Implementing Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) measures in construction projects is crucial for safeguarding the well-being of workers, protecting the environment, and ensuring project success.
Aspects such as legal compliances with HSE standards, performing risk assessments, developing detailed safety plans and emergency responses, minimize the environmental impacts, monitoring and auditing of processes and fostering a culture of continuous improvement of HSE practices can be effectively put in place when a third party construction audit company is involved. In cases where construction companies that have in-house safety officers employed it has been observed that due to vested interests, safety procedures are not followed as per protocol and much is left to be desired. With a third party auditor on board, a non partisan team makes sure that all HSE standards including risk management and safety planning are followed by the book.
Case Study: Safe High-Rise Construction Project
One such project was the development of a high-rise building in Pune by a construction company where the robust Health, Safety and Environmental (HSE) measures were monitored by CQRA.
The company, recognizing the inherent risks associated with such projects prioritized implementing the implantation HSE measures to ensure the well-being of workers and minimize environmental impact.
A 3 tier system was put into place to ensure a water tight system of HSE checks by CQRA – Maker-Checker-Approver system. The Maker is the building contractor whose team carried the construction work, the Checker is a Safety management team from the Client’s side that performed the routine checks and Approver is the project management team monitoring the entire project, in this case it was the third party auditor, CQRA.
The Key HSE Measures implemented at the project by CQRA were –
Comprehensive Training Programs:
- All workers underwent thorough safety training before starting their tasks.
- Specialized training modules were designed for tasks involving heights, heavy machinery operation, and hazardous material handling.
- Training for labor as well as employees on various systems and safety measures
Daily Toolbox Talks:
- Toolbox Talks is a HSE measure in which the labor handling a particular tool is given a short talk about the safety precautions and different aspects of that tool on a regular basis.
- Every workday began with a brief safety meeting to discuss the day’s tasks, potential risks, and preventive measures.
- This ensured that all workers were aware of the specific safety measures needed for that day’s activities.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE):
- Strict enforcement of PPE, including hard hats, safety harnesses, gloves, and steel-toed boots, was maintained at all times.
- Regular checks were conducted to ensure compliance.
- Though PPE is important for the workers it should come only after making the site conditions safe and conducive for the workers first as a priority, something that was followed in this case.
Emergency Response Drills:
- Regular drills for emergency situations, such as fire or evacuation, were conducted to prepare workers for quick and efficient responses.
- Evacuation routes were clearly marked, and emergency exits were well-maintained.
Environmental Protection Measures:
- Waste segregation and recycling programs were implemented to minimize the project’s environmental footprint.
- Dust control measures were in place to protect both workers and the surrounding community.
- Keeping a check on noise levels, recycling of construction waste like stone, cement blocks etc, controlling water pollution and taking measure to prevent the spread of construction dust by installing nets was carried out at the site.
Results of having Third Party Intervention for HSE:
- Zero fatalities or major injuries throughout the project.
- Consistently high safety compliance among the workforce.
- No environmental incidents reported.
- Project completed within the scheduled timeframe, showcasing that safety measures did not compromise project efficiency.
The successful implementation of HSE measures in the high-rise project by CQRA not only ensured a project that was a safe workspace and safe guarded the environment but also fostered a culture of continuous improvement in HSE practices based on lessons learned and industry best practices.
