Author: blogger

The Key Elements Of A Good Construction Safety Plan

Posted on by blogger

Now, what, to you is the real benefit of looking for an online construction site safety plan? If you are looking for one for its proper use, you will be after one which puts the safety of your workforce to the fore. Sadly, many construction site safety plans are built with simple ease in mind. This is a terrifying thought, especially since we in the construction industry have so many fatalities.

Any good construction site safety plan should have, as its first and only priority, your workforces safety in mind. The goal of making the site managers life a little easier is one which too often gets involved in the search for a plan. Similarly, budgeting is something that factors in quite heavily, when really it shouldnt at all. The trouble is that both the ease of the site managers life, and the safety of the workforce can all be encompassed in one fell swoop, even at lower costing brackets.

What makes a good construction site safety plan, then? At its heart, it should be suitable for the management of all construction work. This word suitable is important here. Remember, this is the most important document in your safety planning, and unless it is utterly comprehensive, it is useless.

It should also aid the compliance with health and safety legislation. Sure, while this is an important element of the document, its by no means the be all. Even if it highlights the compliance with regulatory bodies, this in no way means that it it wholly suitable. A good test for this is whether you can buy one, and it still be applicable to a different site.

A construction site safety plan ensures that on site workers develop the awareness of risks in the workplace. It should also inform every member on the site of how to minimize the risks to themselves and their co-workers. If it fails to do this, it is near useless. Keep that in the fore of your brain if you are looking for a construction site safety plan.

Design and survey information should be in evidence, which means any number of appropriate schematics, sketches and architectural drawings. The locale should be detailed here as well, which may include local amenities, stores, materials, hazards and local infrastructure. A fire safety plan should also be present, as its probably the single most important aspect of fire safety.

Its very important for any construction site safety plan, or indeed documentation relating to construction safety, that it is written in plain English. The addition of legislation and regulatory laguage has little or no validity on a construction site. Indeed, this is one of the most frustrating aspects of construction legislation. When we, as construction workers, use language which is as pragmatic as possible, very often the Safety and Health legislation concerning us is filled with little of intelligible worth. Remember to look out for this plain english in any literature to do with this document.

A construction site safety plan is entirely for the safety of the site, not the ease of the site manager.

Construction Industry In Kazakhstan Fostered By Government-initiated Programmes

Posted on by blogger

One of the most prominent programmes prepared by the government is the State Programme on Forced Industrial-Innovative Development for 2010-2014, the main aim of which is to diversify the economy and increase its competitiveness. The programme calls for the expansion of several sectors, such as chemicals, nuclear and manufacturing, and to this effect, numerous investment projects are being implemented. Within the programme, 227 industrial plants and facilities have already been completed, at a total cost of $6.2bn. In turn, within the Road Map programme, 1,535 social system facilities were renovated in 2009-2010 as well as 2,634 educational facilities, 764 healthcare facilities, 119 sports facilities, and 361 cultural facilities. This led to an 18.6% increase in the value of renovation and reconstruction works in 2010.
However, government support was not sufficient to counterbalance the reduction in volumes of private sector investment. As a result, there was a reduction in the volumes of both residential and non-residential buildings, with housing construction being the most severely affected. The share of residential construction work as a proportion of the total volume of construction output in Kazakhstan fell from 19.3% in 2007 to 5.8% in 2009. In 2010, there was a slight increase in housing construction value, but the figure was still 62% lower than the figure in 2007, when this market area reached its peak. Overall, construction output grew by 1% last year and a similar growth rate was seen in the first half of 2011.

The total value of investment in residential construction decreased by 2% in 2010, though this could be considered mild in comparison with the 41% decline observed in 2009. State support continues to be provided and, coupled with increased volumes of loans, hope of a recovery on the residential construction market in Kazakhstan is strong. In the first half of 2011, the value of capital investment in the sector increased by 24.3%, with almost half of the total investment coming from the Kazakh people. Another positive sign of an ongoing revival on the residential market is that the number of buy/sale transactions has increased substantially, which indicates that demand for housing is back and strong. Housing development will also continue to be supported by the government and substantial amounts have been allocated for this purpose through the 2011-2014 housing construction programme.

This press release is based on information contained in the latest PMR report entitled Construction sector in Kazakhstan 2011 – Development forecasts for 2011-2013.

For more information on the report please contact:
Marketing Department:
tel. /48/ 12 618 90 00
e-mail: [emailprotected]

Clean Up With Construction Site Clean-up Opportunities

Posted on by blogger

New construction cleanup and construction cleaning jobs are available in almost any location. A business letter from a janitorial service or commercial cleaning company to the main office of the general contractor is how to get the ball rolling. An introductory letter requesting to have your company placed on their bidders list, along with a copy of your insurance and business licenses, construction industry references with phone numbers and some documentation of your abilities seems to go a long way. But thats only the first step of many. A flyer or brochure will easily address your abilities. Construction site cleaning opportunities happen quickly and will go to the post construction cleaning company with all the paperwork completed and in place.

