Health and Safety Gateways for Construction Project Planning - Case Study Example

Project Description and HSE’s CDM Red, Amber and Green Lists [Name] [Course] [Tutor] [Date] Table of Contents Project Description 3 General Introduction 3 Components of the Structure 3 Construction Overview of the Project 4 The Buildings Sustainability Systems 5 Architecture 5 Award the Project has Received so far 5 CDM Red, Amber and Green Lists 5 Red Lists 6 Amber Lists 7 Green Lists 7 References 9 Project Description General Introduction Safety and health are crucial when it comes to construction and design management of an engineering project. There are several participants in a construction project and for them to work harmoniously with minimum or no safety and health issues, the design duties of each member have to be understood well. It is from such a background that Construction (Design & Management) CDM 2007 regulations have been enacted to reinforce a common safety and health standard. In purview of the construction of One Angle Square, this analysis acknowledges that it is an Engineering project for an office building. The structure is based in England, within Manchester city. Its construction work commenced in 2010 and terminated in February 2013. This 72.5 feet tall landmark structure houses the head office for the Co-operative Group and the overall building cost in terms of construction was about £105 million. Components of the Structure One Angel Square structure possesses a number of engineering sub-structures that can form a basic ingredient in most engineering discussions, including safety and health. It is one of the sustainable mega structures in Europe consisting of natural ventilations via its rainwater harvesting systems, adiabatic cooling systems, greywater recycling systems and double-skin façade. Further, it has a waste heat recycling system. It utilizes natural resources such as solar for heating purposes. The energy for the building comes from a biodiesel cogeneration plant that utilizes rapeseed oil for generation of heat and electricity. In terms of shape, the building assumes that of a ship or a sliced egg. The building emits zero carbon and produces surplus energy. The architects announced its structure in 2009 and the construction process started in July 2010. It was rated 95.32% as per the BREEAM score and surpassed the pan-European sustainability objectives. Its outstanding aesthetic objectives have earned it several outstanding awards. Construction Overview of the Project In order to get more insight into the safety and health aspects with regard this building, we got to analyze its construction. The construction proper started in 2010, the month of July after all permissions from the relevant authorities had been sought. The first construction work was putting up 539 pile foundations, with each having a depth of 18 meters on average. Over 3,300 tons of steel were assembled, alongside 1948 floor slabs that comprise the rest of the building structure. The principal building contractor was BAM Construction, and other services such as fire engineering and structural engineering were offered by companies such as Waagner Biro (Australian company) and Buro Happold. BAM digitally modeled the building before the start of general construction and assembly. This did not only improve the general safety but also made the process of construction easier. During the construction process, more than 90 companies were engaged while the total number of workers from these companies was over 4000. Though the construction process slowed down during winter, it got back to schedule. Its exterior façade is done using diagonal panels which have the color of bronze. A large number of the construction materials were acquired from outside with minimal environmental impacts. The buildings’ open atrium is capable of collecting heat energy from the sun because it faces the south. Its diagonal slice forms an angle to the south, thus allowing some sunlight to filter into atrium and the upper floors. Although the sun’s ultraviolet radiation lands on the building in the form of electromagnetic radiation, it is allowed to penetrate through glass which changes it to infrared. The building has sufficient systems to prevent overheating whereas its louvers are designed in such a manner to keep the warm air that is generated within the building during the winter times. During summer, the same louvers open in order to expel the hot air or the warm air that is rising up in the building, generally overcoming the challenge of overheating. The Buildings Sustainability Systems The buildings sustainability systems are very elaborate. Waste heat is recycled with the help of a computer system. The cogeneration heat & power system of the building makes use of waste cooking oil and bio-fuel. Water is put back into use with the help of recycling systems and the thermal mass mater whose density is high, for instance concrete, is used to control the fluctuations in terms of temperature. The employees of the building are encouraged to use public transport in order to maintain the building’s green credentials. Architecture The safety and health aspects of the building cannot be explained devoid of its architecture. The main architects conceived the design of the building in a computer sketch, led by chief architect Mike Hitchmough. The initial design form was subjected to a number of modifications prior to unveiling of the final design to the general public. The inner design primaries are made of open plan spaces that can accommodate a staff of 4000. The total building space is 30,439 sq meters, with each floor approximately covering a floor area of 2694 sq m. Award the Project has Received so far Other awards One Angel Square has acquired since the end of its construction reveal about the buildings magnanimity. The wards include Bronze Award from Green Apple in 2012, the World Architectural Festival award in 2012, and 