Ammico Contracting Companys Organization, Work Environment Conditions, and Work Activities - Case Study Example

Student Name: Tutor: Title: Orientation to the workplace Course: Executive summary I undertook my attachment at Ammico contracting company between 2011 and 2013 for a period of 60 days during the summer vacation. While working for Ammico, I was introduced into the world of civil engineering, where I gained firsthand knowledge of civil engineering procedures and practices by participation and observation. I interacted with professionals in various specialized field of civil engineering where I did my best to learn from top professionals. I kept a work log and a reflective diary of the daily occurrences at the workplace. I was placed in a position where I learned a lot about Ammico contracting company; its health, safety and environment section, codes of practice plant and equipment and ground engineering and civil works. It was an informative experience where I was inducted successfully into the operations of civil engineering. I learnt the responsibilities associated with each section of the contracting company as well as the in-depth application of civil engineering applications in the construction industry. I had a very successful attachment at Ammico contracting company which therefore enabled me to fulfill the course objectives of BEB701: Work Integrated Learning 1. Contents Student Name: 1 Tutor: 1 Title: Orientation to the workplace 1 Course: 1 Executive summary 2 1.0 Workplace 4 1.1 Introduction 4 1.2.0 Employer organization 5 1.2.1 Company organization and structure 7 1.3.0 Work environment conditions 8 1.3.1 Insurance cover 9 1.3.2 Health and safety 10 1.3.3 Intellectual property 10 1.3.4 Quality assurance 11 1.3.5 Codes of practice 11 2.0 WORK ACTIVITIES 13 2.1 Safety, Health and Environment 13 2.1.1 Concerns and Challenges of HSE 14 2.1.2 Control and Motivation 14 2.1.3 Site Audits 15 2.1.4 Safety Indoctrination 16 2.1.5 Safety Training 16 2.1.6 Operators and Equipment Certification 22 2.1.7 Other Highlights 23 2.2.0 Diaphragm Wall 24 2.2.1 Construction 25 2.2.2 Installation of Ground Anchors 30 3.0 Conclusion 34 4.0 References 35 5.0 Appendix B 37 1.0 Workplace 1.1 Introduction A career in the civil and construction industry has always been my objective since I was young. Attaining a degree in this field of study would therefore the first step in attaining my dream. In studying for the degree, industrial practice and attachment is necessary for the gaining of practical knowledge and skills. For the best experience and to maximize this chance I settled on a company that has a large scope of operations and is well established in the civil and construction industry. That is why I settled on Ammico constructing company. The company employs close to 5000 employees. As I had no previous experience industry I needed a lot of hands on experience at the work place and I achieved this at Ammico. The only knowledge of civil engineering practices is what we had been taught in class. I was therefore full of theoretical information but no real practical knowledge to back it up with. Getting the opportunity to work in this company has been an achievement in itself and I was grateful to get that opportunity. Working in this company enabled me to integrate the theory I had learned with practice. I started out in the health, safety and environmental section of the company to learn the importance of safety features and practices at the workplace. After this section I joined the ground engineering and civil works section to get the experience that I had come for. I also learned how the organization was organized as well as the codes of practice within the company. After going through these sections I was able to relate with the work culture of civil engineering and its industrial practice. 1.2.0 Employer organization Ammico contracting company is a civil engineering company that specializes in foundation engineering and construction as well as marine works. The company designs and installs diaphragm walls, deep excavations, earth retention systems, dewatering, earthworks, soil mixing, jet grouting and various forms of marine works. The types of marine work the Ammico contracting company engages in include marine piling, water breaks construction, jetties and revetments. As an attachée, I had various roles and responsibilities to play throughout my attachment period. In the health, safety and environmental section I was informed of the necessity to learn the safety measures set for the protection of personnel, equipment and structures. These, I learned, could be very important as the cost of accidents could be very costly. Just like all members of the company, I was responsible for the safety of myself and the whole company as long as I was on the premises or at a construction/work site. In case of a fire on the premises, my responsibility would entail raising the alarm, trying to attack the fire using a fire extinguisher if it was a minor fire and making my way to the fire point. Another responsibility when I was attached at Ammico was to learn how various design projects were created. To accomplish this I was tasked with learning AutoCAD civil, Autodesk and inventor programs so that I could be of help in the process. I was therefore attached to the design station and tried my best in helping out with this responsibility. I helped in creating risk assessment reports before the beginning of work. Risk assessment was done on every site before the commencement of any major construction or civil work. This is keeping with the quality standards of the company and maintaining the legal regulations of the country’s civil industry recommendations. 