Safety can be top priority ... ... only if driven from the top

July - September 2015Volume - 5, Issue - 3

Environment SafetyHealth

HELMET

Safety can be top priority ...... only if driven from the top

EHS journal of L&T Construction

2 HELMET, July - September 2015 3HELMET, July - September 2015

Contents

Editor : Vinod Jacob Chacko

Associate Editor : Gopi Kannan. S

Process Owners : M. Kamarajan

Malay Kumar Mahanta

Stephen Philip Storey

Ramachandran N

K. S. Sudheesh Kumar

Technical Associates : P. Nagarajan | Gabrial Fernandez

Sudarsan Rajendran

Md Quaisar Imam

Sathyanarayana Seelamanthula

Murali Krishnan

Mathivanan Palaniappan

S. Anantha Prasanna Venkatesh

Editorial team : V. Ramesh Kumar

Ashwin Chand | Mayura. K

Photography : V. S. Natanavelu | R. Vijay Kumar

Design & layout : Global Print Design, Chennai

You can beat gravity … just by being prepared and careful!

Making it count where it really matters

Elevating the standards

Going the distance

A dam good safety strategy

Re-engineering the processes of water management

Building a dam? Can it be safe! Yes! But it’s a tall order!

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From the EDITOR‘The Walk’, that has been regaling audiences recently, is an English film that tells the true life story of a high-wire artist, Phillippe Petit and his dream of walking between the twin towers of the World Trade Centre. Petit fulfilled his childhood dream but he faced death every step of his walk on the tightrope. Of course, our workmen are not high-wire artists but they too constantly face the threat of falling and therefore our cover story in this issue of ‘Hemet’ is about how to be safely harnessed when working at heights.

Normally, safety is compromised at sites either due to poor planning or improper equipment or sheer negligence. However, at hydroelectric power projects, while all these factors could queer the pitch, there is one more reason that gets added to this mix which is natural disaster. Unfortunately, neither do natural disasters come with prior warning nor can they be sensed and therefore the project team just has to be prepared to face if, God forbid, such disasters occur.

Hydroelectric power projects are fraught with dangers because they involve taming the forces of nature and nature hardly ever gives in easily. The huge calamity that befell our team at the Punatsangchhu Project in the Kingdom of Bhutan when a whole mountainside decided to slip down on their structures is without precedent and requires tremendous fortitude and innovative thinking to evolve remedial measures so that the project can proceed. That the calamity did not claim even a single precious life speak volumes of the quick thinking and immediate action taken by the team. The only mantra they follow, as across our several of our other projects, is to be ever prepared for the most unexpected and deal with it to the best of their ability.

Such projects also depict high levels of human courage on a daily basis. Just imagine the pressure of digging an underground tunnel palpably feeling the enormous weight of the mighty Himalayas above you. Or, contending with the force of a swift-running river cascading forcefully down a mountainside. The challenges are huge but we are able to soldier on following all the safety best practices; even then one cannot ignore the underlying safety principle that one can never be too careful!

The constant threat of falling! Workers, at construction sites, face the constant risk of falling and with time and experience they start to believe, foolishly, one might add, that they will have sufficient time to regain their balance if they do fall. Studies disprove this notion for it takes a mere 4 seconds to fall a distance of 256 feet! However, a worker can still save himself with a properly maintained and worn safety belt or full body harness attached to a secure anchor.

The origins of fall protection equipment date back to the early 20th century when linesmen wore body belts to scale utility poles. It took several decades and disasters to understand the dangers of using a not-so-properly designed form of body belt. As these belts were loosely worn around the waist, there was always the danger of these belts getting pulled up to the armpits or the forces getting directly transferred to the spine and midsection of the falling person or, worse still, letting the person slip through to a fatal fall.

By 1917, manufacturers began looking for a body belt that would distribute the fall arrest forces throughout the body while holding the person securely in it. With the First World War looming large, safety professionals turned to the military for inspiration and a full body harness was designed after the parachute. Designed to keep the falling person suspended in an upright position in the event of a fall, the harness was also expected to support them while they waited to be rescued. The most striking improvement in the full body harness was that it distributed the fall arrest forces throughout the body unlike a concentration of forces at the abdomen region as in the case of conventional body belts.

A full body harness consists of straps that pass over the shoulders, across the chest, and around the legs (in the pelvic region) along with metallic buckles used to tighten the grip. These straps, made of different types of fabric webbing, are sewn together into various configurations and made from synthetic fibres with material characteristics consistent with those of polyamide and polyester. Manufacturers maintain a uniform thickness of 3 mm and a width of 40 mm in compliance to IS 3521. The threads used for sewing are physically compatible

You can beat gravity … just by being prepared and careful!


with that of the webbing, but are usually of a different colour for ready visual inspection to easily identify wear and tear.

For sensitive and hazardous applications such as in the oil and gas sector, explosive environment or for applications like welding and arc flash, specialty fabrics such as Kevlar are used which are anti-static and flame retardant. Some versions also feature di-electric hardware for use in electrical applications.

A fall can be dangerous!Startlingly, studies reveal that a fall from a height of 11 feet has only 15 % chance of survival which also means that there is a very high chance of fatality. Medical researches show that the human body cannot survive impacts above 1100 kg (12 kN) and OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) mandates that the maximum impact force that a worker can be exposed to is 6 kN as per European standards. These significant facts must be borne in mind while deciding on using the right type of fall protection equipment when working at heights.

Safe mooringsThe attachment points of the full body harness are normally sewn into the webbing and are made of stamped/forged metal or even sturdy plastic. To arrest falls, the lanyard is usually connected to the Dorsal D-ring that is positioned between the shoulder straps on the back. Lateral D-rings, if present, are mostly for positioning or for restraint applications. Shoulder retrieval D-rings are meant for rescue or limited access applications, Sternal D-rings for suspension or when climbing ladders and Ventral D-rings for rope access and rescue applications.

Anchoring the harnessAn anchor, what you connect your lanyard or lifeline to, is a key element of any personal fall protection system. The selection of the anchor point depends on whether you want to restrain or arrest a fall. To prevent or restrain a fall, the anchor should be capable of supporting 350 kg (3.5 kN) while to arrest one, it should be able to support 2250 kg (22 kN).

The structure to which the personal fall arrest system is attached to must sustain static loads applied in the directions permitted by the fall arrest system of at least 1630 kg (16 kN) with certification of a qualified person or 2250 kg (22 kN) without such certifications. When more than one personnel are attached to an anchorage, the strengths stated above must be multiplied by the number of systems attached.

A full body harness should be rigged so that the user can neither fall freely to not more than 6 feet (1.8 m), nor make contact to a level below. The connecting lanyards should be anchored above the user’s head within reach and the length of lanyard should not exceed a maximum of 2 m.

Holding firmlyMost full body harnesses are built to support the combined weight of a person and his tools of less than 140 kg. If this limit is exceeded, it becomes the responsibility of the employer to provide proper protection for the heavier persons with appropriate systems.

A class apartA detailed fall protection plan should be prepared by a competent safety professional for selecting the right personal fall protection system especially when working at heights with a potential fall hazard of 6.75 m (24 feet) or more. This plan should ideally enumerate the potential fall hazards, the workman’s knowledge of using the system, the environment in which it will be used and the reaction time for rescue until which time the equipment should keep the workmen in an upright and suspended condition.

