Working title : "An investigation of the accident prevention strategies for public works in Hong Kong"

Table of Content

Acknowledgements

Abstract

Summary of figures
Summary of tables

 

1.     Introduction

1.1

Background

1.2

Scope of the dissertation

1.3

Objective

1.4

Methodologies

1.5

Dissertation contents

 

2. Literature review

2.1

Introduction

2.2

Possible hazards related to public works

 

2.2.1 - Crisis made by mechanical moving plant

 

2.2.2 - Settlement of existing footway / carriageway

 

2.2.3 - Traffic accident due to temporarily closed carriageway

 

2.2.4 - Damage of existing underground utilities

2.3

The Accident Prevention Strategies

 

2.3.1 – By the Government

 

2.3.1a - Crisis made by mechanical moving plant

2.3.1b - Settlement of existing footway / carriageway

2.3.1c - Traffic accident due to temporarily closed carriageway

2.3.1d - Damage of existing underground utilities

 

2.3.2 – By the Architect / Engineer

 

2.3.2a - Crisis made by mechanical moving plant

2.3.2b - Settlement of existing footway / carriageway

2.3.2c - Traffic accident due to temporarily closed carriageway

2.3.2d - Damage of existing underground utilities

 

2.3.3 – By the Contractor

 

2.3.3a - Crisis made by mechanical moving plant

2.3.3b - Settlement of existing footway / carriageway

2.3.3c - Traffic accident due to temporarily closed carriageway

2.3.3d - Damage of existing underground utilities

2.4

Critical appraisal

2.4.1 - Crisis made by mechanical moving plant

2.4.2 - Settlement of existing footway / carriageway

2.4.3 - Traffic accident due to temporarily closed carriageway

2.4.4 - Damage of existing underground utilities

 
 

3. Methodology

3.1

The questionnaire

 

3.1.1 - Research design

 

3.1.2 - Sample characteristic

 

3.1.3 - Research Instrument

 

3.1.4 - Variables

 

3.1.5 - Date analysis

 

3.1.6 - Findings and Results of the Questionnaires

 

3.1.7 - Limitations of the Questionnaire

3.2

The interviews

 

3.2.1 - Type of Design Used

 

3.2.2 - Role of the Researcher

 

3.2.3 - Data Collection Procedures

 

3.2.4 - Data Analysis Procedures

 

3.2.5 - Findings of the Interviews

 

3.2.6 - Limitations

3.3

The case studies

 

 

 

4. Findings and improvement

 

5. Discussion

 

6. Conclusion and recommendation

 

7. Reference / bibliography

Acknowledgement

Those who help answer my interview

http://www.my3q.com – providing free online questionnaire
industry accident statistic – census & statistics department
trades - factory inspectorate labour department
 
 

Abstract

 

Chapter 1 - Introduction

1.1   Background

Construction industry used to be one industry that with high accident rate. Indicated in statistic data every year, public was awaked to pay attention in this issue. Not only inside the site boundary, public projects would also cause crisis to public areas. The public safety problem related to construction works is especially concerned in Hong Kong as lots of such kind of projects are very closed to the pedestrians. The reason is that the land has been insufficient for people in this small region, people would need to walk exactly the edge of fencing off the area of public works. When accidents occur in public projects, it is highly possible to affect the safety of pedestrians. Generally, pedestrians are innocent to be affected, therefore the number of accident in public project should be reduced as much as possible.

 

Four kinds of accidents are chosen for this topic. 1) Crisis made by mechanical moving plant, 2) Settlement of existing footway / carriageway, 3) Traffic accident due to temporarily closed carriageway 4) Damage of existing underground utilities. Notwithstanding these four kinds of accidents cannot be classified as serious accident, through the occurrence of accident in a site condition seems to be safe or ought to be safe, there should be something wrong in the operation of site works. This report is trying to reflect what goes wrong and recommend how to improve the situation.