2011’s two awards from Builder & Engineer on the Architect of the year and sustainable projects. CDM Red, Amber and Green Lists According to the CDM 2007, whoever dictates influences or makes decisions that impact on maintenance, demolishing, cleaning, or construction will attract particular designer duties outline in the CMD regulation. What matters therefore, is what the designer has specified with regard to application of a certain method or material. One Angle Square is one of the complex engineering structures requiring a lot of on-site and off-site operations. The designers of such a structure had to formulate design mechanisms for various processes, products and procedures in order to safeguard the safety and health of all individuals. A summary of the key areas to look at are outlined under the CDM red, amber and green lists. The red, amber & green lists, as outlined in the CDM document, refers to a practical aide of tools for designers with the greatest concern on what they should encourage, as well as, what they should avoid or eliminate so as to attain ultimate safety and health standards. One Angle Square building was constructed after enacting of the CDM legislation, and therefore, all its defined aspects had to be integrated into the building process. Red Lists The red list entails the hazardous procedures, processes and products which are supposed to be done away with from a project. The list covers items, such as inadequacy of the pre-construction information, the scabbling of concrete by hand, designing of structures that cannot stand fire for a reasonable duration, and putting up design environments that can easily be prone to adverse vibration, temperature, noise, lighting, humidity, wetness and draughts. The list extends to avoiding of inaccessible glazing since this will make it difficult during replacement and cleaning operations (Billy & Iain, 2012). Besides, the list includes process and procedures that should be avoided, for instance, specifying of roofing assemblies that are fragile, specifying of a steel structure that does not accommodate safety nets, and also allowing the design of floors, entrances, stains, escalators and ramps that allow for slips and trips. In the context of One Angle Square, this is importance considering the large number of companies and workers involved. Further, any process that can result to large dust quantities and on-site spraying of dangerous substances has to be avoided. Amber Lists The amber lists is a collection of processes, products, and even procedures that are supposed to be reduced or eliminated or only allowed under particular circumstances where they cannot be avoided. This list, therefore, encompasses inspection chambers and internal manholes in the circulation areas, presence of external manholes in highly used vehicle access zones, specifying for trip hazards on top of pre-cast concrete areas that form a staircase, specifying of shallow risers in external areas that are paved and specifying building blocks that are heavy, over 20kgs(Billy & Iain, 2012). What is more, the amber list covers specifying solvent-based thinners and paints, heavy lintels, and the use of glass panels that are both heavy and large in terms of size. It also includes on-site welding, especially for new structures, and site layouts that do not allow sufficient room for storage and delivery of materials. Specifying blockwork walls that are greater than 3.5 metres using slowed up mortar mixes is an amber item. Also included in the list is the application of site traffic routes that permit only “one way” systems and the use of heavy construction parts that even the mechanical lifting devices cannot handle due to floor loadings, access restrictions and other limitations. Further, the activities that require the application of large cranes and piling rigs near overhead electric cables , “live” railways or near obstructions form part of the amber list and should be avoided or eliminated Generally, anything specified on the amber list should be avoided as much as possible, unless absolutely necessary. Green Lists According to CDM regulations, safety and health cannot be explained without the use of processes, procedures and products that are supposed to be encouraged in a positive way. The green list items promote design and construction of an engineering project in many ways. The list includes processes such as the installation of safe and practical mechanisms for cleaning of windows, early putting up of lasting access mechanisms and staircases that have hand rails, and providing edge protection for permanent structures where the risk of falling can be foreseen after handover. The suitable location should be sought for both electrical and mechanical equipment, security, light fittings and other devices for improved access that is far from crowded locations. Access to construction vehicles should be adequate to reduce the need to reverse. Concrete products should be specified with pre-cast fixings in order to avoid drilling (Billy & Iain, 2012). The specifying of plasterboard sheets that are of half sizes is a green list idea because it makes the handling operation easier. In order to reduce site hazards, the green lists recommends for off-site prefabrication and fabrication elements and encourages the application of engineering controls in order to reduce the use of protective gear. According to BS 5975, a Temporary Site Work Coordinator should be appointed. If CCA and PPA based preservatives are used, then off-site treatment of timber is very necessary. The HSE’s CDM red, amber and green lists contains a comprehensive number of factors that should be considered when implementing an engineering project such as the construction of One Angle Square. References BILLY HARE, & IAIN CAMERON. (2012). Health and safety gateways for construction project planning. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management. 19, 192-204. Read More