Harnesses are classified based on the purpose and it is pertinent to use the right type following a thorough understanding of


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SafetyRoll of Honour

Helmet congratulates the following sites for achieving ten million and more LTI free safe man-hours

NISER Project, BhubaneswarSeptember 2011 to September 2015

Prestige Bella Vista Project, Chennai April 2012 to September 2015

The Address Wadhwa Project, Mumbai April 2010 to September 2015

Cognizant Elcot IT Park Project, Sholinganallur October 2012 to September 2015

Delhi One Project December 2011 to September 2015

ITC Sonar Hotel Project, Kolkata August 2009 to September 2015

ESIC Hospital Project, KollamApril 2010 to September 2015

TCS Project, Kochi October 2011 to September 2015

Shell NTCB Project, Bengaluru February 2014 to September 2015

Godrej Garden City Ph-III Project, Ahmedabad July 2011 to September 2015

Riverview Phase 2 Project, Lucknow March 2012 to September 2015

Experion Windchants Project, GurgaonApril 2014 to September 2015

Emami City Project, Kolkata January 2013 to September 2015

ESIC Hospital Project, Coimbatore March 2011 to September 2015

HCL Ph III Project, Noida January 2013 to September 2015

C-17 IAF Hindan Project, Ghaziabad August 2012 to September 2015

ESIC Hospital Project, Joka November 2009 to September 2015

CMRL Depot Project, Koyambedu December 2010 to September 2015

Mall of India Project, Noida September 2013 to September 2015

UP Awas Vikas Basement Project, GhaziabadAugust 2012 to September 2015

ATC Tower Project, Gurgaon January 2012 to September 2015

TCS Customer Care Centre, SiruseriApril 2012 to September 2015

Wonder Cement Line –II Project, RajasthanJune 2014 to September 2015

Seawoods Ph II Project, MumbaiDecember 2013 to June 2015

Experion Windchants Project, Gurgaon April 2014 to September 2015

TCS Adibatla Project, HyderabadSeptember 2012 to September 2015

Omkar Bhoiwada Rehab Building Project, MumbaiJune 2011 to September 2015

Omkar Worli Sales Project, MumbaiDecember 2012 to September 2015

L&T Realty, Sanofi Tower Project, Powai February 2013 to September 2015

DLF Maiden Heights Ph – I Project, Bengaluru November 2012 to September 2015

DLF Capital Green Project, Moti Nagar June 2014 to September 2015

IIT Phase-I A Project, Hyderabad August 2014 to September 2015

Lodha Fiorenza Project, Goregaon, Mumbai August 2011 to September 2015

DLF Crest Project, Gurgaon September 2013 to September 2015

SNU Project, Dadri October 2011 to September 2015

the task. Class 1 full body harnesses are designed to restrain a person in a hazardous work position to prevent fall or arrest a fall within 3 foot of movement. However, adequate adjustments have to be made to keep the line rigid at all times. Class 2 types are deployed at locations where there are only limited fall hazards and no possibility of vertical free falls. It is also used for retrieving victims from a tank or a tall bin. Class 3 full body harnesses are designed to arrest the most severe of free falls while Class 4 full body harnesses (suspension belts) are independent work supports designed on the lines of a Boatswain's chair.

Tested on toughnessOnce manufactured, harnesses are subjected to a wide range of tests to ascertain their quality. Both the harnesses and the lanyards are required to meet the dynamic (free fall) and static load tests as per the relevant IS standards. Testing of raw material on flammability, UV stabilization, corrosion, chemical analysis and tensile strength is also carried out by the manufacturers. Such performance tests ensure that the waist belts, shoulder straps, hoisting straps and sole straps do not break under a maximum tensile load of 2000 kg (19.6 kN).

Service life … because lives depend on it While regulatory authorities do not indicate a maximum service life for synthetic fiber products, they mandate that the equipment must be discarded immediately if they have been subjected to the forces of arresting a fall even once. It is advisable to subject the system to periodic inspections which may reveal defects, damage or inadequate maintenance based on which it can undergo corrective maintenance or be permanently dispensed with. Most harnesses and lanyards come with specific instructions on use, inspection and maintenance which must be adhered to.

To make it last longTo ensure a lasting performance, the full body harness must be maintained as per the manufacturer’s guidelines. The polyester material can be washed using a soapy solution to remove dust, corrosives or contaminants and hung freely to dry in a shady area away from direct sunlight. When not in use, the equipment should preferably be stored in a clean and dry area free from exposure to fumes and corrosive elements.

The right attitudeVertigo or fear of heights is the first aspect to check in a workman who is involved in working at heights. The solution is that they either overcome the fear or simply don’t go up the ladder. However there are also other behavioral traits that need to be monitored to sustain a safe work environment.

y Complacency is one of the leading causes of falls because workmen become careless either due to experience, lack of training, or just being unconcerned about the hazards

y Horseplay or pushing and shoving others when at heights must not be tolerated at ay costs. The consequences can be fatal.

y Housekeeping is extremely crucial. Hazards increase manifold if unwanted equipment, tools and scrap material are not cleared resulting in slips, trips and falls.

The key to preventing falls from heights is by creating awareness, training and skill proficiency. A thorough knowledge of the hazards, the available equipment, the application and the limitations of the protection systems will reduce and minimize workplace injuries and fatalities due to falls.

With inputs from Viraj Syntex Pvt. Ltd


The Middle East is in the grip of rapid trade liberalization, globalization and internationalism which are

driving construction at an amazing speed. Rough estimates peg the construction industry to deliver projects to the tune of USD 500 billion by the end of this year. With so much activity in this space, it is not surprising that the attention of all stakeholders has turned to the importance of EHS. Along with attention, expectations are higher and

it was in this testing safety scenario that L&T won a prestigious mandate to construct a 2276-room, 250-bed super specialty facility – the NMC Royal Hospital.

Today, the edifice stands tall, completed at breathtaking speed with quality conforming to international standards, as the second largest private hospital in Abu Dhabi and the fourth and largest integrated specialty hospital in the UAE. Safety was of prime focus all along the course of the project as the EHS management system had to be aligned with the Abu Dhabi Environmental, Health and Safety Management System’s Regulatory Frame Work version 2.0 Feb 2012 and had to comply with the UAE Federal Law 1980. At the end of the day, the EHS team can hold their heads high for a job very well done because the project clocked 4.8 million safe man-hours without any time lost due to injury.

Following instructions to the ‘T’An understandably proud EHS Manager, Ramesh, begins by sharing that a detailed safety induction programme was conducted for all who were involved in the project and daily safety toolbox meetings were held before the start of work by the respective foremen and site engineers. “Every specific high-risk activity had a consultant approved method statement and risk assessment and that was followed to the ‘T’,” avers Ramesh adding that these instructions were conveyed to the workforce prior to the start of each activity. High-risk activities were also controlled by strictly following a permit-to-work system and there were a plethora of such permits, informs Ramesh like the hot work permit and the confined space work permit, the excavation permit, the work at height

Making it count where it really matters

BUILDINGS & FACTORIES


BUILDINGS & FACTORIES BUILDINGS & FACTORIES

permit, the energy isolation permit for both electrical and pressure. “In fact, there were also permits for removing a hand rail or opening a manhole that had to be strictly followed,” affirms Ramesh.

Building a safe work culture is not a one-man job but it has to be a concerted effort with every stakeholder involved in it and Ramesh says how, apart from the employees, the safety message was shared loud and clear with the subcontractors, visitors and suppliers.