 

In the last ten years, construction accidents claimed the lives of 470 workers, accounting for over 80% of all fatal industrial accidents. The number of fatal construction accidents has been on the decline in the past few years. (Presented by Mr. Matthew CHEUNG Kin-chung, JP, Permanent Secretary for Economic Development & Labour (Labour) at the Hong Kong Construction Association Annual Safety Conference "Partnering in Construction Safety" on 30 October 2003 (Thursday). http://www.labour.gov.hk/eng/major/301003.htm)

 

Fortunately, evidence showed that the statistic data was keeping a downward trend in these years. This is such a good sense and good sign to improve the image of construction industry.

 

1.2   Scope of the dissertation

The scope of this dissertation is to investigate the accident prevention strategies by three parties (the Government, the Architect / Engineer, and the Contractor) involved in public projects in Hong Kong. The possible hazards of public projects and the causes of it shall be introduced first and then the duty and performance of the four parties in accident prevention shall also be examined. Thus, the degree of effectiveness of existing accident prevention strategies could be evaluated. 

 

1.3   Objective

The objective of this dissertation is to find out the deficiency and provide possible improvement measure of existing accident prevention strategies for public projects in Hong Kong.

1.4   Methodologies

The methods of gathering information for analysis are chosen to be by interviews and case studies. Through interviews to management level, it is able to find out the ideas of management level towards safety of public project such as what is insufficient and what is needed to improve, etc. Through case studies in some public projects in Hong Kong, it is able to realise what is the difficulties when carrying out the precautious measures, etc.

1.5   Dissertation contents

There are seven major chapters in this dissertation. Chapter 1 Introduction would show the background and scope of this dissertation. Chapter 2 Literature review would derive the selected matter and have it supported by references. Chapter 3 Methodology would show the readers how the information for research is gathered. In chapter 4 “Findings and improvement”, analysis the gathered information and report the results. In chapter 5 “Discussion” would discuss the reported results of the research. Chapter 6 “Conclusion and recommendation” would summarize the findings and make some recommendation when necessary. The last chapter “Reference / bibliography” listed out all the sources adapted as supporting or supplementary information for this dissertation by Harvard Referencing.


Chapter 2 - Literature review

2.1 Introduction

The objective of this literature review is to study the accident strategies taken by the Government, the Architect / Engineer and the Contractor. However, the accident prevention strategy is very board, the research should be narrowed so that 4 possible hazards related to public projects are chosen in searching information which are 1) Crisis made by mechanical moving plant, 2) Settlement of existing footway / carriageway, 3) Traffic accident due to temporarily closed carriageway and 4) Damage of existing underground utilities. The structure of this literature review will be to introduce the causes of the 4 types of possible hazards and then study the accident prevention strategy by captioned parties.
 

Accident Statistics from    The Hong Kong Construction Association

 

 

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

AFR

227.4

247.9

198.4

149.8

114.6

FAFR

0.50

0.71

0.66

0.36

0.35

RAFR

42.8

45.5

39.1

35.4

32.3

RFAFR

70.7

82.4

90.4

67.4

82.4

APW

357

377

271

229

177

APD

51

54

39

33

25

FAPW

0.8

1.1

0.9

0.6

0.5

APF

0.94

1.00

0.70

0.59

0.47

 
 

AFR : Accident Frequency Rate = Number of Construction Accidents / 1000 Workers

FAFR       : Fatal Accident Frequency Rate = Number of Fatal Construction Accidents / 1000 Workers

RAFR      : Relative Accident Frequency Rate

          = Number of Construction Accidents / Number of Total Accidents x 100%

RFAFR    : Relative Fatal Accident Frequency Rate

          = Number of Construction Fatal Accidents / Number of Total Fatal Accidents x 100%

APW       : Number of Construction Accidents Per Week

APD        : Number of Construction Accidents Per Day

FAPW     : Number of Fatal Construction Accidents Per Week

APF : Number of Construction Accidents Per Firm

 

Accident : Death of a person or injured a person exceeding 3 days of incapacity. 

http://www.hkca.com.hk/indnews/12_1203ifawpca_report.doc

Report of Safety Status Analysis for IFAWPCA Members

33RD IFAWPCA CONVENTION

 

SINGAPORE OCTOBER 5-9, 2003

PREPARED BY SINGAPORE CONSTRUCTION SAFETY & CONSULTANCY PTE LTD, SC2 (A SUBSIDIARY OF SINGAPORE CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION LTD, SCAL)

2.2 Possible hazards related to public works

Possible hazards related to public projects here means when accidents occur, it is also possibly to affect the safety of pedestrians. There is no boundary for classification of accidents as accidents must be occur ahead of everyone’s expectation. Therefore, we should focus in four possible hazards that would happen frequently. They are: 1. Crisis made by mechanical moving plant, 2. Settlement of existing footway / carriageway, 3. Traffic accident due to temporarily closed carriageway and 4. Damage of existing underground utilities.

