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CONSTRUCTION SITE SAFETY HANDBOOKforPublic Works ProgrammeWORKS BUREAUMay 2000

0-1ForewordThe Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Regionis firmly committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for allpersonnel involved in the construction of public works and others who may beaffected by the works. Recognising that front line supervision is crucial inensuring that contractors comply with specified safety standards, this handbookis intended to be a comprehensive but simple guide to good safety practice foruse by site supervisory staff in the works departments.( S. S. Lee )Secretary for WorksMay 2000

0-2IntroductionSafety is a duty of all. It is imperative that all personnel involved inconstruction works should play their respective roles towards the provision andupkeeping of a safe and healthy working environment. All staff should thereforebe conversant with essential safety knowledge and have a high degree of safetyawareness so that they are able to identity unsafe acts/conditions and ask forrectification. They must take reasonable care for the safety of themselves andothers affected by their acts or omissions at work.The purpose of this handbook is to enable site supervisory staff atall levels to understand the essential safety information with regard to theconstruction works that they are likely to encounter in their daily work. It ishoped that supervisory staff will find this handbook useful when they arecarrying out site supervisions. The handbook will be updated regularly in thelight of experience gained and further information obtained.AcknowledgementThis handbook was prepared by the Safety Unit of this Bureau,with the assistance of the Safety Advisers of the works departments. Thanks arealso extended to the Labour Department and all those who provided valuableadvice and comments in the preparation of this handbook.Safety UnitWorks BureauMay 2000

-3Chapter 1Duties of Employer, Employees, and Safety Personnel1.11.21.31.41.51.6Chapter 2EmployerEmployeesSafety OfficerSafety SupervisorSafety RepresentativeArchitect/Engineer’ s Representative and SiteSupervisory Staff1-11-21-31-51-71-8Safety and Health of .62.1.72.1.82.1.9Site LayoutSite Roads and Site TrafficVentilation, Temperature, and LightingFire Prevention (see Chapter 5)HousekeepingNoise ControlDust ControlWelfare FacilitiesProtection Against Adverse WeatherScaffolding and Working Platforms2.2.1Independent Tie Scaffolds2.2.2Birdcage Scaffolds2.2.3Putlog Scaffolds2.2.4Mobile Scaffolds2.2.5Truss-out Scaffolds2-12-32-52-62-72-82 - 102 - 112 - 122 - 132 - 132 - 152 - 162 - 172 - 19Page

11Chapter 3LaddersBamboo ScaffoldsBuilders Lifts and Tower WorkingPlatformsSuspended Working PlatformsWork in Confined SpacesExcavationsWork over or near WaterWork on SlopesRoad WorksWork on Demolition SitesWork in TunnelsGas Risk AreasWork in the Vicinity of Gas Pipes2 - 202 - 222 - 252 - 302 - 332 - 372 - 392 - 402 - 432 - 452 - 472 - 522 - 53Safe Use of 143.153.163.17CranesExcavatorsTrucks and DumpersForklift TrucksCompacting Machines and RollersPiling MachineAir Compressors and Air ReceiversHandheld Pneumatic BreakerElectric Arc WeldingGas Welding, Gas CylindersWoodworking MachineMaterial HoistsCartridge Operated ToolsAbrasive WheelsSteel Bending MachineElectric ToolsHandheld Tools3-13-43-73-93 - 103 - 113 - 133 - 153 - 173 - 193 - 223 - 233 - 253 - 283 - 303 - 323 - 34Page

0-5Chapter 4Safe Use, Handling, Storage and Transport of Materials4.14.24.34.4Chapter 5Fire PreventionFire EscapeFire Fighting and Equipment5-15-25-3First Aid6.16.26.3Chapter 74-14-34-54-7Fire and Explosions5.15.25.3Chapter 6Manual Handling and LiftingSlings and SlingingHandling of Chemicals and Hazardous SubstancesAsbestosPerson Trained in First AidFirst Aid FacilitiesArtificial Respiration6-16-26-4Personal Protective s ProtectionHead ProtectionHearing ProtectionFall ProtectionRespiratory Protective EquipmentBreathing ApparatusSafety FootwearProtective ClothingHand Protection7-17-37-57-77-97 - 117 - 147 - 157 - 167 - 17Page

0-6Chapter 8Safe Use of Electricity8.18.28.3Chapter 9GeneratorSwitch BoardWiring and Connections8-18-38-6Accident Reporting and InvestigationAccident Reporting ProcedureAccident Investigation9-19-3A.List of Relevant Ordinance and RegulationsA-1B.List of Relevant Safety Standards and Codes of PracticeB-1C.List of Hazardous SubstancesC-1D.List of Useful Telephone NumbersD-19.19.2Appendix

Chapter 11.1Duties of Employer, Employees, andSafety Personnel1-1Employer1.Formulate a policy with regard to the safety and health at workof all staff.2.Provide a safe and healthy working environment to hisemployees and protect others who may be affected by the work.3.Provide adequate and appropriate information, instruction,training and supervision to his employees.4.Set out safety and health standards and procedures.5.Appoint responsible personnel to ensure that the safety andhealth policy is fully implemented, and the safety and healthstandards, instructions and procedures are strictly observed andfollowed.6.Provide adequate and proper personal protective equipment forhis employees.