Ensuring safety under footBefore putting any machine to the ground, the soil was first tested to ascertain the water table level and soil

type to decide on the excavation and a dewatering station was installed prior to excavation to avoid water seepage into the excavated areas. Step cutting, shoring and shuttering were provided for excavation depth of more than 1.2 meter to prevent soil collapse as per the ADEHSMS requirements. During deep excavation, safety of the workmen was addressed by hard barricading, hazard flashing lights, danger warning signage and having safe entries and exits.

For safety overhead“We strictly followed a ‘No work on ladder’ rule and instead used light weight mobile scaffolds with adequate training which worked wonders,” remarks Ramesh for it significantly

on the ‘Scaff-tag’ system that was religiously implemented throughout the project. A green tag indicated ‘safe to use’ while a red tag signified ‘unsafe to use’. Every scaffold was erected, altered and dismantled only by a third party trained and certified scaffold inspector and inspected by them at regular intervals. “We ensured that any scaffold over 10 meter height was fixed only after a design drawing was made, inspected and certified by a third party,” emphasizes Ramesh.

Electrical safetyAn all-weather proof electrical distribution system with spider boxes 30 mA tripping Earth Leakage Circuit breakers were provided for temporary electrical supply with proper cable routing to avoid electrical hazards.

Staying healthy The Middle East is known for its searing heat and working directly under the sun can easily result in heat exhaustion

and heat stroke. Therefore, enough precautions were taken to ensure that workmen stayed health by providing air-conditioned rest areas and well-maintained toilets along with continuous supply of cold drinking water and oral rehydration supplements twice a day. The site engineers ensured frequent job rotation and self-paced work patterns to keep the workmen fit. Working hours were restricted between 12.30 pm and 3.00 pm from 15th June to 15th September to avoid the extreme temperatures as per a local ministerial order.

avoided time lost due to injuries. “We also conducted a ‘Safety while working at heights’ awareness programme among all the supervisors and workers which also helped greatly.” Plant and equipment is another area that can easily compromise safety and hence every aspect was inspected and certified by a 3rd party and then re-checked on a daily, weekly and periodical basis to identify any inherent defects.

“Often safety is all about doing simple things right,” smiles Ramesh elaborating


BUILDINGS & FACTORIES

Keeping your house safe and cleanHousekeeping is key to keeping the project site safe and all workers as a rule devoted the last 30 minutes of every shift to it. A dedicated housekeeping team was formed to maintain the

work area; they also ensured waste segregation and disposal every day by the local environmental authority (WMC-Centre of Waste management). Wood, plastic, construction debris, food waste and sewage water were disposed of in the approved municipality area with a duly stamped delivery note.

Focus on PPEs “Needless to say, safety helmets, safety shoes and hi-vests were mandatory for all site personnel while other PPEs like hand gloves, goggles, ear-plugs, ear-defenders and full body harnesses were distributed whenever work demanded,” confirms Ramesh. “We even insisted visitors entering the site premise to don a helmet, shoes and hi-vest.”

“While safety management is all about being prepared for the worst and making every effort to ensure that the ‘worst’ is avoided at all cost, each project has its own unique set of safety challenges and we, as a team, were able to face and crack them all,”- states Ramesh with a broad smile. “We take pride in having safely built a health infrastructure for UAE’s ever growing needs.”

Kandla Mundra Road Project April 2011 to September 2015

Samakhiali Gandhidham Road Project October 2012 to September 2015

Delhi Agra Road Project October 2012 to September 2015

Sangareddy Road Project April 2014 to September 2015

Ganjbasoda-Sanchi Railway Construction Project March 2010 to September 2015

Kannur International Airport Project November 2013 to September 2015

10MTPA Tata steel Electrified Rail corridor Project July 2009 to September 2015

Chennai Metro Track works Project February 2011 to September 2015

KMDA Flyover Project November 2012 to September 2015

Hosur Krishnagiri Road Project January 2014 to September 2015

Sambalpur Rourkela Road Project July 2014 to September 2015

Hyderabad Metro Track & OETS Project January 2013 to September 2015

Mumbai MonorailJune 2013 to September 2015

Vriddhachalam-Ariyalur Railway Construction Project December 2011 to September 2015

Hospet-Harlapur Railway Construction Project January 2013 to September 2015

Sindhudurg Airport ProjectFebruary 2013 to September 2015

Maithon Railway Siding Project March 2010 to September 2015

Rahuri-Daund Railway Electrification Project September 2010 to September 2015

Rajpura Railway Siding Project April 2011 to September 2015

Bina-Ganjbasoda Railway Construction Project December 2012 to September 2015

Wadi-Raichur Railway Electrification Project January 2012 to September 2015

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Helmet congratulates the following sites for achieving two million and more LTI free safe man-hours


Elevating the standards

As the Indian economy makes its presence felt in the global arena, infrastructure

development is very evident across the country, especially in the metros and so also is rampant urbanization. This sudden and heavy influx of population is putting enormous pressure on the transportation infrastructure of cities and civic authorities are at their wit’s end to evolve strategies to overcome this ‘menace’.

Kolkata, The City of Joy, is perhaps one of the fastest growing cities with a high migration rate from the neighboring states and even from Bangladesh. Since most of the roads have been planned and constructed during the British Raj, they are no longer able to manage the congestion and the city’s residents are paying a heavy price. Alive to this growing problem, the Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA) proposed the construction of several elevated corridors to fly over dense parts of the city and to ease the traffic on the existing carriage ways. L&T was entrusted with the task of completing a cluster of five elevated sections and Rail Over Bridges, all critical parts of the larger elevated corridors. Read on to know how team L&T fought a tough battle crossing hurdles and meeting incredible targets to connect the dots of the ambitious infrastructural plan which has brought some joy to the people of Kolkata.

“Being a cluster of projects located around a radius of 70 km, monitoring and ensuring safety of the workforce and the public was a herculean task. It was the young and dynamic Abhishek Chakraborty and Jethin who managed the EHS portfolio taking into confidence the entire team,” shares Subhendu Gosh, Project Manager, singing praises of the duo. Despite the high rate of workmen attrition, the young safety engineers were able to effectively manage and implement EHS systems and policies across all the project sites.

Identification of issue is problem half solved“We have taken the Integrated Management System (IMS) approach on EHS at our projects and top priority was accorded to planning and preparation of risk assessments. A simple but effective document called HIRA (Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment)

TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE


TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE

was followed for all critical activities. Created with contributions from all the stakeholders of the site, this document helped identify, assess and mitigate risks well in advance obviating the need for knee-jerk reactions,” shares Jethin as Abhishek joins the conversation by saying that this method statement was reviewed thoroughly and finalized along with the preparation of Safe Work Methods (SWM) which were effectively communicated down the line to reach

the workforce on a task-to-task basis. “We also had in place site specific and on-site emergency plans which laid the foundation for the excellent EHS track record of the KMDA projects,” adds Abhishek.

The safety duo recall that the KMDA project was a nightmare from an EHS point of view as the construction was happening over existing roads which were busy 24x7. “Apart from the

safety of our workforce, we also had to consider the safety of the general public. This put a lot of pressure on us as the media would get involved even for a minor incident, and blow things out of proportion. We therefore ensured that every aspect was addressed to ensure that nothing untoward occurred. Edges had proper protection apart from safety nets at appropriate locations to arrest fall of material. At critical zones like Park Circus, we used very closely netted cloth

to prevent the fall of even cementicious liquid,” remarks Jethin adding that height barriers with chain lights were installed apart from barricades with retro reflective signage to alert drivers.