 

2.2.1 – Crisis made by mechanical moving plant

 

Spacing is not enough for public projects in Hong Kong, it is easy to find that the site boundary of public projects so close, or even abutting, to existing buildings, facilities or assess roads. Although the whole of the site area would be fenced off by some hoardings or barricades, it is really a question that whether these kinds of precautionary works be functioned as a barrier to the heavy motion of moving plants inside the site. People may wonder whether the hoarding would collapse or be damaged once it is hit by moving plant and fail to prohibit the motion goes on.

 

During construction stage, vehicles such as concrete loaders and dump trucks would inevitably get in and out of the site entrance. For public projects, the area of these entrance may also be the pavement,

 

A common mechanical moving plant used in public works is mobile crane due to its high degree of applicability. Mobile crane is helpful in public projects in Hong Kong for locating materials, such as batches of reinforcement bar or plywood. It also helps lifting fittings to upper working spots, e.g. lifting windows, doors or casting concrete by concrete skid. In Hong Kong, the limited site space at public area mostly cause difficulty to place the large mobile crane. It is not uncommon to see in Hong Kong that the mobile crane operate outside the site boundary – the busy street. More commonly to see is that lorry crane transported goods to site but it does not get in site because of insufficient space, thus the lorry crane unload the goods outside site boundary. Actually, Statistic figure shown that over 60% of accidents involved different type of mobile crane (Lee H. K., 1996). Another common situation is that the materials are lifted from outside the site boundary and the lorry crane to retreat. 

 

The tilting of mobile crane in public projects may cause serious accident. broken hoisting rope – overloading and poor maintenance of the wire rope may result in falling of lifting objects in pavement.

Causes of accident may be incompetence of operator and lack of technical knowledge. It is found that the average age of mobile crane operator is quite low so that the experience is not enough.

 

In modern construction, plants become an essential part.

In case the failure of mobile crane, the jib is enough to damage and affect the safety outside the boundary of public site.

+ Backhoe

 

The Safe Use of Cranes

PRACTICE NOTE FOR REGISTERED CONTRACTORS 18 – Buildings Department

 

2.2.2 - Settlement of existing footway / carriageway

 

All excavations must be adequately supported to avoid displacement of earth or soil seepage. Then, the road surface loses support. Once the road surface loses support, the self weight of the road surface has been enough to cause settlement. You can image serious traffic accident may occur if sadden settlement happen in heavy carriageway. Timber, Sheet piles or Trench box are common to be applied as soil retaining system in excavation work in Hong Kong. In large scale project, open cut slope at a safe angle is an alternative method but if seems impossible in public projects, especially in this overcrowded Hong Kong.

 

2.2.3 - Traffic accident due to temporarily closed carriageway

In Hong Kong, there is a great deal of utilities aligned underground including both the heavy carriageway, footway and also back lane. New laying or repairing of these underground utilities must involve trench excavation. Now assume the risk of hazard is much higher in carriageway, the concern falls in there. Trench excavation in carriageway not only may cause settlement of abutting carriageway but also increase the possibility of traffic accident, especially for main carriageway, because of temporarily closed carriageway. It is common to see in Hong Kong one of the three lanes is temporarily fenced off, traffic warning cones and signs are placed to notify drivers of the execution of works in part of the carriageway.

 

Such traffic diversion works is dangerous at night. If the warning signs are not enough, vehicles in highway may not easily notify the existence of the trench with insufficient lighting. Possibly, the driver may get not enough time to response as the speed in highway is very high.