1.2.1 Company organization and structure Managing Director He is the chief executive officer of the company. He is responsible for making sure the strategic plans of the company are met. The managing director is in charge of the company’s overall performance. He manages the day to day activities of Ammico contracting company and is solely answerable to the owners of the company. He chairs management committees in the company and makes sure that a risk management plan is developed and implemented. The plant machinery manager is in charge of all the equipment and machinery in possession of the company. He is in charge of acquisition, maintenance and repair of tools and equipment. The operations manager plans and directs the operations of the company. He insures the effective operations of the company by improving efficiency and productivity. He coordinates and supervises the operations of the engineering section while coming up with the policies and processes to enhance job satisfaction. The administration manager is involved with organization, delegation, conducting of appraisals, induction of new personnel as well as keeping records on company personnel. 1.3.0 Work environment conditions Good practices at the workplace were genuinely encouraged and strictly reinforced at Ammico contracting company. The company insisted on an insurance cover for all its workers. It also had a safety and health section as well as intellectual property rules and guidelines. Quality assurance within the organization was considered as significant while codes of practice guiding the contact of workers and management were also put in place. 1.3.1 Insurance cover Insurance cover in the Ammico covers personnel and property in the company. The two types of insurance provided by the company are health insurance, public liability and casualty insurance. Health insurance covers the medical costs of workers for the company. The health insurance policy provided by the company is contracted with health care providers which reduces the costs of medical care for the company’s workers (Medlineplus, 2013) Public liability insurance is also provided by the company. Public liability covers the total amount which the company would be legally responsible to pay as compensation because of accidental deaths, loss and damage to property and bodily injury to the workers. The costs and operating costs sustained in defending the case with preceding agreement of the insurance company are also allocated within the confines of the policy (Doha Insurance, 2013). Professional casualty insurance is concerned with losses founded/caused by harm or injury to persons and lawful liability imposed on the covered individuals. This is for the harm or damage that is inflicted on property (IRMI, 2013) The company’s structures and equipment are insured under machinery breakdown insurance, electronic equipment insurance and contractor’s all risks insurance (CAR). 1.3.2 Health and safety Work place health and safety is also significantly tackled by the company. The company in carrying out its civil and construction activities uses equipment and machinery that can pose serious health risks if not utilized properly. Diaphragm wall cutters, cranes, impact crashers, trench machinery, excavators and other heavy machinery are capable of causing bodily harm and/or damage to property. The company also has premises that store all types of combustibles, inclusive of fuel for machinery. To contain the occurrence of accidents and destruction to property by fire or mishandled equipment, a health safety and environmental section is available in the organization. Rules and regulations governing the use of combustible materials and equipment are provided for the workers in the company. Special safety permits are also provided for work to be performed by Ammico personnel. For work to commence each working day; safety checks are done and safety permits provided for the workers. The permits lay down all the safety practices that are to be observed by the workers at the working site. White cards are a requirement for all workers to prove that they have been inducted in the construction industry. 