Increasing awareness“Every single workman was put through a complete and comprehensive induction programme apart from periodic work-based training programmes. Through ‘work permits’ and ‘lift cards’, we ensured that only trained and authorized personnel were engaged in critical activities,” shares Abhishek adding that adequate safety stewards were posted at the sites for the last mile connect. These safety stewards also interacted closely with the site engineers to identify and mitigate minor risks not covered under HIRA.

Providing a safe accessBeing a flyover and ROB project, access to the deck slab was crucial for the workforce. A conscious decision was made to erect and use formwork based safe access systems only with proper safety net cladding to ensure safety.

No shocks with proper planningWith welding, cutting and grinding happening simultaneously at all sections of the project site, electrical cables crisscrossed the expanse posing imminent danger. This hazard was controlled through the use of ELCB and proper routing of cables apart from ensuring double earthing of electrical installations. All joints had cable jointers for added safety.

“While working on the ROB portions, we had to be extremely cautious because of the 25 kVA electrical live line just below


TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE

The litmus testMock drills were conducted as a litmus test to check the system. Such drills provided insights into the time it took for an ambulance to reach the site and to gauge the reaction of workmen in the event of any untoward incident. Kept in secrecy, the mock drills involved a workman acting unconscious or injured and the EHS personnel keeping a tab on how fellow workmen and the site execution team reacted during such crisis situations. The results along with critical review were later shared with the entire team to further sharpen their reaction time.

A systematic approach“The KMDA project involved several critical activities such as erection and launching of bow string girders, steel warren truss, and RCC and steel girders over live railway lines. Instead of a task-based approach, we adopted a system-based approach including the HIRA, SWM and Behaviour Based Safety training, which paved the way for excellence in safety,” claims Abhishek. Jethin adds that apart from prominent display of awareness and motivational posters, the EHS team also ensured active participation of workmen in events such as Safety Month, Road Safety Week and other important days observed to focus on safety. “Outstanding and safety conscious workmen were appreciated and presented with awards on a monthly basis to recognize and reward compliance,” he concludes.

TSL Project, Kalinganagar, Odisha September 2012 to September 2015

TFL-IE-BSNL-MOD NFS OFC PKG- E-BSNL October 2014 to October 2015

400 KV D/C Bihar Sharif-Sasaram to Varanasi TL Project September 2012 to December 2015

HMRP Power Supply & Scada Package E&I April 2012 to May 2015

ODSSP Phase-1 Package-7 April 2014 to September 2015

R-APDRP Project Ludhiana East February 2015 to September 2015

BRGF-Murshidabad January 2014 to September 2015

220 kV & 132 kV TL- WBSETCL PKG-I March 2013 to July 2015

400/220 kV Switchyard extention NPCIL RAPP 7&8 February 2011 to June 2015

33 kV & 11 kV Network Upgradation Work for Nabakalebara in Puri June 2014 to June 2015

TFL-IE-BSNL-MOD NFS OFC PKG- D-BSNL October 2014 to August 2015

765 kV Srikakulam to Vemagiri TL Project -ER 03 June 2014 to August 2015

400 kV Jammalamadugu to Uravakonda TL Project July 2014 to April 2015

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Helmet congratulates the following sites for achieving one million and more LTI free safe man-hours

Ministry of Interior, Qatar conducts three day intensive safety workshops at L&TThe Public Relations department of the Ministry of Interior (MoI) conducted a three day safety workshop at L&T's Training Hall, Mesaimeer, between 27 to 29 July 2015. The first day session on ‘Pedestrian accidents & remedies’ were conducted by the Traffic Department and the Civil Defense General Directorate while the second day had workshops on drug & alcohol addiction apart from ‘do's and don’ts on Qatar's Customs and Traditions’ handled by Drugs Prevention and the Public Relations Departments.

On the third day, the Traffic & the Public Relations Departments jointly held an interesting session on ‘Common Traffic Mistakes Among Drivers’ which was well received by the over 150 workmen who attended these workshops. This safety workshop being a first-of-its-kind, was covered in leading dailies such as Gulf Times and Qatar Tribune.

the structure. The induction range of these high power lines are well over 2 m. We introduced catenary tubes to reduce the induction and instead of safety nets, we used plywood, a non-conducting material, to the reduce risk of electrocution,” says Abhishek talking about the precautions taken to build structures above the main railway line.

The fitness check To ensure proper maintenance of plant, machinery, tools and tackles, a system was implemented through which the site engineer had several check points which he verified and ticked-off to authorize compliance. Right from the radius and condition of the crane to the wear and tear of lifting tools and tackles, all equipment were checked for fitness. The system also included checks on ambient aspects including visibility and illumination for conducting night work. Once the check was completed by the site engineer, the document was reviewed by the EHS personnel and submitted to the project EHS management.

Mock drill

Retro reflective signage

Cable jointers


Going the distanceThe Power Transmission

& Distribution IC of L&T Construction is engaged in

executing a slew of long-distance high voltage transmission line projects across the country among which the Varanasi-Kanpur power corridor is a vital link which when commissioned will add 6000 MW of power to the state of Uttar Pradesh. Partnering Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL), L&T has completed a major section of this line

across 281 km. Passing through the heart of rural India, the project involved raising and stringing close to 800 towers across a composite power network comprising 3 different voltages over 25 incident-free months. How did they achieve it? Here’s what the safety in-charge had to offer.

Establishing a safe groundWe drive past strategic sections of the alignment that spans landscapes, hamlets, towns and large stretches of agricultural lands reflecting the vastness of the project. Glancing at the safety in-charge, I remark, “To just have a look at the entire stretch might take a couple

of days!” Anoop acknowledges with a smile, “Securing the right of way to commence work needed deft handling as the villagers were familiar with the compensation pattern due to the presence of other transmission lines along this section. In some stretches, doing the preparatory arrangements itself took a lot of time as we had to join hands with the police and the local administration to ensure the safety of our workmen and employees.” Reclining on one of tower basements, Anoop quips, “Over here close to 100 policemen were deputed for three days to facilitate the tower erection works and, for the team, it was all about going the extra mile to ensure that the ground was secured.”

POWER TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION

Height work training to workmen

Tower erection using gin pole technique



Passing on the steel batons seamlesslyThe project’s success lay in tagging the steel components which made assembling facile, highlights Anoop, “With a huge volume of 781 towers, the challenge for the team was in implementing a secure logistics system for material handling. To make the process foolproof the project team deputed a team of ITI fitters who were well versed with the tower materials across the 3 stores.” Pointing at one of the towers, Anoop elaborates on the dynamics, “On an average a tower weighed between 70 to 120 t and comprised more than 4000 elements and the onus was on the safety team to lay a safe track for facilitating work which ranged over a week to a fortnight depending on the tower dimensions. We opted for an easy way to maneuver new generation pick and carry crane to load the tower members on 11 t tractor trailers which did quick sorties to the work spots.” The objective was to be quick and also safe during the lifting and moving process, emphasizes Anoop.


Raising the steely membersLooking at one of the towers being erected in the last leg of the alignment, Anoop relates, “These are the largest ones and are raised with the support of gin-poles, section wise.” For medium and smaller towers, the team deployed the derrick and pulley method of lifting. The safety team innovated on the process by developing a SOP that specified the safe load weight lift for each section along with the requisite tools and tackles and workmen to be engaged. Anoop elaborates, “To make the scheme even more secure, the safety team oriented the tower gangs through a series of training programmes on the operating procedures.” I ask him if this is a standard norm across all such projects, to which he clarifies, “The system has always been there but it has undergone considerable customization at site to suit the type of works.” He cites an example of how the team made pictorials of the cage wise and section wise tower erection procedures and briefed workmen in detail before each phase of lifting.