 

2.2.4 – Damage of existing underground utilities

As mentioned before, there are many kinds of underground utilities such as water pipelines, rainwater pipes, sewage system, underground electric cables, telephone wires and gas pipelines. When open the footway or carriageway in Hong Kong urban area, there must be full of these types of utilities. These underground utilities not only cause hindrance to construction works in public areas but also cause danger to public if any damage to them. As it is, special care must be put to these utilities.

 

If water main pressure pipes are damaged, large amount of water would flood out to pavement and carriageway. If electric cables is broken up, the electrical supply in a large area of residential area will be cut. If town gas pipelines are damaged, it is really a serious crisis to public as town gas may lead to large explosion and no one can imagine what the

 

2.3 The accident prevention strategies

2.3.1 - The Government

 

Inspections

(Practice Note for Registered Contractors 31 - Monitoring for Site Safety) http://www.bd.gov.hk/english/documents/pnrc/Pnrc31.pdf

 

4. SMS inspecting officers will inspect sites more frequently where the works, the

construction stages or the operations pose higher risks to life and limb. Examples are demolition, deep

excavations, percussion piling, formation of steep slopes, construction of high retaining walls, works

projecting over public thoroughfares and operation of heavy powered mechanical plant.

5. All SMS inspecting officers will carry a warrant card with authorisation by the Building

Authority to :

(a) inspect any premises and enter upon any land;

(b) ascertain whether the provisions of the Buildings Ordinance are being complied with; and

(c) carry out tests, make openings and take reasonable samples for the purposes of the

Ordinance.

 

Concerted efforts have been made to further improve health and safety on construction sites. Through the implementation of the Pay for Safety Scheme and the Independent Safety Audit Scheme, public works contractors have been encouraged to establish more efficient safety management systems for maintaining a safe and healthy working environment on construction sites. In 2001, the Considerate Contractors Site Award Scheme attracted 100 nominations from public and private sector sites, providing another incentive for participating contractors to be more considerate towards the public and the neighbourhood during construction. Contractors have also been encouraged to implement a Site Safety Cycle to increase the safety awareness of workers and to maintain good housekeeping and tidiness on construction sites. Regulating actions are taken against contractors with poor site safety records. As a result, the overall accident rate for public works contracts has continued to decline, and in 2001 it was about 40 accidents per 1 000 workers per year, which was about one-third of the construction industry average.

2.3.1.1 – crisis made by mechancial moving plants

 

Construction Sites (Safety) Regulation Chapter 45(1):

The Contractor responsible for any mechanical equipment shall ensure that, when it is used on a construction site, it is not operated except by a workman who is trained and competent to operate it: Provided that the equipment may be operated by a workman not so qualified if hs is operating it under the supervision of another worker who is so qualified.

 

Construction Sites (Safety) Regulation Chapter 45(1):

The contractor responsible for any mechanical equipment shall ensure that no person under 18 years of age is employed.

(a)    to operate the equipment; or

(b)   to give signals to the operate of the equipment.

 

 

 

Factories and Industrial Undertaking Ordinance, CAP.59

-         Contractor must employ a registered safety officer on a full-time basis if site staff over 100; every 20 worker must employ 1 safety supervisor, no need full time.

-         SO duties is to ensure the execuation of safety precaution work. Investigate accident, provide education of importance of safety on site; SS duties is to assist SO in carrying out his duties, ensure working to comply with safety standard.

Under Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations, crane should be inspected and tested once a week by a competent person. Operator need not under 18 years old and formally trained and obtain licence.

 

2.3.1.3 - Settlement of existing footway / carriageway

Construction Sites (Safety) Regulation Section 39.(1) required the contractor to cause a structure made by suitable timber or other suitable material to be erected to prevent fall or displacement of earth, rock, or other material.
Construction Sites (Safety) Regulations

Section VI: Excavation on Construction Sites

 

2.3.1.4 - Traffic accident due to temporarily closed carriageway

-         to post warning sign

-         to limit access to construction to construction area

-         to obtain permit for work considered to present a significant risk of injury (http://www.plantown.com/Willits/3.12Hazards.pdf)

