Erection and Construction Procedure - Coursework Example

Erection and Construction Procedure ‎  Scope The scope of the study lies within the establishment of the causes of accidents in the construction industry. As researches have shown, many workers have died and others left injured when the structures they are constructing collapse or shift. Many of the constructions today, be it bridges, houses or even tunnels, are characterized by pressure due to the time limit and financial constrains. The objective of the study is to demonstrate the laid down policies and procedures designed for constructions. This study also looks into the safety measures which ensure that the workers in these projects are safe. There are well laid down standards for any structure, which ensure the safety of the structures and the workers. The study discusses the erection and construction procedure from the designing stage up to the completion stage. Purpose The principal purpose or the objective of this study is to establish the driving forces behind collapses and shifts in the structures. It seeks to establish the recommended procedures for construction of various structures and the guidelines provided to ensure the safety of the workers. The intent of this paper is to give a clear procedure of how structures are supposed to be built right from the design stage up to the completion stage. The paper also intends to explore the regulations governing the construction industry in Britain. The paper also seeks to explain various logistics put in place by various organizations concerned with the safety and health of the workers. The Procedure Design and Planning It is essential to note from the onset that the initial step of any construction work is the design. Designing of a construction work is the act of creating a new facility which is represented by a series of steps and specifications. The series of steps explains the activities and materials required for the whole construction. The engineers and architects who are involved in the design and the planning process must well be aware of what the project requires, and they must be an experienced team. During this design stage, the engineers designing any structure must give a list or a breakdown of materials required for the purpose of undertaking the whole project (Pallotta 169). The process of designing has to be completed before the process of erection begins. The process of undertaking any construction project requires all the parties to work in unison and cooperation. Regulations Any construction project is subject to extensive regulation within the framework of Health and Safety at work which must be adhered to. The supervisors, engineers and managers working on the site should be aware of all the regulations and ensure that they are observed to the letter. The site on which any construction work is to be carried out must not have negative effects to the environment. The relevant authorities survey the site and ensure that it is conducive and does not pose any hazards for the construction of any structure. Project implementers These are the people or organizations which are held responsible for the management of the construction project. Most of the construction works are given out as contracts to contractors; and the project team selected depends on the contract, it may be public or private. The project team is mainly made of the customer, who decides what he wants, supervises the work and pays for the project. The second person involved is the designer; he designs the structure and oversees its construction. The principal contractor oversees the whole project and also the health and safety of the construction site. These management team will most of the times use sub contractors and other consultants to help them deliver their duties. The contractor of the project should be based in the construction site throughout the construction process, but the designer, though he has roles in the construction site, is not always there. Steelwork Contractor Most of the structure being erected uses steel metal and there is a steelwork contactor who is given that work. The steelwork contractor is responsible for the erection of steel on the site and might work from his head office and only appears on the site during the erection process. The erection process is a difficult process involving heavy materials and lifting operations, and its method is determined by the structure required and also the construction process. The steelwork contractor can appoint a manager who should be a qualified engineer with the relevant experience to be his representative on the site. The manager works hand in hand with the designer to ensure that the steelwork erection process is successful to the end. Initial Construction Meeting Before the construction process begins, the representatives of the involved teams in the construction process have to hold a meeting and review the construction process. During this meeting, the main contractor sheds light on the requirements of the project and they also agree what each party will provide. The teams also discuss the erection process, hiring of workers and how the materials will be acquired. The construction process must be one which comes up with a quality structure which is safe for the workers and friendly to the environment. The teams also discuss how the coordination between them will be efficient and how communication will be to enhance the success of the work. Organization of the Work For the construction work to be successful the teams on the site must work together, and communication between them must be highly efficient. For instance, the chief contractor and the steelwork contractor are dependent on each other and ones work depends on the progress of the other. Organization of work is necessary and has to be realistic, and every team should understand its duties on the site. The organization of the work should put into consideration the aspect of time which is dictated by the resources available and the quality of the construction required. Competence of the Teams in the Construction Site The client of any construction project has the responsibility to appoint a project team which is competent in design and construction. The people appointed to carry out the projects should be competent, qualified and have the required experience to handle the job. The Erection and Construction Process The principal contractor prepares the site for the erection work to begin well before the personnel, materials and other plants needed for the erection process are mobilized. The steelwork contractor, before he begins his work has to provide the relevant information concerning