1.3.3 Intellectual property Ammico contracting company has employed professionals in all aspects of civil work and construction ranging from design professionals to workers on the site. All the employees of the company are tasked with meeting different objectives be it singly or in teams. In working for Ammico, workers on different projects come up with new designs and materials that are taken as the intellectual property of Ammico contracting company. As Qatar is not affiliated by the World Intellectual Property Organization the rules and laws followed by the organization are dependent on Qatar’s national laws. Whenever a practice, design or material is created a caveat or cautionary notice is published in the English and Arabic language press and periodicals that are considered appropriate. This makes the public aware of the interests of the owners and warns against infringement. Apart from designs and products, distinct features of the company including logos are also registered as intellectual property for the company. Those features of Ammico that fall under trademarks are published in Qatar’s trademark gazette (IPR, 1999) 1.3.4 Quality assurance Ammico contracting company has a quality control section that is tasked with guarantying the quality of the services provided by the company. Every stage of a project that is completed is evaluated to make sure it is to the required standards. Ammico is ISO certified and therefore takes its quality assurance seriously. The company believes that without controlling the quality (quality control) and assuring the quality (quality assurance) of the projects undertaken by the company, the value of the company will fall and so will its highly regarded name. The aims of the quality control section in the company are making of sound projects as well as providing more economy for the company by means of optimization. The quality assurance department therefore makes sure that all requirements pertaining to quality of the project are met before and during the working process. They are tasked with identifying quality documents in existence such as specifications and codes of practice. 1.3.5 Codes of practice In Ammico contracting company, there are set rules and guidelines to regulate the conduct of every individual associated with the company. The conducts are put in place to reveal the company’s view on how employees should interact with one another. The company’s policy includes mutual respect and understanding between all workers even from different departments. This policies also champion information sharing between workers and their supervisors. In this case, any worker who observes a mistake or an omission is encouraged to take a step to remedy it by informing his immediate supervisor. This encourages camaraderie between workers and management and leads to less mistakes being committed at the work site. Sexual harassment is also addressed in the company’s codes of practice. The company does not tolerate sexual harassment and any worker associated with it is relieved of his duties. Fraud is another vice that is discouraged by the company. Any form of misappropriation of company funds is punished by dismissal and subsequently a report will be made to the police. Integrity for the individual is encouraged above all else with believes that an honorable individual will strive to do what is best for himself and by extension, the company. 2.0 WORK ACTIVITIES 2.1 Safety, Health and Environment Many companies are involved in the safety and health of their employees as well as the protection of the environment. In many countries, it is now regulatory requirements that for every project to be undertaken, an environmental impact assessment has to be carried out. There are many terms that are used in reference to safety, health and environment in a given project: Health and safety file- This is a record of information for the clients focusing on health and safety. It alerts those in charge of the structure and equipment in it of the significant health and safety threats that will need to be dealt with during the successive construction, maintenance and repair work. Health and safety plan- This serves two purposes: the pre-tender health and safety plan is prepared before the tendering process and brings together the health and safety information obtained from the client and the designers and aids selection of the main contractor. During construction stage, the plan details how the construction work will be managed to ensure health and safety. Planning supervisor- this could be a company, organization, partnership or an individual who coordinates and manages the safety and health aspects of the design. The supervisor also ensures the pre-tender stage of the health and safety plan, as well as the health and safety files are prepared. Principal contractor- The principal contractor is appointed by the client with the overall responsibility of managing site operations. This includes coordination of site safety and health and environment management (Woodside, 1997; Asprey et al, 1995; Telford, 1995) 2.1.1 Concerns and Challenges of HSE There were many concerns as well as challenges faced during the implementation of the health, safety and environment plan. These include: Multi-lingual manpower Strict project requirements