To cope with this hazard, Highways Department – one of the Hong Kong Government Body, have issued Code of Practice for the Lighting, Signing and Guarding of Road Work newly updated 2005 Version – Draft. This Code of Practice provides a standard of good practice for the marking of road obstructions as well as for the temporary traffic control necessitated by such obstructions. It enables the legal requirements to be met in a wide variety of circumstances, although it has no statutory force. Compliance with the requirements of this Code should be made a condition of contract for any road works carried out under contract. In the Code of Practice, it is recommended that all person worked for the temporary traffic control works needs to wear retroflective stripes to let drivers to notice. The Code of Practice recommended the contractors to comply with Road Traffic Ordinance – Road Traffic (Traffic Control) Regulation, in which regulation 20 place on the person responsible for road works, a cleat obligation to erect and maintain prescribed lanterns, traffic signs and road markings as the Director may require, and to locate them, in association with barriers, in the manner set down in the Code of Practice. Section 3 of this Code of Practice guided the contractors the recommended size and pattern of traffic signs applied in traffic controls. Section 4 required the contractors to apply for excavation permit before execution of traffic controls, so that the contractors is required to have a detail and mature planning and give the Road Management Office (RMO) of Hong Kong Police and Traffic Department reasonable time to arrange the monitoring works for any emergency accident. Section 5 to 8 give notes to contractors the recommended layout of the precautionary works for different situations, both carriageway and pavement is concerned. The spacing of traffic cones, the length of taper and what traffic warning signs should be placed in different situations are both listed in this Code of Practice. 

 

 

 

2.3.2 - The Architect / Engineer

 

2.3.2.1 - crisis made by mechancial moving plants

2.3.2.2 - Falling objects

2.3.2.3 - Settlement of existing footway / carriageway

2.3.2.4 - Traffic accident due to temporarily closed carriageway

 

2.3.3 - The Contractor

 

Set up Preliminary Project Feasibility Studies (PPFS)

To set up a monthly reporting system to strengthen the monitoring of the planning progress of high impact public works projects

 

Co-operative Efforts

(Practice Note for Registered Contractors 31 - Monitoring for Site Safety) http://www.bd.gov.hk/english/documents/pnrc/Pnrc31.pdf

 

6. Registered contractors are expected to co-operate in the interest of public safety by

ensuring that :

(a) ready access to sites is provided to SMS staff;

(b) copies of all approved plans, agreed work sequence and procedures and all conditions

imposed by the Building Authority issued to you by the authorized person and registered

structural engineer are kept on site;

(c) all approved or agreed work sequence and procedures and all conditions imposed or

orders issued by the Building Authority, made known and explained to you by the

authorized person or registered structural engineer, are adhered to;

(d) requirements on supervision of building and demolition works are met;

(e) adequate precautionary measures are provided, particularly with regard to falling objects

at sites;

(f) any contravention resulting from the carrying out of works is notified to the Building

Authority as soon as possible; and

(g) unsatisfactory aspects of work sites and building works are rectified without delay.

 

2.3.3.1 - Crisis made by mechancial moving plants

 

Poon and Lee (1992) recommended that contractors should provide training scheme for safety knowledge to staff, providing money support to staff to take training course in Construction Industry Training Authority (CITA) is also a good practice to this point. Before lifting goods it is recommended to design for a Lifting Plan to seek for approved by the Engineer, and then the Engineer may able to assess the risk for the lifting process and arrow the contractor to carry out lifting process strictly referring to the plan. Automatic safe load indicator is also recommended to be installed inside the crane, so that once the loads meet the safety level of lifting the safe load indicator would give out warning signal to notify the operator to stop the lifting process at once. The project manager or safety officer need to conduct site assessment – to assess the site conditions, before the lifting process especially for the spot where the crane will be located, it is because if the crane is located in soft soil layer, the land will provide insufficient stability. The crane is possibly to tilt before the safe loading is achieved. Poon and Lee (1992) also recommended the Hong Kong Government to introduce regulation for the restriction of usage of cranes which are operated for over continuous 10 years working lift.