1. SSOHE TRFSI, TESP EXTN

2. ROU TOMTO, TAFSEY IN OTTO

3. KAME YTAESF A AYW FO EILF

4. FASTEY YAPS TWIH PAPHY YADS

5. AYTFES SI VOYDEERSBY UBSSSINE

UNSCRAMBLE THE WORDS TO REVEAL THE SAFETY SLOGANS…

Answers on page 43 Stringing activity in progress

PEP talk at site

Physical verification of tower receipt



Crossing over with caution The good thing in this project was that we didn’t have many cross over works says Anoop, “However negotiating the railway crossing was a tough task as it was a single line linking Varanasi with the adjacent villages and was always busy. Our team took up the crossing works during the initial phases and evolved a detailed pre-task sequence after getting a comprehensive clearance from the concerned authorities.” The whole processes were split into various activities and close to 100 workmen were engaged in the stringing works. Major road crossings were executed by blocking the traffic for a limited period of time and scaffoldings were arranged for smaller cross-overs.

Putting it all together Knitting the strings together was either done manually or by deploying the tensioner and puller machines depending on the type of tower and its reach. Similar to the tower works, load was calculated for stringing based on the span between towers. While stringing, it was important to cordon off the entire stretch as the wires can cut through any infringement during the lifting and sagging process. Communicating with locals was taken up through mega phones and a team was deployed till the completion of the activity to ensure the safety of people and the cattle in the vicinity.

Keeping a safe tabOne of the foremost tasks that the project team took up was to identify the challenging alignments across the Double Circuit 765 kV and 400 kV lines between Varanasi-Kanpur and Sarnath and also across the loop-in loop-out Double Circuit 400 kV line from Sasaram to Allahabad. As all the lines passed through thickly populated settlements, there was the need to re-route the lines frequently. Pausing beneath one of the towers whose base area seems big enough to accommodate a tennis court, Anoop mentions, “When you have a straight line it is more or less easy to raise the towers but in this project towers had to be joint in a large scale and hence posed a big challenge because the alignment followed a zig-zag pattern. The entire alignment was divided into 20 km stretches and the monitoring of works was done by a team

of safety stewards across locations over a period of 7 to 25 days for a single stretch based on the tower orientations. It was a demanding work phase reveals Anoop. “We had to start as early as 6 am during summer when temperatures soared to 50 and take appropriate breaks to protect ourselves from the heat and in winter accordingly adjust the work timings to escape the biting chill weather.”

Hooked to the life lines We spot a gang of workmen equipped with the requisite safety PPEs ascending a tower of about 50 m high in less than 15 minutes. It takes a lot of guts to climb these towers and the men from Bihar and Jharkhand take the honours in doing such critical works says Anoop. “It is important to have a foolproof safety system that protects the crew while working at heights. The project team in addition to the individual safety


Stringing across Railway crossing under progress

Operation of TSE for stringing activity Workmen engaged in conductor make-off


equipment, provided fall arrestors at strategic legs where movement was likely to be more and equipped the crew with vertical and horizontal life lines.” The workmen could access the leg members of a tower by either walking across the slender steel joints or position themselves in a secure manner by sitting on them and move. “As the crew was experienced, they walked over the tower members by hooking to the life lines which made the task doubly secure.”

Partnering a conscious client The onus of safe execution is a collective initiative which rests with both the contractor and the client and PGCIL, being one of the prime power infrastructure developers, ensured that the way forward was secured. One of the first issues addressed at site from the client’s side was on safe working at heights through an orientation programme for workmen. Team L&T added might to the cause by roping in the services of a professional agency that demonstrated and trained workmen on how to safely conduct and manage crisis while working at heights. This session also included a special training on how to bring down a person in need of medical care.

Reaping the merits of good practices While systems played an important role in the safe execution of works, L&T also implemented a best safety performance reward scheme for subcontractors and workmen. The multi-pronged thrust on safe initiatives enabled the team to clock more than 3 million safe man-hours and add one more illustrious benchmark to the long list of high voltage transmission lines executed by L&T.


Vizag Vessel Project

DMRC CC 28 Project

DMRC CMC 1 Project

Swalkote Project

Kolkata RVNL Project

Mumbai Monorail Project

DMRC CC 05 Project

Narmada Project

DMRC CC17 Project

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Spot the

HAZARDSWINNERSMr. Sunthararajan.C Engineer – EHS, HCI IC

Mr. Vigneshkumar Engineer – B&F IC

Correct answers y Incomplete working platforms in

scaffold

y No evidence of toe guards

y Workmen using ledger pipes as working platforms

y Numerous workmen at three different levels on a single scaffold

y Some workmen have not anchored the safety harness

y Workmen working on H-Beam

y Working platforms not tied properly

y No ladder access to the working platform

y No evidence of handrails

y Work area close to live road without barricading - possibility of unauthorized entry


Helmet congratulates the following sites for achieving five million and more LTI free safe man-hours


A dam good safety strategy

Punatsangchhu Hydro Electric Project (PHEP), part of an ambitious vision of producing

20,000 MW by 2020, is being constructed by L&T in the Himalayan Kingdom of Bhutan and has already witnessed a host of new benchmarks that have made the world sit up and take notice. Deploying sophisticated equipment and innovative construction methodologies, team L&T has been redefining the landscape to create a world-class hydro power

infrastructure that, once completed, will produce 1200 MW of clean, green energy to feed the energy-starved northern states of India, thanks to a buy back agreement between India and Bhutan. Spilt into three packages, L&T won the mandate to design and commission the scope under Package 1 of Phase 1 that includes the upstream and downstream coffer dams, diversion tunnels, a dam, an intake and desilting arrangement including hydro mechanical works. The project command area is around a rapidly flowing river and steep valleys that keeps posing tough questions to the team to create and sustain a safe work culture. Since there was no dedicated EHS department on the client side (Punatsangchhu Hydroelectric Project Authority), the onus of establishing norms and implementing them was entirely on L&T.

Towards Zero Harm Vision“To ensure compliance to L&T’s EHS policies and procedures as well as to those of the statutory bodies of the

Royal Government of Bhutan, the safety team has worked towards achieving a Zero Harm Vision,” shares K.K Gupta, Segment Head. “It was N Ramesh Kumar (NRK) who first landed here and later Bruno Francisco Brotas was brought on board to bring in global expertise. Bruno has introduced a slew of EHS measures based on his rich global experience of working on various construction projects and the two of them are now admirably holding fort.”

“Before starting any work, we prepare a work method statement along with a risk assessment to identify and mitigate all adverse conditions that can potentially impact the workforce and the environment. This data that is reviewed by the EHS team, approved by the Project EHS head and finally by the Project Director becomes the basis on which safe work method is prepared and communicated to the line function and subsequently to the workforce. We hold this entire process sacrosanct for each and every process,” says Bruno keenly observing the excavation taking place deep down in the dam pit.

