Occupational Safety and Health of a Particular Building Construction - Essay Example

Mind map or concept map According to OH&S, there are many issues involved in the construction of a typical two-storied building in Australia. The first and foremost issue according to the guidelines given in the booklet on OH&S relate to the type of building that has to be constructed over a site (http://www.civil.bcit.ca/edufacts/edufacts.html). The social, economic, technical and environmental codes have to be observed while planning a building on a particular site. The architects are required to see whether the building to be constructed is of commercial nature, residential purpose, educational building or a recreational center. It means that planning for a house, a shopping plaza, a school or college, an office complex or a cinema have different dimensions of site selection and environmental aspects. Occupational, health and safety issues not only start when the architecture of a building has already been completed but, these considerations start before the building is conceptually cleared (www.buildingconstructionguide.net/). Therefore, each and every type of building has to be selected for a particular site with respect to its social and technical, occupational, health and safety hazards. When simply put, it means that the commercial buildings cannot be constructed in a residential area and vice versa. Therefore, the basic guidance in the booklet determines the site as to where a particular building has to be allowed for construction. The codes of municipalities and local government are very clear on these aspects (http://www.architectureweek.com/). Occupational, health and safety with respect to this very particular aspect has its external dimensions for the community. Where, such a building is proposed to be built. All the residents in the surrounding buildings are also the stakeholders of this OH&S issue. Hence, it can be said that OH&S of a particular building construction conceptually involves the external stakeholders for the architect and not only had those who would be later on involved in the building construction. The second and most important aspect of a building construction hazard elimination issue is of very technical nature (http://www.teachingtools.com/Slinky/feats.html). When the site has been selected, the soil has to be tested for its load bearing capacity. The structure and texture of soil is determined to seek the final decision, as to how much and what kind of materials need to be used. Then, the architect will lay down the map of the building keeping in view the purpose of the building, its occupancy, its duration of use and particular building materials to be used. Every kind of building has a particular kind of material and basic determinants called BOQ called Bills of Quantity for the materials (http://architecture.about.com/cs/buildyourhouse/). The BOQs include in detail each and every step of construction with the quantity of the material and all the details of work hours that need for completion of different tasks of construction materials (http://architecture.about.com/cs/buildyourhouse/). The nature of materials, their quantities used and time allocated for the construction determines the extent of health and safety hazards for the building engineers, masons, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and laborers. At the stage of architecture the building and its strength with respect to sustainability of hazards like earthquake, electric shocks, and fire incidents are also determined. This is the very basic stage on which health and safety hazards issues of not only the building constructors and its maintenance staff are catered for but also in the long run, the residents, users and occupants are as well taken care of. Inspection report The environmental, technical and social impact assessment of the construction of a building is also very important. The architects have to see whether the construction of a particular two-storied building in a particular area has to positively or negatively impact the social and environmental setup of the particular area. The building should not only be internally safe but it should also add to the social enhancement and environmental soundness of the area (http://home.howstuffworks.com/house.htm). It should add to the beauty of the landscape and not to undermine the beauty of the area, thus by looking very unique. At least from the outset the building must not look odd rather it should add to the continuous tapestry of the already existing buildings and its outer gate and four walls should never be stretched out in such a way that it encroaches on the road, pavement or streets used by the others. It is essential that the required amount of space should be left on the streets as its being done by the other houses or buildings in the street or area. As far as the internal permanent issues of OH&S of the building construction are concerned, there is a very big list concerning the ultimate occupants of the building. The building users need to be safe, protected, and healthy and risk free in the building as far as they are inside the building. This is only possible when the building is risk free from all points of consideration (Center to Protect Workers' Rights (CPWR)). Only a building which is very properly and professionally laid out can ensure safety of its occupants. The strength of materials used the lay out plan of different rooms and apartments in the building, the proper aeration, ventilation and illumination is the basic necessity. The building has to be naturally humidity and temperature controlled. This can be made sure by the use of wood, plastic and glass structures in the cement and concrete provisions. The checklist of risk areas reported in the inspection report of a typical building and can be enumerated as below. The soil on which the building is to constructed upon should be firm enough and strong to hold the load of building (http://www.builderweb.com/). The foundations should be stronger, well built and of standard measurements filled with stone, cement, concrete, steel. The breadth and depth of the foundations should not only be exactly according to the layout plan of the building map but it should ensure that the materials used in the foundations should be according to the specifications given in the architecture plan of the building (http://www.cpwr.com/). Since, the whole building has to stand on the foundation; no risk should be left unattended particularly of seepage of rain or draining waters from outside. Usually at the DPC level, the plastic insulation sheets are used to ensure prevention of seepage into the foundation part of the building. The masonry work has to be integrated with plumbing, electrician and carpenter works at this stage. In order to make the foundations of the building free from the risk of collapse of the building in the event of an earthquake, fire or flood etc, the strength of the building is determined according to the strength of foundations (http://www.codecheck.com/). Second in the checklist comes the risk of lifting the walls. This has to be ensured from the foundation stage that RCC pillars