 

Lee (1996) recommended the contractors to have detail inspection on the crane duty chart and manufacturer’s instruction to understand the plant’s structure and the checking responsibility. The contractors shall understand very well the and erection and dismantling procedures. For this, needless to say, experience is to great important. Inspect of test certificates and other statutory reports become compulsory action in construction industry. Always inspect the general condition of the crane to have an early notice of the failure of crane and have an early rectification of the failure but not aftermath of accident. Lee (1996) also suggest the contractors to inspect safety devices regularly to ensure it could help when it is needed. A common sense of safety that the contractor should never ask for the crane to overload. Same as Poon and Lee (1992), this book emphasise the importance of inspection ground conditions when lifting materials by crane.

 

By Contractor’s Safety Handbook issued by Hong Kong Baptist University, it is highlighted at the table below the all lifting appliances including chains, ropes & lifting gear must be tested, examined and inspected in different time range.

 

Item

Testing & Examination

Testing

Examination

Inspection

Report Form

Action

Lifting

Appliance

(other than a crane, crab or winch)

Before use

 

 
 

 

 

Form 4

 

Competent Examiner

Crane, Crab

or Winch

 

During the preceding 4 years before use

 

 

 

Form 3

 

Competent Examiner

All Lifting

Appliances

 

Before use after undergone substantial repair, re-erection, failure, overturning or

collapse

 

 

 

Form 3

Form 4

 

Competent Examiner

 

 

At least once in the preceding 12

months

 

Form 5

Competent Examiner

 

 

 

Within the

preceding 7 days

Form 1

 

Competent Person

Crane

 

 

After erection, removal to a new location, adjustment of any component

member

Before erection (for all of the

devices used for the anchoring or

ballasting)

 

Form 2

 

Competent Examiner

Chains, ropes & lifting gear

Before use

 

 

In the preceding 6 months before

use

 

Form 6

Form 7

 

Competent Examiner

 

 

 

2.3.3.3 - Settlement of existing footway / carriageway

2.3.3.4 - Traffic accident due to temporarily closed carriageway

What the Contractors can do is to minimise the possibility of accident with guided by the Code of Practice 

 

Practice notes for construction managers (http://www.hkicm.org.hk/FILES/HKICM-PNCM4-PM01.pdf)

(www.hkbu.edu.hk/~ehsu/access/handbook.pdf)

 

6.7 Control of Subcontractors

 

- All subcontractors shall be made aware of the stringent safety requriements to be imposed on the project site.

 

- Subcontractors shall be required to provide all suitable and necessary safety precaution and equipment to their employees and enforce application of these measures and equipment. Disciplinary action shall be taken against subcontractors and their employees for non-compliance of the required safety standards.

 

- A copy of safety rules and requirements shall be issued to each subcontractors.

 

- In order to exercise close monitoring and control over the safety performance, site safety instructions/memo shall be issued to subcontractors for actions.

 

- Every subcontreactor shall be required to appoint a Safety Supervisor/Representives for monitoring the safety performance of its work, and for communicating with UNION personnel regarding health and safety matter.

 

-  Procedures for a Permit to Work system shall be implemented to ensure the safety of working in confined space.

 

- All subcontractors are also required to attend monthly safety meeting so that adequate briefing and appraisal can be given with feed back heard from them.

2.4 Critical appraisal

 

3. Methodology

3.1

The questionnaire

 

3.1.1 - Research design

 

3.1.2 - Sample characteristic

 

3.1.3 - Research Instrument

 

3.1.4 - Variables

 

3.1.5 - Date analysis

 

3.1.6 - Findings and Results of the Questionnaires

 

3.1.7 - Limitations of the Questionnaire

3.2

The interviews

 

3.2.1 - Type of Design Used

 

3.2.2 - Role of the Researcher

 

3.2.3 - Data Collection Procedures

 

3.2.4 - Data Analysis Procedures

 

3.2.5 - Findings of the Interviews

 

3.2.6 - Limitations

3.3

The case studies

 

KCR HUNG HOM STATION MODIFICATIONS

PLANNING, DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

(West Rail Phase 1, Tsim Sha Tsui Extension, Ma On Shan Rail and Lok Ma Chau Spur Line)

 (http://www.hkiecvd.org/paper/HKIE%20Paper_Final%20-27-3-03_.pdf)

The challenge is to carry out construction work in a busy operating train terminus with over 200,000 passengers a day. How works can be carried out depend on detailed phasing which are developed together with Operations in design stage, with one track occupied for works and keeping 3 out of 4 existing tracks in operations. Train services, E&M services, evacuation routes must remain un-interrupted at all times. Safety to the public, train operation and construction are the top priority.