HEAVY CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE



Inducting safely on board“We deployed a lot of machinery and equipment at the initial stage of the project as we were working towards excavation figures that were running into several lakhs. In a new country, where pressure on hiring local workforce is high, we have to be very cautious about appointing operators and drivers. Ten excavators, 45 dumpers, two dozers, ten ROC with compressors and two drill jumbos were operating in an area measuring just about 300 m x 150 m. With exposure to such high risks, we could not compromise on the safety of the team and hence it was made mandatory for all workmen to undergo an intensive induction process that would give them a quick but strong exposure to the EHS practices adhered to at L&T,” says NRK giving us a walkthrough of the fully equipped induction facility replete with

AV equipment, informative signage and an array of PPEs that line the walls with detailed descriptions.

Safety at workTo drill down the message deeper and to instill a stronger sense of safe work culture, a typical day at the site begins with a safety pledge and a pre-start verification of work. The EHS in-charge briefs the workmen on the activities for the shift which involves details on class-1 risks along with all the control measures. This meeting is also an opportunity to create increased awareness on risks by sharing short case studies and near misses from other projects.

The right ambience for the drill“Construction of diversion and intake tunnels, adits and desilting chambers


involve huge amounts of underground excavation which was risky in this case because of the geological condition of the young fold mountains that changed from hard to soft rock within just a few meters. The tunneling team had to proceed with utmost caution using the innovative methods. From an EHS point of view, we kept tabs on the ambient quality by monitoring and improving illumination, air quality and gas levels. A system of random checks has been created apart from periodic ones before each and every shift,” NRK explains as we walk into the mouth of the large tunnel that leads into the belly of the mountain.

At the entrance of the adit, the excellent quality of work is clearly evident as the floor is dry and clean unlike the

usual scenario of a slushy tunnel floor due to leaks through fissures from the walls. Over to the sides of the tunnel, a temporary cable tray neatly carries all the wires and from the roof hangs the large ventilator duct that ensures clean breathable air for the workforce to operate comfortably inside the gigantic structure.

The first view of the underground desilting chamber is truly breathtaking. We walk further to see a flight of stairs with handrails on the wall end leading down to the bottom of the chamber that we gingerly descend without once taking our hands off the rails. Once at the bottom, NRK explains that controlled blasting was carried out along with road heading to excavate this incredibly large structure and rock bolts along

with shotcreting ensured that there was no settlement of the roof following the excavation.

Banking on the right solutionThe excavation target for the dam structure stood at a staggering 64 lakh cu.m. Through the open pit method, the team meticulously excavated most of the targeted quantity before disaster struck suddenly. The right bank of the dam started settling downwards on three axes due to a shear zone failure. For the EHS team, it meant sleepless nights. Sophisticated instruments were immediately installed and the movements of the landmass were monitored day and night.


HEAVY CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE HEAVY CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE

“It was on a night shift on July 17, 2013 that I first noticed a small crack on the shotcreted section of the right bank bench. Initially, we all thought it must be a surface crack and left it at that. Three days later we noticed that the structural steel elements at the grouting tunnel below were getting twisted out of shape. This was when we realized that we were up against something really big and dangerous. The tunnel and the bench areas were immediately marked ‘out of bounds’ and inspections were conducted only with explicit permission from the top management accompanied by the safety team. Two days later, to our horror, we found that the crack on the floor portion of the tunnel was being

pushed against each other, standing high like a pyramid and, at the same time, the crack on the bench had become a gaping hole. Experts were consulted from across the globe for mitigation strategies. By the afternoon of 25th July 2015, we noticed that the batching plant and the cable car bench were settling down and that was the final alarm bell for us. It was decided to stop traffic during nights and by this time micro piling works had already begun which stabilized the movement to a certain extent. This was followed by heavy grouting and rock anchors which were driven into the rock to stabilize it,” recalls NRK with a shudder. As a safety precaution, the ropeway and the cable car were also carefully dismantled. “Survey point instruments are monitoring the movements which have now reduced to a few mm per day following these mitigation methods,” NRK says with visible relief. To be doubly sure of the stability, the team now awaits the driving of 2 m concrete piles deep into the rocks before the execution team can reach the toe portion of the dam through excavation. This natural

disaster has delayed the project by almost two years which the client plans to make up by replacing conventional concrete with Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) for the dam structure.

The siren callBeing glacier-fed, Bhutanese rivers are always fraught with the danger of GLOF (Glacier Lake Outburst Flood) along the valleys they flow. PHEP being located on the banks of River Punatsangchhu is also at high risk. The Bhutanese Government has prepared a scheme wherein a satellite operated GLOF siren has been fixed every 2 km to alert people of an impending crisis and to move to higher levels to escape from the path of the raging floods. Bruno recalls the mock drills that were conducted to monitor the effective implementation of evacuation and team L&T proved its adherence to safety standards by scoring high during such drills.

View of adit under pressure from shear zone failure

View of the road that has settled a couple of meters GLOF siren



A matter that needed suppression Dust emission is inevitable at a construction site. Especially with heavy duty dumper trucks plying day and night carrying boulders and muck. What with 800 trips in 24 hours, it is only natural that dust, if left unchecked, will pose a severe threat to the users of the national highway. To settle this issue, two dedicated sprinkler tankers were engaged to continuously sprinkle water along the highway around the project area.

Lock Out, Tag OutAnother danger that lurks is of equipment or machinery getting switched on while maintenance personnel are engaged with it. To prevent such incidents, a work permit system has been implemented wherein the workmen locks and tags the equipment

so that nobody can even accidentally switch it on while maintenance work is in progress. The LOTO system is meticulously followed for maintenance work on plant, machineries and all power driven equipment. At PHEP, electrical hazards are also considered as a Class 1 risk and to mitigate untoward incidents, all the connections are routed through ELCB which are inspected periodically by a qualified tester.

A venomous affairBeing a mountainous region, the project site and the quarry area is always under the threat of snakes and other venomous reptiles and with the nearest medical centre 50 km away, it is dangerous not to stock anti-venom medicines at the site. But Government norms did not allow for stocking of such medicines and it was only after a prolonged and persistent representation, that the authorities

allowed anti-venom medicines to be stocked at the project’s first aid centre much to the relief of the project management.

The green coverThe Bhutanese love nature and their Government has drawn stringent statutes to fiercely protect their environment. But development comes at a cost and any hydel project of such massive scale will impact the ecology to some extent. L&T ensured that none of the laws governing the protection of the environment were flouted and implemented afforestation programmes by planting saplings in the backfill areas of the valley, converting them into new tracts of virgin forests. Both noise and air quality levels are continuously monitored and the project team has vowed to keep the river as clean as possible in its course along the project area.


The accolades say it all

y Merit certificate for achieving 6 million safe man hours during April 2009 to Oct 2010

y Winner of the Annual EHS Trophy 2009-2010 (Category – Minor)

y Winner of the Annual EHS trophy 2010-2011 (Category – 3 Million Man Hours during the year)

y ROSPA award Silver category in 2011 and 2012

y Merit certificate for achieving 2.5 million safe man hours work in 2013

y Safety Recognition award 2014, from the Ministry of Labour and Human Resources (Royal Govt. of Bhutan)

y International safety award from British Safety Council 2015



Driven from the topSafety at PHEP is a function driven from the top. Right from the Segment Head, the Project Director to the Line Managers, everybody plays an active role in the planning and implementation of safety systems. A culture has been developed to carefully review near misses and first-aid cases to prevent reoccurrence of such incidents. With the project firing on all cylinders and excavation being carried out 24x7, possibilities of such incidents, especially during night shifts, are high. The top management has volunteered to conduct night vigilance project tours on a rotational basis to keep the morale high and to mitigate any noticeable and dangerous inaccuracies on the spot.