How to bid final, post or after construction cleaning is the question most janitorial companies seem to be interested in, but that challenge wont be addressed correctly until you shake the hand of the Site Superintendant or Project Manager. The key to working with construction contractors consistently is the contractors perception that you are familiar with their requirements and that you can accomplish them on a strict time schedule and in an uneventful manner. It would be smart to establish a new d.b.a. with a construction related name (i.e. Sparkle Cleaning d.b.a. Site Cleaning Support). Go to Home Depot and get a white hard hat ($10.00?) and a reflective safety vest ($10.00?). Go to an ad specialties store, get a work shirt and have them embroider your company name on it. Have them letter the hard hat and the vest with the same name also. Office Depot makes quick no frills business cards for about $10.00 for a hundred. Have some conservative basic cards made. Jeans and work boots are a must. On a construction site, the person from Site Cleaning Support with the uniform, hard hat and safety vest will quickly get an invitation to bid. The person from Sparkle Cleaning, with the pink flowers and bubbles business card, will either get punched in the nose or receive the kind of attention they dont want! When you visit the site for the first time, look for the construction office trailer. Identify yourself as a contractor and ask for the Superintendant or Project Manager. Dont try to sell anyone else, this is very important. Only speak with the Super, PM or their administrative staff in the office trailer. Contractors disrupting the flow of work on a site are a problem, will be asked to leave the site and will not be asked to bid. Your first statement to the PM should be: Hi, Im a cleaning contractor and Im interested in competing for work on this project. Shortly after that you should say: I know youre very busy and I wont take up your time right now, but I do want to be considered when the time is right. Whats your turn over date? and then Our paperwork is already of file at your office and so I dont pester you, what would be a good approximate date to stop back? Shake their hand, leave a card and maybe a flyer and then get off their site.

When you start to put together a post construction cleaning company business plan, its important to understand the opportunities available with construction site clean up. More importantly, its mandatory to understand the scope of work pending, and the time frames available for that work in the Project Managers mind, regarding cleaning on his site. Basic new structure cleaning is a given and can be addressed in two ways depending on the sites needs. It can be contracted to be done all at one time or in phases as the site progresses. Heres a simple example of three phase cleaning for a residential construction cleanup proposal:

Phase one Rough Clean
A phase one cleaning may be requested by the GC after the framing, plumbing and electrical have been inspected and completed. This phase may be done before or after the sheetrock has been installed or what is also considered the dried in stage. The phase one cleaning will consist of the removal of large debris and trash, stickers will be removed from windows and the unit will be swept out. This phase will help prepare for the incoming subs for painting, flooring, fixtures and cabinetry.

Phase two Prep Clean
A phase two cleaning will be requested prior to the GCs inspection leading to the final punch list for all contractors. This phase will consist of a detailed cleaning of the kitchen and restrooms to include: sinks, toilets, tubs, showers, countertops and cabinets. This phase includes removal of any stickers remaining on the appliances, fixtures, cabinets and windows. Cleaning baseboards, light fixtures, door frames, interior windows, window ledges, mirrors, floors vacuumed and mopped as necessary to prepare for the punch list. Important note: At this point of the construction process, various contractors may be still returning to the unit to address concerns. Phase two should be scheduled after their concerns have been addressed. Phase two cleaning items requested after the phase two cleaning has been completed and approved will be provided at an additional charge.

Phase three Punch Clean or Final Clean
A phase three cleaning during a post construction clean will be requested after the GCs inspections have taken place and no other subs will be entering into the unit. In this phase, all touch ups will be addressed and everything will be considered move in ready. The effort will finalize with the garage being swept, carpet vacuumed, floors mopped and any dust still remaining will be addressed. When this phase is approved, the site cleaning effort for this unit will be considered complete.

The template construction bid example above is an intelligent way to avoid one of the major pitfalls of the construction site cleaning business. Addressing a site in phases allows the new construction cleanup company to have their completed worked signed off as: work complete, no additional work required. With sub-contractors perpetually returning to a unit under construction to continue their work, the commercial cleaning companys work is often overlooked. The Site Superintendent will ask the cleaning company to return and touch up their work over and over again without an offer of payment for the additional work. The cleaning contractor should have each phase of cleaning signed off as complete and no additional work required by the Site Superintendent. With larger sites, and multi-unit sites, each unit should be signed off separately and as quickly as possible after completion of the cleaning. An individual charge for each unit, per phase, helps with invoicing and documents pricing if the Superintendent requests a re-clean. Large amounts of money can be made with re-cleans when a sites scheduling isnt well planned by the general contractor.