Zero tolerance Work permits Untrained manpower Equipment operation 12 lifesaving rules 2.1.2 Control and Motivation Despite the many concerns and challenges above mentioned, various techniques were devised to address the issues. These included: Complete basic trainings were given to parties involved Regular meetings were held to address the issues at hand Regular safety talks were conducted Incentive programs were put in place Worker participation was encouraged Site audits and walk through to assess the health, safety and environment plan Field observations and were also carried out Safety awards and recognition 2.1.3 Site Audits The audits carried out were mainly environmental. The audit work was defined in advance. The coverage and objectives of the audit clearly established before the audit took place. This ensured that the needs and expectations were completely defined and understood by the client and the company. The audit was carried out systematically. They were based on plans and systematic procedures that ensured comprehensive and efficient coverage of the relevant matters and provide guidance in preparing for an audit, conducting fieldwork and documenting and reporting findings. The audits occurred periodically. They were conducted with a specific frequency to provide assurance of continuing compliance with the requirements and evidence of continued effectiveness of the management systems in place to ensure compliance. Finally, the results of the audit were documented. A report was written that clearly communicated the audit’s findings in a timely manner to the intended recipients; with sufficient clarity and detail to facilitate corrective action. 2.1.4 Safety Indoctrination Upon arrival on site for the first time, all visitors and workers were taken through a craft specific safety orientation. Thorough training is also undertaken on issues of critical safety concern. Special talks were carried out on special issues. Some of the laid down rules included: Hard hats and other personal protective gear appropriate to your work had to be worn at all times. Fall protection was required for all work taking place above 2m above the ground unless the area was enclosed. All scaffolds, ladders and lifting devices were to be inspected daily before use. Regular cleanings were to be carried out at the end of every shift. No person was to ride on the bucket, sling, ball or hook of any hoisting equipment Personal vehicles were not to be operated on the jobsite except on the main access road and in the employee parking area No drug or alcohol was to be found in your possession on the jobsite Any accident, however minor, was to be reported to the supervisor (Bennet,2003) 2.1.5 Safety Training Heat stress High temperatures and humidity stress the body’s ability to cool itself, and heat illness becomes a major concern during the hot weather. The three major forms of heat illnesses are: heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Heat stroke is a life threatening condition. Precautions undertaken to prevent occurrence of heat illnesses include conditioning oneself for working in hot environments by doing physical work, drinking lots of liquids, taking a break in case you notice that you are getting a headache or when you start feeling overheated, wearing light weight, light colored clothing when working out in the sun, making use of air conditioners and fans that are available and getting enough sleep at night (CDC, 2012; ITC, 2013) Incident and injury free The Incident and Injury-Free Safety Approach is a platform for professionals committed to workplace safety. They look towards greater level of excellence in safety within the oil and gas, construction and mining industries. The goal is to offer new ways of thinking about safety. The aim of the platform being to support people in the organizations leading to more productive workforce with the skills to build better teams and better lives. The group is part of a global network of professionals sharing ideas and good practices to improve organizational safety performance. In this particular project, there was a participatory approach to identifying and brainstorming ways in which the safety on the site could be improved in order to minimize incidences of injury. When mobilizing personnel and equipment for work, hazards like improper vehicle movement, debris and adverse weather conditions are considered and safety precautions taken. Suitable personal protective clothing are utilized by all the workers to take part in the assignment (Ammico, 2010) Permit to Work Permit to work system is a form of safe system of work. It is operated fundamentally where there is a high degree of foreseeable risk. Typical permit to work systems incorporates assessment, withdrawal from service, isolation and completion of work and return to service. Assessment This entailed assessment of the work to be done, the method, materials and equipment to be used together with the inherent hazard. This assessment was undertaken by a senior member of the management team with the