Civil Engineering Management: Excavation Project - Case Study Example

Leeds Metropolitan University Civil Engineering Civil Engineering Management A Assignment 2 Planning, Method Statements and Contracts Description of the project, This is an Excavation project with multiple factors .it involves a power line hence must involve the power company. I also involve the gas company due to the underground high-pressure gas pipeline and the railway line company together with the road construction departments. The underground high-pressure pipe and electrical power cables electrical cables are able to disrupt power and gas supply when the excavation begins and shows how to locate underground high-pressure gas pipe. The project involves the excavation and removal old railway embankment adjacent without damaging the canal and ensuring safety for the canal. It must ensure there is no danger to workers from the electricity with a high voltage line hence the power company will be involved through the electrical works contractor in this project. And high pressure gas main crossing the site (Fig. 1). The operation involves 2 number 360° slew tracked excavators loading a fleet of 10 eight-wheel tipper trucks. The trucks then cross a main road and take the excavated material to a landfill site. Works sequence First the contractor will do an assessment survey on overhead cables or buried cables services to explore and discovered within the site the hazards and risks. Secondly the survey is analysed and recommendations on safety management including traffic signage’s on roads. Third is to get information on services and explore how to disconnect them e.g. gas pipe, the power line. We will use cable detection tool for any additional underground cables in addition to overhead cables. The next step wills e to mark service locations at the site at ground level. At the gas pipe we will use hand digging measures to avoid gas leakage by the use of the excavators. As the high-pressure gas pipeline and high voltage power line are considered special risks to this project, they will have special separate risk assessment reports for the project. It will be necessary to work near or under these overhead lines, and therefore they will demand a specific safety procedure. The project will not approach within 6 metres of any overhead cables mounted on steel pylons unless: clearance is permitted by the Power Company and confirmation in writing and in case there fitting with height restrictors. Work can be done the lines are live, by using a 3-ton mini-digger with a maximum boom height that cannot approach to within 2.5 metres of the cables. All work near overhead electric cables will be carried out after due consideration of the advice by the groundwork’s supervisor The electrical engineer to survey the site for safety recommendations, The gas company for gas pipeline engineering to survey the high-pressure gas pie to recommend safety precautions for works These recommendations will ensure the specific days or hours when both the high pressure gas pipeline as well as the electricity lines are switched off or excavation near these utilities is supervised closely and even equipment of excavation varied to avoid any dangerous damage to has pipe as well as electricity power lines. Resources These include drivers for the tippers, the tipper trucks, time resource, excavators (earthmovers), electrical contractors resources, plumbing resources for the gas company, Assessment of significant risks, There are significant risks which include injury to employee, damage to electric power lines, danger to gas pipeline underground, road traffic accidents as site in along a busy roundabout and road, these are called site risks. Signage I a good risk prevention tools as it warns road users of the activities of road excavations. We need to assessment of Hazards, Pits & Man Holes etc… The way the Performing will be performed is a risk indicator. The completion date of project gives us a way of assessing risk up to a specific time frame of the project. Our assessment of these risk factors will enable us to predict in advance the likelihood of particular risks in undertaking this excavation project. This is crowned by conducting a preconstruction risk survey of the site. Controls There is a reasonable method of ensuring safety in excavations for example by use of battering or benching. .The project manager will ensure the erection and maintenance safety at the site barrier. There will experience supervisory personnel. To monitor the excavation ands ensure all safety and controls are in place while the project is in operation. Personal Protective Equipment. Safety head gears, apron, Safety shoes and toe-protectors. There is no non-official entry to the site. There will be high visibility clothing for every employee at the site. This is good for weather conditions. A respiratory, eyes earrings protective clothing to be used where necessary the supervisor to ensure the use of PPE by every one. Part 3 Professionals in a NEC3 Engineering and