A construction cleanup proposal can address a lot more then basic cleaning and the rates for construction cleanup project work (i.e. floor and carpet care) may be very attractive. There is an art to projecting a post construction cleaning business plan and its found in the Superintendants view of the scope of work and his costs therein. He has a budget projection, and his view of that budget projection, for all his cleaning requirements and its broken down by tasks. Basic cleaning is one task, but he may view it as hiring cheap labor from one of the temp agencies for the rough clean and then hiring a contractor for the final clean. He also has a budget, and an opinion of that budget for floor care, carpet care, excess height cleaning and high pressure washing. Construction cleaning jobs can be contracted hourly or in total flat rate. Understanding the Superintendents view and goal is what counts in writing bidding sites that win.

Rates for construction cleanup floor care, carpet care, excessive height cleaning and high pressure washing are typically higher than the prices charged for existing structure work. Thats just the way their budgets work. It doesnt really make sense, because working with a new floor or carpet is quite a bit easier, so this is where the construction cleaning company should make their profit. When pricing post construction cleaning jobs, you should consider making your general labor charges competitive with the temp agency rate, but project that rate for the amount of hours the superintendent expects the unskilled labor to complete the task in. This will offer the Superintendent skilled and supervised labor, instead of temp agency labor, at an attractive rate and if you follow the sign-off sheet suggestions above you should still make substantial profit. Your experienced staff can complete the tasks in a shorter time frame than the Superintendent will be expecting to pay the temp agency by the hour. You charge by the completed task. Your competitive general cleaning rates are the hook and the expensive project work is the brass ring. This can prove to be an incredible windfall due to excessive amount of square footage at some of these construction site clean up projects.

Pricing post construction cleaning jobs with the intent of making serious profit on the total job, while protecting profit in each individual task of the project, is an acquired skill and should be studied at length. Learning how to bid final, post or after construction cleaning takes more than reading a sample contract for a janitorial service or a template construction bid example. Template construction bid examples are available on-line and researching them should be a major part of your post construction cleaning company business plan. A business letter and janitorial service literature are also available to research for your post construction cleaning company business plan, but it really takes walking the site, speaking with their people in charge, and internalizing the actual work necessary to find your profit. How to bid final, post or after construction cleaning is a skill well worth taking the time to investigate.

Decline In Construction Accidents Linked To Economy

Posted on by blogger

With the U.S. economy in the midst of a recession, many businesses have suffered the effects of a significant decrease in consumer spending. Real estate, historically regarded as an exceptionally good investment, has proven to be less than lucrative as home prices continue to fall in most areas of the United States. Houses sit empty in newly constructed neighborhoods and many contractors are struggling to find financial stability. Many construction workers who have previously found steady employment with a professional contractor have also struggled to find any work at all. Many skilled laborers, though highly qualified, find there is little to no demand for construction workers.

While there has been a significant decrease in the number of jobs for construction workers, there is an oddly positive bright side to this downturn. On August 20, Bloomberg news reported that deaths in the workplace fell to their lowest levels in 16 years, down 10 percent in 2008. This can most likely be attributed to the fact that there was noticeably less activity in dangerous fields such as building construction. Indeed, while deaths for construction workers dropped 20 percent from 2007, spending on construction projects fell 5 percent. According to the report, transportation accidents were still responsible for the highest number of work-related deaths.

Though construction accident deaths fell in 2008, workers should still be aware of potential safety hazards on the job site. There have still been many high profile construction accident fatalities over the past few months. Most recently, a man fell to his death in Branson, Missouri while working on a construction tank at an ethanol plant. Another man lost his life in Brooklyn, New York, while investigating incorrectly assembled scaffolding. According to a New York Times report, a section of rope disconnected, detaching the scaffolding from the fifth story wall. The worker fell to a first floor terrace and died.

Many times, construction accidents can be prevented by simple oversight and a conscientious commitment to safety by all workers on the job site. The tragic reality, however, is that safety is often not the primary concern of the workers or those in charge. Time constraints, deadlines, and a casual attitude often are contributing factors to preventable construction accidents. Workers on job sites that seem potentially dangerous should not only take extra precautions, but also notify their foreman or other job site supervisor. Vigilance regarding safety, especially in a dangerous profession such as construction, is its own reward.

Handling Time And Safety On Plant And Equipment Refuelling On Construction Sites

Posted on by blogger

Refuelling management helps to reduce fuelling expenses, enhance asset efficiency and save you money if handled accurately; but concurrently any plant or equipment that is refuelled on site has the potential to cause problems for the surroundings.