In the comforts of their cabin, Bruno and NRK unanimously agree that the support from the top management has been extremely encouraging and it is only with this support that the EHS team has been able to function so efficiently. “There was a recent initiative called the e-TICS (Tracking of Inspections Compliance Status) where risks noticed in a site is updated online and, if not mitigated within the specified time limits, get escalated up to the IC Head level. It is only natural that any site would want a lesser log of e-TICS. But at PHEP the project management encouraged us to lodge as many e-TICS as were noticed since it brought to light the lapses and corrections that can prove lifesaving. Reason why we were really high on our e-TICS,” shares NRK.

“We have been conferred the authority to judiciously use ‘stop work’ and notify the gravity of an unsafe situation to the

Spot the

HAZARDSIf you have spotted the hazards, rush it to [email protected].

Storm Water Drainage Works, Jabalpur

Hoshiarpur & Jalandhar Sewerage Scheme

Hogenikal Waater Suply Project-PKG 5

GIDC-DAHEJ Water Supply Project, 25 & 50 MGD

Nalgonda UGD & WSS

UGDS & WSIS, Nizamabad

Kamal Vihar Project, Raipur

GDWSS, Hyderabad

Rehabilitation and O&M of 110 MGD Bhagirathi WTP

Trans Varuna Sewerage Work, Varanasi

Dhanbad Water Supply Project, KKCO

UFW-D2B, Bangalore

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Helmet congratulates the following sites for achieving four million and more LTI free safe man-hours

A DRIVE TOWARDS SAFETY IN CARS

As part of L&T’s Safety Day events on July 04, an initiative on car safety was introduced for the

safety of guests traveling in the company’s cars. The instructions include an audio clipping

containing safety instructions for the driver and the passengers along with an hazard

observation card which the passengers can fill out if they find anything amiss.

One more step along the way to live safely!

execution team. With the frenzied rate of project progress, it is only natural that our colleagues might get annoyed when we stop work owing to non-compliance or on identifying a threat. But every single stop work notification has been taken in the right spirit as the entire project team acknowledges and appreciates the impact such initiatives have on saving limbs and lives,” adds Bruno saying that it has been truly gratifying to work in such a positive work atmosphere that holds the safety of its employees and stakeholders as primary.


Re-engineering the processes of water management

L&T Construction’s Water Smart World & Communications IC pioneered a first-of-its-kind

refurbishment of a 32 year old water treatment plant for Delhi Jal Board at Bhagirathi without hampering the daily distribution of water to close to 40 lakh people of East Delhi. Putting together the new system, one of the largest WTPs in the country, in a phased manner called for some robust safety measures backed by innovative engineering as the plant

was opened up for the first time after three decades and there were myriad challenges for the team to mitigate. Stepping in after commissioning of the enhanced system, the editorial gets up close and personal with the safety in-charge.

Ensuring a safe chemistry As we are taken through the various facets of the project, Vaibhav, the safety in-charge meets us while overseeing the discharge of Poly Aluminum Chloride (PAC) from a tanker at the newly constructed chemical house. Armed with protection masks, he leads us into the facility. Demolishing the old chemical house was one of the most critical tasks of this project highlights Vaibhav, “As there were huge piles of alum, the process commenced only

after formulating a secure strategy and involved trained workmen to manually move the chemicals.” This is the only multi storey setup in the plant which is newly constructed. As we move forward, Vaibhav elaborates, “We deployed a PC 200 breaker to bring down the old structure in a secure manner and facilitated the works by providing a 2.5 m ramp to reach up to the top of the building. All through the demolition, the chemicals were transferred in a phased manner.” Presently, around 1000 t of alum and PAC are stored with provisions for saturation, dozing and the chlorine tonner capacity has been enhanced from 4 to 16 cylinders. Opening one of the ducts for an overview of the piping layout, Vaibhav points out, “The team devised a safe strategy while revamping the chlorine storage rooms which were at 3 locations across the WTP.

WATER SMART WORLD & COMMUNICATION

Clarifier bridge erection through a customized derrick and wire rope method

Poly Aluminum Chloride (PAC) discharged from tankers at the new chemical house



A secure lifting tackle with an ‘I’ beam was provided to lift and move the 1500 kg cylinders.” Each chlorine point is provided with a self-contained breathing apparatus and various manual leak arresting mechanisms to handle any chlorine leak emergency.

Jointing the inlet mains with precision Adjacent to the chemical house is the inlet main through which water flows from the upper Ganga canal to the WTP. Vaibhav points to a huge concrete pipe that lies nearby, “Cutting and removing a segment of the 2800 mm diameter RCC gravity inlet main weighing close


to 64 t was a precision task as we had to do it without affecting the existing inlet main during the last leg of the project.” The team deployed the diamond rope cutting method for cutting it fine and in about 20 days the interconnection was achieved with the new bifurcation chamber.

Installing a foolproof work processDrawing close to one of the clarifiers, Vaibhav briefs, “There are 8 such tanks in this plant and the scope of work involved dismantling the existing bridge weighing around 12 t and installing the new one that weighed close to 15 t. To secure the

Demolition of the old chemical house

Precision cutting of the RCC duct through diamond rope cutting method. Carving cut outs in civil structures for new equipment installation

Moving a part of the 2800 mm dia RCC duct from the new bifurcation chamber



entire process, the project team designed and fabricated a customized lifting arrangement with special tower/derrick and rope arrangement which won a PRAISE award from the management. Through another innovation we managed to work over the filter beds by staging a scaffold on rails while doing the roof revamping. For replacing the pumps below the filter house, we erected a gantry crane so that the civil flanges remained intact while replacement.”

Revamping a dark chamber The making over of the WTP is very much evident as one gets to see the state-of-the-art systems installed across all the facilities except for one place where it is camouflaged by a vast stretch of green. Providing details on the dark chamber, Vaibhav says, “This is the biggest open space in the plant under which are the 5 reservoirs that store water coming from the filter houses and supply to the clear water sump. With access available only through four openings and having been closed for over three decades, it called for some very secure strategies to be implemented before any kind of work could happen.” Summoning the operator to open one of the vents, we get a peek inside which only seems to be outer surface of the chamber. Vaibhav mentions, “On the safety front we installed an axial flow exhaust fan to remove the chorine fumes, provided lighting and installed a blower system to reduce the moisture level before taking up the works.” A team of over 250 workmen were deployed to manually wipe the silt after the deposits were sucked out through negative suction head pump sets. Vaibhav emphasizes, “The whole process was closely monitored by the


core team as the chamber had 1024 pillars which prevented the use of any kind of support machinery.

Insulating the power banks Taking us to the heart of the control center, Vaibhav indicates, “At the touch of a button, the entire operations of the plant can be accessed but to make it happen power is essential on a 24/7 basis. During execution, the team had to install numerous power banks to sustain and manage water distribution in a phased manner.” Putting together the networking was tough as the cables had to be laid without puncturing the main lines and the pump operators were kept informed about the availability of temporary power lines. “The safety team devised a ‘lock out tag out system’ which indicated the status of work to

the operators. This was very essential as operators’ shifts changed every 8 hours and the new person taking charge had to be aware of the live line and 17 pumps were installed across five phases.”

Shielded with a range of PPEsA project of such intensity had a vast range of PPEs to protect the team working on different platforms. For the above ground works, standard harnesses and tools were provided along with customized scaffolds. Excavation works were taken up only after identification of the below ground utilities and erection of various electrical and mechanical equipment by trained riggers. The safety team played a pivotal role in synchronizing the different shutdowns and ensured secure buffer arrangements for work to be carried out across fronts.