aim of identifying the safest possible way to undertake a potentially dangerous task. Withdrawal from service This entailed withdrawal of the plant from service, designation of this fact by warning signs or fencing of the area, limitation of access in certain cases and restriction of entry to identified persons. Isolation Physical, electrical and mechanical isolation of the plant implied controlled restriction of access and physical locking off of sources of power. In certain situations, environmental testing was undertaken to ascertain whether the use of breathing apparatus was necessary before entry into a confined space. Completion of work and return to service Upon completion of the scheduled operation, details of which were clearly written in the permit of work, the certificate was cancelled and returned and returned to the originator for checking to ensure that the work was completed satisfactorily. The plant was then handed back to the manager responsible who also checked that the work was done satisfactorily. Competent authorized personnel The management of the site (site engineer) ensured that the contractors employed only competent personnel who knew about site operations and respected the laid down rules and regulations. This was advantageous such that incidents and accidents on site were greatly reduced. Furthermore, only authorized personnel were allowed on site at any given time. All people that did not have any business on site were not allowed in and this assisted in management of the site whereby a clear record of personnel on site, together with their duties and designations was kept. Defensive driving This is an advanced training course in driving where trainees are taught to anticipate any dangerous situations despite the errors of others or in adverse situations. It aims at reducing the risk of driving. Good defensive driving takes responsibility of the driver’s safety, as well as that of the passenger. Some general safety instructions to students of defensive driving include: assuming the worst situation, maintaining their presence, and driving at a moderate speed. Training focused on: fleet safety, principles of safety, emergency care, on-site emergency response training, and safety communication and training techniques. QG plant induction Plant includes any machinery, equipment, appliance, implement or tool. It also includes any component of the plant and anything fitted of connected to the plant. The plant were required to have legal operators, servicing specifications, kept records for servicing, inspections and adjustments, safe operating procedures, repairs and maintenance performed by competent persons, emergency stop handles, testing of safety and warning devices regularly and clearly marked functional and operational controls. In order to reduce incidences of risk and injury from plant operations, the following controls were proposed: 1. Worker training and instructions on safe operation of plant 2. Guards were in place prior to operation and defects or problems reported to the supervisor 3. Tools were maintained in good condition and inspected prior to use. Any faults found were reported immediately 4. The plant and equipment were maintained as per the set of schedule from the manufacturer. Only trained and qualified persons were to conduct maintenance 5. The ‘no children’ and ‘no passenger’ policies applied. Power tools training COORDINATION This was done through weekly coordination meetings with all supervisors. Weekly safety talks were also carried out. The regular audits were carried out with participation of health, safety and environment. Safety talk in progress 2.1.6 Operators and Equipment Certification In the construction activities, various machineries and equipment are used. These include excavators, shovels, compactors, damping trucks and graders. Upon first arrival on site, they were subjected to 100% vehicle and equipment assessment. All power tools were color code tagged for certification every month. Third party certification was done for all lifting gears and equipment. Third party competency certification was also done for the equipment operators. Inspection and certification 2.1.7 Other Highlights To ensure continued adherence to the health, safety and environment plan, several other strategies were used. These included: Improvement of display using flyers and posters. This ensured that the workers were constantly reminded of the importance of particularly health and safety. Increasing worker participation in matters of health, safety and environment Explanations were made of hazards or risks of upcoming activities All observations made on matters related to safety and health were shared Numerous training sessions were conducted. 