You are to blame for any sort of pollution from plant and equipment on your site, despite the fact that dont own it. For that reason, all realistic and practical methods need to be taken to lower the prospect of harming the surroundings. A handful of legislation prerequisites in regards to refuelling activities is highly recommended:

It is unlawful to pollute, cause the pollution of or permit contamination of any waters.
It is prohibited to pollute, increase the risk for pollution of or enable the pollution of land.
It is prohibited to harm vulnerable species of fish, their habitats or ecological communities.
It is illegal to hurt vulnerable terrestrial varieties (both animals and plants), their environments and environmental groups.

Management of refuelling at worksites

Refuelling usually takes place from the refuelling vehicle or from Jerri cans or some other proper storage containers

These controls really should be enforced at worksites whenever plant refuelling is conducted.

Specify suitable refuelling location at the least 40 metres from the watercourse. As a minimum, the refuelling place must have:

Impervious bunding around the complete section that is sufficient to allow for some plant or machinery and at least the hose and valves of the refuelling truck. If you can, the full refuelling truck should really be covered.
A sump or very low level wherever stormwater run-off as well as any spills may be temporarily contained and gathered.
A warning guiding all plant and machinery staff to refuel within the selected refuelling vicinity.
Establish refuelling locations in a spot that will not should be relocated over the course of the agreement.
Consider laying concrete hard standing with managed waterflow and drainage or heavy impermeable membrane layer overlain with sand and stone for vehicles to stand on whilst they are increasingly being refuelled. This decreases the chance of unintentional discharge of petrol to the surroundings.
Make sure that any sort of compartment that you employ for carrying fuel is suitable for function, includes a sealed cover, doesn’t trickle and is appropriately labelled

Refuelling must always transpire inside the given refuelling place. If this is not doable (such as, plant cannot be immediately taken off the works area), then:

ALWAYS refuel on the streets formation.
NEVER refuel in vegetated parts (even curbside low herbage).
NEVER refuel over waterflow and drainage lines (like the table drain).
NEVER refuel within 40 metres of a watercourse or over waters (such as on a bridge or a culvert).
NEVER leave the refuelling task unattended. During refuelling, the chance of fuel spillage as a result of overfilling or poor control of the operation is high
KNOW exactly where your spill system is placed and ENSURE you know how make use of it. If it is possible, keep a spill equipment on the refuelling pickup truck
If refuelling on a steep incline, ALWAYS place a temporary bund (say for example a gravel-filled sausage) downhill of the refuelling hose in a U-shape to capture any poured solution.
All hoses, valves, trigger guns, funnels and other connected equipment needs to be kept inside of the bunded area. Whatever trigger guns present need to be equipped with an automatic cut off

Diesel and other fuel oils launched to water or land are incredibly polluting to the environment.

Storing chemicals (oil and fuel)

The subsequent safety rules needs to be observed for safe-keeping of chemicals:

Until you set up a storage area compound, lower the levels of oil and fuel you have on location.
Store all chemicals inside a bund or drip holder.
Fuel, oil and chemical storage area establishments should be situated on impenetrable surface areas with controlled drainage, from storm water sewers, grids, channels and watercourses.
All funnels, buckets, containers, brushes and other associated tools should also be held in a bunded vicinity when not being used.
Clearly tag tanks with their contents and storage full capacity; it will lower the likelihood of overfill and spillage.
If you are storing oils such as mould release oils or hydraulic oils in casks from which you’ve got to shift little portions to other containers prior to use, have a tap fitted to the barrel. Keep the barrel on its side, on a stand, within a bunded area.
Place a pail or container beneath taps to shield in opposition to drips and leaks. Any leakage could then be recycled. Additionally, you’ll eliminate fuels and oils combining with any water in the bottom of the bunded space.
Consider employing biodegradable hydraulic oils when doing work in or close to water.
Where possible, guard hydraulic hoses from harm. Hoses and connections need to be repeatedly examined for spills and troubles.
Ensure that whatever containers you carry with you are adequately classed, are suitable for purpose and are properly stored to prevent them being damaged or spilt. Storage containers has to be placed on drip trays to gather modest accidents.

If you’re storing small quantities of oil or diesel within your work space, make certain that they are:

stored upright
with their lids solidly on
located away from watercourses or surface water drain pipes
correctly labelled
stored according to the manufacturers instructional materials.
Store any containers far away from places in which vehicles frequently move

By making use of containers with leak-proof lids, it is easy to lower the likelihood of unintentional splilling of mould release oil onto the surface minimizing the danger of rainwater getting into the product.

Security and vandalism

Fuel storage tanks need to be secured when not being used in order to avoid unauthorised accessibility and to lower the probability of vandalism. As the proprietors or controllers of that fuel, you will end up chargeable for any pollution that it brings about even if vandals discharge the fuel.