the preparation of the site for the smooth flow of his work. The steelwork contractor provides a statement called the erection method statement for construction. This statement defines the flow of the erection process and the other activities which might come in between. If there any changed to be done on the site which might affect the erection, the principal contractor is held responsible to inform the steelwork contractor in a reasonable time to avoid any inconveniences (Sadler 122). Seven days prior to the commencement of the work, the steelwork contractors site manager, surveys the site with the principal contractor to ensure that everything is set for erection. As soon as the site manager accepts the site for erection, he has the mandate of starting the erection in the manner that it was planned. The manager follows a detailed plan for the work on the site which indicates the roles and responsibilities for the work. The site manger controlling the erection gets any support he needs from the head office be it materials, personnel or any safety advice. The site manager works in conjunction with the principal contactor updating him on the progress of the work. The site manager has to deliver the work within the stipulated time which requires close cooperation so that delays can be avoided. Health and Safety Health and safety at the structure being constructed are the greatest concern. The principal contractor, as earlier mentioned should ensure the project is safe and healthy. He prepares a safety and health plan before the work commences and the site manager together with the principal contractor works together during construction being guided by this plan. The major objective of health and safety plan is to ensure the safe access of the structure under construction and safe working positions. Secondly, the health and safety plan ensures the safe handling and laying of the steel metals. Many workers have died, and others left injured in construction sites when structures they are fabricating collapse or shift (Chudley 107). The safety plan ensures that the phases of the structure completed are stable and firm. The greatest accidents, which happen in the construction sites, are as a result of instable structures collapsing or workers falling from heights trying to gain access to these structures. Quality of the Structures The client in a construction project will have precise specifications, which have to be met by the contractor and validated by testing. The specifications given by the client are meant to ensure that the quality of the structure meets high standards. The quality of the structure depends on the materials used and any error may have dire consequences on the erection and construction process. The steelwork contractor produces the quality plans for the project which will range from the design work to the construction process. The client will appoint a third party inspection authority to approve the quality of the erection and construction process. The Environment The principal contractor is aware of the relation between the work at hand and the environment. The steelwork contractor should have an environmental policy since the work he undertakes directly affects the environment which also has its own constrains. The steelwork contractor should consider various factors as it relates to the environment; firstly, he should assess the environment and set his construction limits within the constraints of the environment. He should also consider waste disposal (Dodsworth 214). This should be clearly disposed not to pollute the surrounding environment. There should be management of the noise produced, dust and other pollutants from the construction site. USEPA (united stated environmental protection agency) gives the regulations concerning the environment on various issues. In the area of erection and construction, USEPA has branches which deal with construction and other engineering projects right from the preparation of the environment for the construction, waste disposal, water discharges and even release of lead. They give recommendations to the contractors on the best way to dispose the waste materials or recycle them. Runoff water carries debris and other materials from the construction site and, therefore, USEPA recommends that they clear their debris. Prearrangement The materials required for the construction process are assembled and prepared long before the real work started. The materials involved especially in the erection are extremely heavy materials and must be fabricated and either on the site or elsewhere and transported (Langdon 354). The materials for construction in the site are joined together either through welding or bolting. Bolting is preferred because it is faster and construction can proceed more quickly. The method selected for erection must deliver the expected results, and it is affected by such factor as weather and the personnel. Material Handling On the construction site, there are truly many materials apart from large and heavy equipments. These materials are required in the construction site for the facilitation of the construction process. The materials are not kept on the site and therefore; they require being transported to and from the site daily. The principal contractors must put so many things into consideration which include like working near railway lines, under power lines and working near highways. Works Cited Pallotta, Jerry. The Construction Alphabet Book. Watertown: Charlesbridge, 2006. Print. Chudley, Roy, and Roger Greeno. Building Construction Handbook. Oxford: Butterworth- Heinemann, 2008. Print. Dodsworth, Simon. The Fundamentals of Interior Design. Worthing: Ava Publishing, 2009. Print. Sadler, Ralf, et al. Handbook of Strategic Environmental Assessment. Columbia: UBC press, 2010. Print. Langdon, Davis. Civil Engineering and Highway Works. London: Spon Press, 2011. Print. Appendices Checklist CONTACT NAME: PROJECT TITLE: PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR: STEELWORK CONTRACTOR: SITE ADDRESS: Confirmed on the behalf of the principal contractor Name: Position: Signature: Date: Accepted on behalf of the steelwork contractor: Name: Position: Signature: Date: Environment Description Yes or no Notes any details of restriction of the site provided like noise or working hours Details of any protected habitats near the site given Preparatory works Suitable barriers to floods Temporary works in accordance with the erection scheme. Personnel Availability of welfare facilities Details of emergency services and details of emergency procedures Details and protection measures to other hazards to personnel have been provided. Read More