Construction Contract (ECC) There many roles, responsibilities, and lines of communication through the whole project life cycle. These arte exemplified in the descriptions of project cycle relationships They include civil engineered, electrical experts, project manager, project designers, clerks of works, adjudicators, legal contractors, employers and supervisors. Civil engineers The civil engineer have professional in railway and road constructions and technical experts. Legal contractors These serve the role of legal advisers as this project will involve many external entities like the power line company, the road involve the road transport and communications, the Gas pipeline will involve the energy government department and the gas company, the bridge and the railway implies many issues will be at play here. These range from project managers, electrical engineer, gas experts and water engineer. Sometimes the roles of the Project Manager, designers and Supervisor may integrate. The employer can also assign his employees the role of project manager, designer and supervisor However, the role of adjudicator can either be put together with others nor done by employee. Roles and Responsibilities of the Project Manager From his own staff or from the contract may appoint project manger. To manage the entire project until it is completed on behalf of the employer. Appointment is done in feasibility study of the project. The manager is like internal consultant the employer. Other responsibilities of the manager involve procurement of design, and estimations of costs and farm as well as alternative options. Manager needs particular authority due to the responsibility to ensure that all the approvals are given in time to compliance purposes. Manager has authority to change the work, or instruct the Contractor. Designers Employer appoints designer over several designers’ indifferent areas of specialization. The role involves developing designs to meet the Employer's objectives in order to invite construction tenders. They provide a performance and standards for design and specific materials It is clear that the project Manager is must get advice from designer The Supervisor Employers can appoint a supervisor fro the employees or externally. The main role is his role is to ensure works are constructed in accordance with the main contract. We may compare this role with the resident engineers architect with assistants in from of inspector or clerk of works. The clerk of works sometimes perform this role, any dispute action by the Supervisor can be referred by the Contractor to the Adjudicator for solutions. The Adjudicator This is jointly appointed by both Employer and the Contractor for the contract. Employers insert their choice of Adjudicator in part one of the Contract Data. In case of disagreement on choice of adjudicator, they discuss further and agree before Contract Date. Several names, may be [proposed and the successful tendered is then requested to select one among the list. Other Employers normally request the tenderers themselves to propose their own names. The Adjudicator role is to solve disputes within time limits, which are spelled out. If the Parties do not accept decision son disputes, they move to the tribunal for arbitration or the courts. The Adjudicator's fee is shared equally by the Parties. Finally, roles of the Project Manager, designers and Supervisor are sometimes integrated when the objectives of the Employer are served by so doing. Similarly, any or all of these three roles may be taken by employees of the Employer. The adjudicators role can neither be combined with another role nor taken by an employee Of the Employer. References Eggleston,B.(2006)The NEC 3 Engineering and Construction Contract: A Commentaqry,2nd Edition,revised,Wiley-Blackwell,Great Britain. Eggleston,B.(2009)Liquidated Damages and Extensions of Time: In Construction Contracts,Edition 3,Wiley-Blackwell, Great Britain. Doebelin,E (1995) Engineering experimentation: planning, execution, reporting, McGraw-Hill series in mechanical engineering, McGraw-Hill international editions,UK Marsh,C. (1999) Engineering Life-Cycle Cost Comparison Study of Barrier Fencing Systems AD-a360 954, DIANE Publishing, USA NEC,(2005)NEC 3 Complete Box Set of 23 Documents.3rd Edition,Thomas Telford, Great Britain. NEC,(2005)NEC3 engineering and construction contract: an NEC document. Guidance notes,NEC3, Institution of Civil Engineers Thomas Telford,Great Britain. NEC,(2005),Volume 8 of NEC3 Engineering and construction contract, Institution of Civil Engineers,Thomas Telford, Great Britain United States. General Accounting Office, (2003) Highway infrastructure: perceptions of stakeholders on approaches to reduce highway project completion time: report to the ranking minority member, Committee on Environment and Public Works, U.S. Senate, DIANE Publishing, USA. United States. General Accounting Office (2003): perceptions of stakeholders on approaches to reduce highway project completion time: DIANE Publishing, USA Read More