Keeping a vigilant eye Unauthorized movement of men or material never occurred in this project exclaims Vaibhav, “The plant was continuously monitored by the client and the site security and access to sensitive work spots was permitted only after thorough screening. CCTV cameras were installed at strategic locations and workmen were allowed to process areas after passing through door frames and hand-held metal detectors.” The site was equipped with a dispensary where the workmen were periodically screened for health issues. “Frequent mock drills were conducted for workmen, employees and clients on safety and disaster management which enabled us to achieve more than 4 million safe man-hours”, smiles Vaibhav.

UNSCRAMBLE CORRECT ANSWERS1. SHOES FIRST, STEP NEXT 2. OUR MOTTO, SAFETY IN TOTO 3. MAKE SAFETY A WAY OF LIFE

4. SAFETY PAYS WITH HAPPY DAYS 5. SAFETY IS EVERYBODYS BUSINESS

1024 pillared underground clear water reservoir

Customized gantry crane installed at filter house to facilitate mechanical works

A diver with complete PPEs entering the underground reservoir


Dams are truly awe-inspiring manmade structures that astound one with their

immensity, strength and sheer presence. There is always an uncanny calm around dams; as if they are waiting in animated suspense for something dramatic to occur and that is quite possible because these colossal structures that store mind-boggling

amounts of water have to continuously contend with a most unpredictable aspect – nature! Over the years, dam construction has improved with better technology, greater knowledge of design principles and superior understanding of the characteristics of foundations and dam materials yet, dam disasters are not uncommon and this article attempts to enumerate

some vital safety steps that have to be taken while building a dam.

Surprisingly, dams are a bit like people:

one is never quite like another, they

are temperamental, unpredictable,

liable to react completely differently

in two identical situations all of which

makes dam construction extremely

challenging.

The safety of a dam covers all stages in its life cycle commencing with the inception stage through to the planning and design stages followed by construction and commissioning, ongoing operation, maintenance and surveillance and, in certain cases, decommissioning. One can only breathe easy of having ticked all the relevant boxes if a dam has been built in compliance with the prevailing

engineering standards for safety, if it is being operated safely, if its condition is assessed periodically and the operators of the dam are well prepared for all conceivable emergencies. Sadly, however, one can never be too sure because trouble could be lurking round the corner due to a variety of reasons: overtopping, inadequate spillway capacity, spillway gate failure, issues

with the enormous amount of piping or even due to natural forces like earthquakes or flash floods that may exceed the anticipated flow.

Since each dam is unique, it is very difficult to find a useful reference to either diagnose symptoms or take corrective action. Dams have a foundation below and the manmade

BUILDING A DAM? Can it be safe! Yes! But it’s a tall order!


structure that towers above and there is an intricate interaction that is constantly played out between the two very much like in a marriage. The slightest unpleasant ripple in this finely balanced relationship can spell disaster much again like human relationships!

Risks associated with dams broadly include situations relating to operation, maintenance, testing, retrofitting old dams, safety of people, environment and the like.

A safe design of a dam can be loosely defined as ‘The integration of hazard identification and risk assessment methods early in the design process

to eliminate or minimize the risks of injury throughout the life of the product being designed’. It begins at the conceptual and planning stages involving and balancing the objectives of practicality, aesthetics, cost and functionality, which at times can be competing.

Safety Risk Management is an integral part of the construction planning of a dam and combines technical, consultative, systematic and

managerial approaches to identify any foreseeable hazards that have the potential to harm those involved in the construction process must be identified at the earliest opportunity and necessary mitigation measures implemented.

At L&T, for example, Heavy Civil Infrastructure IC’s risk management process is applied through the five steps to risk management and is the key driver for risk control within the IC.

The procedure demands some key requirements:

y All relevant parties including design, construction & safety teams must be involved in risk assessments and the risk management process;

y Risk assessments & safe work method statements must be developed and approved prior to the commencement of any work activity g;

y All identified risks and risk mitigation plans must be documented, approved and simply communicated to all parties

y Regular reviews undertaken should be updated and communicated when change has occurred.

Designing a dam is not just about eliminating risks but it is to evolve a systematic safety based approach to determine the right solution. Synergy of design intent during implementation is crucial to the safety of the dam and since design is not just about drawings, specs and reports, the designer’s role is absolutely critical. Once the design is approved, it is time to start with the construction of the dam but throughout this process, continuous evaluation or re-engineering ensures that the finalized design is compatible with the prevailing conditions.

A veritable army is required to build a dam: architects, engineers, hydrologists, geologists, environmentalists, seismologists, social scientists, industrial designers, clients, developers, builders, owners, job managers, health and safety professionals, ergonomics practitioners, suppliers (including manufacturers, importers, plant-hire), constructors, installers, traders, maintenance personnel, Government regulators, inspectors … the list is never-ending. All that is then required is for all these stake holders to be in perfect sync with one another to create a masterpiece much like a symphony orchestra playing in complete sync to create wonderful harmony.

Once constructed, a well-articulated Dam Safety Programme is imperative to oversee design construction, operation and maintenance, surveillance, safety review, remedial action, education, training and emergency preparedness in addition to constant vigilance, frequent sampling and testing and ceaseless inspections and quality control. Again, like people, dams also age due to the constant pressure from water, seismicity, temperature and winds therefore surveillance is crucial. These could be routine inspections, periodic dam safety inspections, comprehensive inspections or special emergency inspections especially after an earthquake or heavy

flooding or any occurrence of such events. The frequency of these inspections is dictated by the overall performance of the dam and the existing conditions like they could be more frequent for a dam in a seismic prone zone. Technology does not, however, replace visual surveillance and electronic data has to be regularly compared, where possible, with manual readings to check and corroborate quality and veracity of data.

The safety plan is supplemented by an Emergency Response Plan that identifies emergency conditions which could endanger the integrity of the dam and require immediate action, prescribes procedures to be followed in the event of an emergency and provides timely warning to appropriate emergency management agencies to implement protection measures for downstream communities.

While the safety of dams are regularly monitored during operation and maintenance, extensive safety reviews are conducted based on their type, height, age and record of any past incidents of distress; and frequency of such reviews could vary from 5 to 10 years. Such safety reviews could possibly include detailed study of the structural, hydraulic, hydrologic and geotechnical design aspects and of the records and reports from surveillance activities as well as a review of the dam safety management documentation. The frequency of Safety Reviews can be altered due to the identification of a deficiency or weakness, changes in standards, acceptance criteria or technology, changes in arrangements at the dam or a requirement by a higher authority or dam regulator.

Despite all precautions, dam construction and maintenance is a lot about skill, capability, management, never letting your eyes off the ball and the associated uncertainties! Yes, it definitely is a tall order!!

1. Identify Hazards / Aspects

2. Evaluate the Risk /

Impact

3. Determine controls

4. Implement controls

5. Review & update

Edited by Mr. Vinod Jacob Chacko for L&T Construction from L&T Construction Headquarters, Manapakkam, Chennai - 600 089. The views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the Management. The contents of this magazine may not be reproduced without the written permission of the Editor. Not for sale. Only for circulation among employees of L&T Construction. Printed at NPT Offset Press Pvt. Ltd., Chennai.

ALWAYS BE CAREFUL

SAFETY IS AS SIMPLE AS

ABC

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