of appropriate strength, size and length are integrated into the foundations around which the brick work is done. RCC pillars contain steel rods reinforced with concrete and cement gravel in such a way that the foundations, walls and roof become one and a whole structure. In a typical two storied building these pillars go from the foundation up to the second roof. The doors, windows, balconies and ventilators are arranged in the building map in such a way that these provisions not only serve for the passage of the occupants, light and air into and out of building but also add to the further strength of the whole building and its beautification. Another bigger risk area in the building plan is provision of clean water connection, gas connection, electricity connections and sewerage pipes. All these provisions have not only to be well separated from each other but also put in such a safe and professional way in the building so that on permanent basis these provision do not intermingle with each other (http://www.energycodes.gov/). Implementation of control measures This is only possible when the workers and experts are called in an appropriate foundation stage of the building and they lay down their pipes and equipment in a satisfactory manner under the very supervision of building engineer. The qualities of these pipes and equipments at this stage can never be compromised because of embedment of these services with the building. As said earlier the concrete pillars are done with the brick work of the walls, doors windows and ventilators in different rooms and apartments of the building with the above said provision of services. Before going further with the construction of building it is always appropriate that the quality test of the materials used in the form of foundations, RCC walls, electric, gas, plumbing, sewerage works should be carried out and any replacements if needed should immediately be done (http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/dob/home.html). In a typical two storied building at the first floor the roof is made of appropriate RCC strength with columns of steel rods and wires filled with steel wires and cement, sand gravel materials with appropriate quantity of water and left for more than 24 hours to retain its strength. Similar, but of little less strength work is done at the second roof. It is again to be remembered that the provisions for electric pipes has to be made in both of the roofs and all the walls. Before starting the plaster work the wooden work, aluminum, plastic and glass work needs to be completed along with electrification of the building. In almost every room the kitchen and the drawing room, provisions for a proper gas connection, electric installations, water and sewerage supply has to be ensured. Smoke alarms have to be installed in kitchen and in the other rooms also. When the flooring of the building is done in a way that it’s should be user friendly and not very cost effective. Communications and education programs The most important of building construction aspect is its safety from risks of earthquakes, rains, floods, lightening, electric and fire incidents etc. besides ensuring all the above risks, properly illuminated, it is very important that the entry and exit areas of the building including the stairways should be clear, broader and wider enough without any obstruction (http://ci.alexandria.va.us/city/codeenforcement/1_2_2_1.html). These were all measures to be checked in an inspection report but still there are too many inside and outside hazards of occupation involved for the workers while working on the construction of a typical building. While discussing these risks in a checklist, this is worth mentioning that a bigger green canvas screen should cover the whole area building so that the people in the surrounding areas and passerby must know and understand that construction work is under way within the covered area. Usually this covered screen also protects the surrounding areas from unnecessary noise and dust created by the machinery in the construction site of the building. This is particularly important at the stage of excavation of the foundations and roof works when the materials have to be lifted from the ground and provided at the higher altitude of roofs and ceilings. Anyway it has to make sure that enough laborers, masons, and expert engineers are engaged by the contractor (http://www.constructioneducation.com/). The working staff must use the head, foot and hand gears with proper working uniforms in order to keep themselves away from injuries. It is also important that the timings of work for the construction staff of a building should be appropriate. All the staff must be financially ensured. And they should not be left to exploitation right from the foundation stage up to the final touches of the building (http://www.homebuildingmanual.com/Glossary.htm). Therefore, on the basis of above information on practical steps of risks involved in the construction a building a very well educational and informational program can be chalked out. At the college level the students must be introduced to the methods of preparing building plans on particulars sites in accordance with the use of proposed buildings like school, hospital, shopping plaza, house or an office complex etc. the students should also be exposed to the knowledge of lands, site and soils and their categories with respect to the fitness for erecting buildings on them (http://construction.about.com/). The building maps in collaboration with architectural designs should make a part of educational syllabus at the college level. They should know how to locate a kitchen, rooms, stairs, bathrooms, outer walls, main gates and open spaces in the building. The fitting of water, electricity, gas and sewerage provisions should make a part of this course. The building materials like cement, concrete, steel, bricks, alluminium, glass, wood and plastic according to their resistance categories should also be made a part of this education program. Risks involved in the construction of building from occupational point of view like that of construction engineer, draftsmen, architect, electrician, plumber, mason, carpenter, laborer and the professional elimination of such risks should also be made a part of this course. While constructing a building both the internal and external factors have to be catered for elimination of risks in this process. References 1. http://www.civil.bcit.ca/edufacts/edufacts.html 1. www.buildingconstructionguide.net/   2. http://www.architectureweek.com/ 3. http://www.teachingtools.com/Slinky/feats.html 4. http://www.b4ubuild.com/ 5. http://architecture.about.com/cs/buildyourhouse/ 6. http://home.howstuffworks.com/house.htm 7. http://www.builderweb.com/ 8. Center to Protect Workers' Rights (CPWR) 9. http://www.cpwr.com/ 10. http://www.codecheck.com/ 11. http://www.energycodes.gov/ 12. http://www.ci.nyc.ny.us/html/dob/home.html 13. http://ci.alexandria.va.us/city/codeenforcement/1_2_2_1.html 14. http://www.constructioneducation.com/ 15. http://www.homebuildingmanual.com/Glossary.htm 16. http://construction.about.com/ 17. http://www.constructionplus.co.uk/ Read More