2.2.0 Diaphragm Wall In the Doha project phase 2 and 3, underground utilities like service vehicle access and those for accommodating car parking were many. The situation led to a lot of excavation works being done in the project. There was need for installing an earth retention system in order to carry out the excavation activities with safety and ease. Diaphragm walls are suitable for sites where there are obstructions in the ground preventing sheet piles from being driven and where the occurrence of ground water makes the use of other methods of support unfavorable. (Chew and Lin, 2009; Ammico, 2010) 800mm thick diaphragm walls had been proposed for cut-off and earth retention where depth of excavation from top level of the wall was greater than 11.5m. The diaphragm wall was constructed using the slurry trench technique which involved the excavation of the 800mm wide trench in 2.8m long panels that were kept full of bentonite slurry. The purpose of the bentonite slurry was to exert hydraulic pressure against the trench walls as well as to cake the wall and thereby preventing collapse of the soil. Properties of the Bentonite Slurry Support the excavation by exerting hydrostatic pressure on the wall. Provide, almost instantaneously, a membrane with low permeability. Suspend sludgy layers building up in the excavated base. Allow clean displacement by concrete, with no subsequent interference with the bond between reinforcement and the set concrete. (Chew and Lin,2009) Various equipments were used in the construction of the diaphragm wall. These included trench cutters, desanding equipment and bentonite mixing, storage and conveying units. 2.2.1 Construction The working sequence for the construction of the diaphragm wall has the following steps: a) Guide wall construction Guide walls were constructed for the following reasons: To provide guidance for correct alignment of the panel excavation To prevent collapsing of the soil near the surface To provide temporary reinforcement of the steel cage Stability of the upper trench that could be affected by the vertical surcharge induced by the trench cutter and other heavy equipment Support for the vertical loads Imposed by the reinforcement cages suspended off the top of the guide wall The walls were constructed such that the inner guide wall trench face was in alignment with the inner side of the diaphragm wall. Trenching of the wall was carried out, care being taken that the trench face of the guide wall was truly vertical and that there were no ridges or abrupt changes. Plywood shutters were used to form a continuous wall to guide. Spacing was maintained at 850mm and the shutters were kept vertical using a plumb bob. The alignment and verticality of the shuttering was checked then concreting done. The concrete was cured for three days then the inside space of the guide wall backfilled with excavated soil and compacted with hammers. Concreting the guide wall b) Pre-excavation It is important for circulation of bentonite to be established before the machine starts excavation of the trench. This is necessary for the cutter to operate. The cutter’s mud pump is located above the cutting wheels and to prime the pump, it should be fully submerged in bentonite fluid. Thus pre-excavation of the trench was done to around 3m using a hydraulic excavator. The trench was immediately filled with bentonite slurry to prevent collapse of soil. Bentonite slurry filling trench c) Panel excavation After pre-excavation was complete, panel excavation proceeded using a trench cutter which had a width of 800mm and a length of 2800mm. excavation was carried out to the design depth, then two additional bites were excavated to full depth. Using this multi-bite procedure, it was possible to form panels of 6.1m to 8m width. The length and layout of the individual panels depends on the geometry of the structure. Verticality of the trench was measured in the panel axis and perpendicular to the axis using two independent inclinometer systems mounted on the trench cutter. Likewise, properties of bentonite such as density, viscosity, sand content and pH were continuously monitored during drilling and prior to installation of steel reinforcement cage. Excavation of panels d) Placement of spacer beams and steel reinforcement cages Upon completion, replacement of the slurry with fresh bentonite and verification of the depth of the panel, steel spacer beams were placed on two sides of the borehole and hung vertically on the guide wall from the sides. Spacer beams were 4.5m less than the panel depth. At least 75mm were left on each side of the borehole to ensure safe and trouble-free placement of the steel cage in the borehole. Pre-fabricated steel reinforcement cages were then lifted and placed in the excavated panels. Fixing of steel cage e) Concreting of panel and removal of spacer beams Concreting of the borehole was done using a metal hopper into a rigid leak proof tremie pipe. The concrete was placed in the slurry-filled trench, displacing the slurry from the bottom and rising in such a manner that mixing of concrete and slurry does not occur. Concreting was continued until uncontaminated concrete flew out of the top of the guide wall. Throughout the process, it was ensured that the tip of the tremie remained buried at least 2m in concrete head throughout the concrete placement. The spacer beams and panel joint pipes were removed just before initial setting of the concrete. Unless retarders were used, panel joint pipes were removed not later than 45 minutes after the start of the concrete placement. The bentonite slurry displaced during the concreting was pumped to the desanding plant for recycling. During the concreting operation, actual concrete consumption was compared against the theoretical concrete consumption for various depths. This comparison was used to evaluate if excess over-sectioning had occurred during drilling of the panel and also if any collapse had occurred. 