Chapter 11.2Duties of Employer, Employees, andSafety Personnel1-2Employees1.Be conversant and co-operate with the employer in administeringthe Safety Policy and following the safety and healthrequirements as stipulated under the law and the works contract,such as the site safety manual, the site safety handbook, andother safety and health standards, instructions and procedures,which are related to their work to avoid accident.2.Work safely and take good care of themselves and others whomay be affected by them at all times, avoid to be complacentand take dangerous shortcuts, avoid to improvise dangeroustools, and always seek assistance and advice if in doubt.3.Use the personal protective equipment as required and takereasonable care of them when they are not used.4.Take immediate action to rectify any unsafe tools, equipmentand plant or any unhealthy conditions, or report themimmediately to their supervisors or the responsible person incontrol of the workplace.5.Report all accidents to the supervisors immediately after theiroccurrences.If you see a situation which in your opinion involves a risk ofdeath or serious injury, you have a duty to report and takeimmediate action.Ignorance of the safety and health standards, instructions andprocedures, and inadvertence and complacency at work willnot be accepted as an excuse for neglect of duty.

Chapter 11.3Duties of Employer, Employees, andSafety Personnel1-3Safety Officer1.Assist his proprietor/employer in the implementation of theSafety Policy and the safety and health requirements asstipulated under the law and the works contract, such as the sitesafety manual, the site safety handbook, and other safety andhealth standards and instructions.2.Assist in ensuring that all plant, machinery, equipment and toolsare maintained in safe working order. Ensure that the names ofthe persons designated by the Contractor for the operation ofparticular plant and equipment are recorded in a register andcheck that the plant and equipment are only operated bydesignated competent persons.3.Assist in ensuring that all fire services installations and fireescapes are maintained in good working order.4.Assist in ensuring the safe and health condition and goodhousekeeping in the workplace.5.Conduct safety inspections to project sites, plants andworkshops, and prepare inspection reports.6.Ensure the observance of the safety rules and safe practices bythe staff, and assist in the supervision of safety supervisors.7.Report to the site management any unsafe practices and unsafeconditions in the workplace. Prepare and submit statutoryreports to the proprietor/employer.8.Carry out risk assessment and prepare safety methodstatements, including control measures for high and medium riskactivities as necessary.9.Conduct accident investigation and prepare investigation reports;and recommend preventive measures to avoid recurrence.10.Organise/conduct safety training courses and seminars, andprepare training records.11.Arrange and organise safety promotion activities.

Chapter 1Duties of Employer, Employees, andSafety Personnel12.13.1-4Liaise with Labour Department’ s Occupational Safety Officersand representatives of safety & health organisations.Clearly identify himself on site by wearing an armband or asafety helmet appropriately marked in Chinese and English."Safety Officer" means a person registered as a safety officer inaccordance with the Factories and Industrial Undertakings(Safety Officers and Safety Supervisors) Regulations (FIU(SO&SS) R) and employed by the contractor to carry out theduties of a Safety Officer as specified in the Contract and dutiesspecified in the FIU (SO&SS) R.According to the FIU (SO&SS) R, a contractor shall employone full time Safety Officer when the total number of personsemployed at one or more than one construction sites is 100 ormore.In general for public works contracts, one full time Safety Officeris required where the total number of workers employed on theWorks or in connection with the Contract is between 50 and200. For a term contract, at least one full time Safety Officer isrequired. However, reference should be made to the contractdocuments for the specific requirement on the provision ofSafety Officers.

Chapter 11.4Duties of Employer, Employees, andSafety Personnel1-5Safety Supervisor1.Assist the Safety Officer and the site management inimplementing the safety and health requirements, standards andinstructions.2.Be familiar with the statutory regulations applicable to the workon which their gang is engaged; insist that the regulations areobserved and followed, and all accidents reported immediately.3.Keep all staff informed of the Safety Policy and take allreasonably practicable steps for carrying it out.4.Incorporate safety instructions in routine orders and see thatthey are obeyed.5.Take all reasonable steps to prevent workers from taking risks.6.Assist the safety Officer in arranging new employees, particularlyinexperienced and apprentices or new recruits to receive sitespecific safety induction course and to learn to take safetyprecautions. Conduct Tool Box Talks for workers.7.Ensure that protective clothing and equipment are used wheneverappropriate.8.Discourage “horseplay” and reprimand those who fail toconsider their own safety and that of others.9.Report to the immediate supervisor on any defects and ensurethat any unsafe plant and equipment are not used.10.Ensure that all plant and equipment are in a safe and secure statewhen left unattended.11.Remind the management to replenish first aid boxes at regularintervals.12.Report to the management and/or Safety Officer on mattersrelating to safety and health.

Chapter 113.Duties of Employer, Employees, andSafety Personnel1-6Clearly identify himself on site by wearing an armband or asafety helmet appropriately marked in Chinese and English.The requirement of Safety Supervisor under the FIU(SO&SS)R isthat a contractor shall employ a Safety Supervisor where the totalnumber of persons employed at one or more than one constructionsite is 20 or more.For public works contracts and term contracts, the generalrequirement is that at least one Safety Supervisor shall beemployed by the Contractor and the number shall be increased byone for every additional 50 workers. In addition, for a workscontract each sub-contractor of the first tier engaging 20 personsor more in the activities for which he is responsible shall provide atleast one full-time safety Supervisor to oversee the safety of his ownactivities. For term contracts, the Contractor shall provided atleast one full-time Safety Supervisor at one work location where theworkers engaged there exceeds 20.Reference shall be made to the contract documents for the specificrequirement on the provision of Safety Supervisors.