Risk Assessment: Construction and Civil Works
Workers Affected by Works Hazards
RISK
30/40/50 Objects falling due to collapsing or landslide when being handled or due to coming loose.
RISK FACTORS
- Falling material (wood, rebars, shuttering, props, solar panels, etc.) during loading and unloading operations.
- Planks, boards and rebars falling onto people due to incorrect stacking.
- When carrying out work on higher levels, tools and material (wood, rebars) falling to lower levels.
- Fall of material piled up inside trenches and excavations.
- The tower crane collapsing due to the effect of the wind.
- Falling material (earth, rocks, etc.) when loading or unloading material.
- Material falling from piles of earth from excavations or material to be added due to incorrect stockpiling.
- Materials falling from the slopes of trenches and foundation pits.
PREVENTIVE MEASURES
Rules for acting
- Hand tools tied or in a tool bag.
- Signpost the work area.
- Respect safety distances.
- Plan in advance operations in which mechanical means for elevating loads and auxiliary equipment is going to be used.
- Manoeuvres are to be directed by one single person.
- Check auxiliary equipment previously (slings, straps, ropes, chains, etc.).
- Guiding loads manually is forbidden, as is the transit of personnel below suspended loads.
- Prop cages are to be used to transport props.
- Stockpile in an orderly manner far from embankments, cuts, flooring or in the vicinity of cavities. Material is to be stockpiled at least 2 m from the edges of trenches.
- In building works, awnings are to be installed in the areas where people transit with a minimum length of 2.5 m.
- Personnel who handle load elevating equipment (cranes, truck-mounted cranes, tower cranes) are to be authorised by the Firm. The person handling the tower crane is to have a crane operator’s licence.
- When not in use, the tower crane is always to be allowed to slew freely.
- A height of 2 m is never to be exceeded when stockpiling earth, gravel, aggregates and excavation material.
- Elevating platforms are to be used when loading and unloading on the floors of buildings.
- Excavation, trench, pit or gallery works:
- Unless the inclination of the cut coincides with the natural slope of the ground, it will be necessary to adopt protection measures (shuttering, continued examination of the conditions of the ground, etc.).
- It is advisable to shore up trenches with a depth > 1.30 metres. Shoring may be reduced by cutting back the upper edges at an angle of 45º.