2.2.2 Installation of Ground Anchors Deep retaining walls supporting excavations of 13-70m require multiple layers of removable tie-back ground anchors to take imposed soil and ground water pressures. After construction of a diaphragm wall over a length of 30-40m, excavation of the inner wall was carried out to design depth of the layer of ground anchors. Pipe sleeves at the correct elevation, angle and spacing were pre-placed in the steel reinforcement cage at the time of installation of the diaphragm wall. Drilling for anchors was carried out through the pipe sleeves using a micro piling rig. Air was used as a flushing out medium. Drilling was done carefully to ensure that the correct angle of inclination and depth are obtained. Subsequently, anchors were inserted into the borehole together with grout tube in the middle. Grout of adequate strength was injected through the tube to form a strong frictional bond between the anchor and the surrounding rock. After the grout has gained adequate strength, bearing plates were placed on the face of the pipe sleeve. They were then stressed against the plate to proof test the anchors and achieve rigid tie back with minimal movement of the diaphragm wall during subsequent excavation process (GeoProfound, 2013; Ammico, 2010) Anchor drilling 3.0 Conclusion My attachment at Ammico contracting company was an eye opener. I learned a lot about the practical applications of civil engineering and how they are integrated from the theoretical aspect of civil engineering. The attachment period enabled me to work on projects that included excavation, building of diaphragm walls, shoring works, earth moving and pile testing. I contributed to the work on these projects by actively participating in some while in others I observed the procedure keenly. I tried to utilize all the theoretical skills I had learned at in lectures and through support from personnel of Ammico contracting company; I was able to understand their practical application. The health and safety section of the company made me realize how important safety practices and procedures in civil works. During this period I also came to understand the codes of practice used in civil engineering. Learning the codes of practice utilized in this company made me realize the importance of setting policy and guidelines as it is done at Ammico. Insurance for workers, equipment and premises was another important lesson as well as intellectual property and quality assurance practices. It was a worthwhile endeavor that opened up new aspects of civil engineering that were otherwise unknown to me. 4.0 References Ammico, 2010, Heart of Doha development project phase 2 & 3- enabling works: job safety analysis, Doc. No. ACC/HOD/JSA/AID/Rev 00 Ammico, 2010, Method Statement for Plastering of Diaphragm Wall, Doc. Ref.: ACC/DCCT/PDW-01 Rev 01 Ammico, 2010, Preliminary Method Statement for earth retention system: heart of Doha development project, PHASE 2 & 3, Doc. Ref.: ACC/HOD/RMS Rev 00 Bennett, L.F., The management of construction: A Project Life cycle Approach, London: Taylor & Francis CDC, 2012, Centers for disease control and prevention, available at< http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/heatstress/> Chew, M. Y. L. & Lin, M.C Y., 2009, Construction Technology for Tall buildings, 3rd edition, Singapore: World Scientific Doha insurance, 2013, engineering insurance, available at GAO, 1995, Environmental Auditing: A Useful Tool that can Improve Environmental performance and reduce costs, Darby: DIANE Publishing Company Geoprofound, 2013, Installation & stressing of permanent ground anchor, available at IPR, 1999, Intellectual property, available at IRMI, 2013, Casuality insurance, available at< http://www.irmi.com/online/insurance-glossary/terms/c/casualty-insurance.aspx> ITC, 2013, work fatigue policy and heat stress prevention procedures, Medilineplus, 2013,Health insurance, available at Telford, T., 1995, Total project management of construction safety, health and environment: 2nd edition, London: European construction institute Woodside, G., 1997, Environmental, Safety, and Health Engineering, New Jersey: John Wiley & sons 5.0 Appendix B Reflective field notes Situation I had a problem in using portable fire extinguishers Task To use a portable fire extinguisher Action I had a problem with putting out an experimental fire when being inducted on firefighting methods. This was resolved only after the fire safety officer showed me how to