areas. Case study A compay was carryig out street works ivolvig the use of road cuttig saws ad disc cutters. Hardboard sheets were fixed to the fece o the site perimeter to prevet sparks ad stoe chips goig ito pedestria areas. Fallig objects Problems 77 Members of the public have bee seriously ijured ad eve killed after beig struck by fallig or ejected materials. Precautios 78 Priority must be give to stoppig materials fallig i the first place. Whe you have doe what you ca to achieve this, you the eed to take steps to stop people beig struck by ay materials which do fall: always pla how materials will be raised ad lowered; do ot throw materials ito a ucotrolled area ad use chutes for debris; provide a eclosed hoist platform ad carefully positio gi wheels etc. If possible, avoid workig above a public area; esure there are safe systems of work whe dismatlig equipmet, eg strikig formwork or dismatlig scaffolds to prevet compoets ad timbers fallig ito public areas; provide debris ettig to trap small pieces of ejected material; keep material storage to a miimum provide brick guards ad ever store materials above the height of the brick guards; protected walkways may be eeded i some circumstaces, eg demolitio sites where materials could fall ito pedestria areas; where it is ot possible to elimiate the risk of materials fallig or beig ejected, the area should be feced off or at least demarcated. Oly authorised people should eter ad eve their access should be cotrolled to avoid times whe there is a risk of them beig struck; ad idetify areas of risk ad put up warig sigs. Protectig the public Page 22 of 38

23 Health ad Safety Delivery ad other site vehicles Problems 79 Delivery ad other movig site vehicles create several hazards: pedestrias may be struck by vehicles eterig or leavig the site; people fallig from vehicles o to pedestrias; site ad delivery vehicles may obstruct the pavemet forcig pedestrias ito the road where they ca be struck by other vehicles; vehicles may strike o-site vehicles while eterig or leavig the site; usecured loads or those moved durig trasit may fall off, strikig pedestrias or other vehicles; uauthorised use of vehicles which are ot switched off or locked whe the driver is ot i the cab; vehicles may take cotamiated material off site o their wheels; ad delivery vehicles may also eter site with childre i the cab. Precautios 80 It is importat to cosider access ad approaches to the site durig the plaig stage; thik about the proximity of schools, hospitals etc ad possible busy periods. The risk to pedestrias ad drivers of other vehicles ca be reduced i several ways: segregate pedestrias ad vehicles wherever possible; avoid crossig traffic flow. Divert site traffic away from pedestriaised areas ad built-up housig estates, if possible; make sure there are adequate cotrol measures to prevet people fallig from vehicles; miimise reversig o to roads or public areas; cotrol stocks to make sure you have the right materials at the right time; wherever possible, provide adequate space o site for offloadig vehicles; if you have to load or uload vehicles across the pavemet, make sure there is safe access for pedestrias ad other vehicles; allow sufficiet clearace aroud mobile loadig arms; choose delivery times which avoid busy pedestria or traffic periods; use a baksma to direct vehicles ad to assist with loadig ad uloadig; give delivery compaies advace otice of routes to follow or avoid, ad loadig/uloadig arragemets etc; discourage drivers from brigig childre o to site. If this is uavoidable, prohibit childre leavig the cab, at all times, uless they ca go to a safer place; make sure loads are properly secured; provide wheel washers ad make sure drivers use them before leavig cotamiated sites; ad secure vehicles ad plat whe ot i use. If possible, leave them i a secure area overight ad immobilise them. Protectig the public Page 23 of 38