correctly handle the fire extinguisher Result The fire extinguisher worked after further instructions lessons I learnt that it is always important to read the instructions on the fire extinguisher before actually starting to use it. The steps in putting out a fire are: first, pull the pin that at the top end of the extinguisher Aim the fire extinguisher at the base of the fire. The extinguisher should never be aimed directly at the flame. The next step would be to squeeze the lever/handle of the extinguisher carefully and steadily The extinguisher is then swept from side to side until the fire is put out. It is important to note the safest distance between the fire and your position before trying to extinguish it. I learnt and became familiar with the different classes of fire. They included class A extinguishers for normal combustibles, class B extinguishers for liquid fire, class C for electrical equipment while class D extinguishers are used on fires on metals. Situation Installing piezometers Task Lowering a grout pipe together with a piezometer Action Helped to lower the grout pipe and backfilled the whole borehole with a shrinking grout Result We were able to monitor pore pressure, monitor ground water movement and the stability of natural and artificial slopes. learnt Learnt a lot in the installation process. The piezometer translates the pressure of water to frequency signal through a diaphragm together with a tensional wire. A change in water pressure on the diaphragm leads to an alteration in wire tension. Calibration factors are applied to convert the frequency (Hz) readings to engineering standard units During installation, the piezometer should be carefully hamdled and incase of cold conditions, it should not be left to freeze. Instead of forming a zone of sand around the piezometer with a bentonite seal above it, the grouting method is used. This method removes the need of the zone of sand. I also learnt that cables should be treated with extreme care. This is to make sure that they are not destroyed by traffic or rodents. As the cables used were many, it was also necessary to mark the ables so as to be able to identify them later Situation A collapse occurred during excavation Task To make an Excavation adjacent to a diaphragm wall Action A bucket mounted on an excavator is used to cut through the soil and rock and shovel the soil off the surface Result we stopped material falling into the excavation before restarting the excavation afresh learnt I learnt the importance of safety practices before and during civil work. Company records showed several other cases of excavation collapse in their history that had led to injuries. Every ground should be provided with enough support during all types of excavations. A small area can provide a very large load.1 meter cubed of soil weighs as much as a tone hence safety precautions should be taken to constrain its movement during excavation. The experience also taught me that however much precautions we put in place, nature is fickle and accidents can occur any time. Emergency procedures should always be provided for in case of an accident at the work place. All control measures undertaken at the start of an excavation exercise should be reviewed when the process is under way. Situation Helping the construction crew to place steel mesh in the excavated soil face before shortcreting Task Steel mesh placed on the face of the excavated embankment holds the shortcrete. We were required to drill holes and install earth anchors too Action Placing steel mesh against the excavated embankment face and installing earth anchors Result The steel mesh was successfully installed and the anchors placed in the drilled holes learnt Shortcreting is more cost effective than soldier piling, sheet piling and lagging. When installing earth anchors, the rods should be coated with epoxy. This prevents rust and corrosion. The procedures of shortcreting should be adhered to strictly because they are not interchangeable. The rods are installed first before grout is poured into the holes. To reduce the effects of hydraulic pressure formed by groundwater behind the wall, drains are installed along the embankment. This conveys the water to weep holes that are in the shortcreted wall which will also convey water to drainage holes. Additional Appendices Equipment directly used or observed during my attachment was: Piling and drilling equipment include; diaphragm wall cutters, hydraulic rotary rigs, pile drivers, cranes include crawler cranes and mobile cranes micro drilling rigs hydraulic drawler drills, hydraulic anchor drills. Earth moving equipment that we utilized include: mobile impact crushers, Tesmec trench machines, excavators, wheel loaders, shovel loaders, vibratory rollers and hand compactors. Other equipment that we used at the workplace include welding generators, jack hammers (vibratory and pneumatic), air compressors, mobile concrete pumps, drilling buckets and augers, concrete buckets, submersible pumps, surveying theodolites and prestressing equipment Read More