The Hung Hom Station will change from a terminus station to an intermediate station with the TST extension.

The early curving railway alignment inside HUH encroaches onto 16 nos. major columns (2 in pair over an expansion joint). Those columns support the podium of the Coliseum, a major recreational complex managed by Leisure & Culture Services Department. To ensure the

structural gauge requirement of the new alignment, the affected columns are required to be demolished and underpinned. The underpinning of the podium is by the construction of a reinforced concrete portal with a versatile jacking system selected for load transfer from the column to be demolished to the new reinforced concrete portal. Control of cutting and jacking sequences is required to safeguard public using the station in the vicinity, with detailed monitoring and instrumentation scheme, site safety control and risk assessment. For health and safety of public, full height hoarding with dust curtain is also placed during the operation. Figure 1 provides schematic arrangement of the construction of the underpinning portals track by track in phases.

 

 

Figure 1

Thorough understanding of station operation and train planning, coordination with KCR Operation and statutory authorities (BD, EMSD, FSD, HK Railway Inspectorate) is required. Detailed arrangement of work activities within constraints of operating station and selection of appropriate form of construction are essential which should be quick in construction. Structural steelwork with reinforced concrete flooring is used for the mid level concourse to minimize the wet trade inside operating station which is both environmentally desirable and retains the flexibility of construction to suit restricted hours of works inside station.

 

The new mid level concourse straddles across all the four domestic tracks and therefore closure of tracks is inevitable, with typical phased construction shown in Figure 4. KCR train Operation has carried out rescheduling of train time table during the construction period in order to maximise the use of the remaining 3 tracks in HUH during closure of a particular track. After a year of planning and consultation with Operation, a set of phasing plans has been finalised with a total of 9 phases of works. The track closure would start from Track 2 onwards, then Track 1, Track 4 and Track 3. Typical works during the 9-month closure of Track 2 includes (i) erection of full height fire rated hoarding to fence off part of the Track 2 and platform 2 from the public area, (ii) decommissioning of the overhead line above Track 2, (iii) demolishing train signal system in the vicinity and temporary decommissioning of the public addressing system and next train indicator along the whole platform 2, (iv) erection of the structural steelwork for the portion of reprovided mid level concourse immediately above Track 2, (v) concreting of new concourse floor, (vi) modification of electrical and mechanical system within closed area, (vii) mini-piling work, (viii) concreting of the new column and beam, (ix) platform edge modification work to suit the curved alignment, (x) track formation work to the planned vertical alignment for relaying of tracks by permanent way contractor.

The requirement of acquiring works area in tracks is known as Possession of Track (P). Six weeks advance booking is required to be given to East Rail Operation known as Traffic Engineering Notice. An inherent constraint imposed by ER at Hung Hom Station is 3 out of 4 domestic tracks should remain in service such that heavy passengers flow can be catered. Under certain circumstances a further track may be closed in non-peak traffic hours between 10:00am to 4:00pm, subject to the ER approval. Otherwise, night work during non-operating hours executed between 1:30am and 5:30am is the only option. This implies less efficient working hours and discontinuity of the works.

 

East Rail establishes requirements preventing electric shock when working in train operation area. Any person or object at any time cannot approach within 2m radius of the live high voltage overhead line. If any planned construction works involved any workers, plants or materials to be approached within such 2m radius of the live high voltage overhead line, then the Possession of Track must also include the Isolation of high voltage overhead line (I) to turn off the voltage of the overhead line. The procedures of P and I frequently prohibited the continuity of the works.

 

Staff and workers are required to attend trainings before supervision or working within ER boundaries, for example, for KCRC Resident Site Staff, Person-in-Charge of Possession (PICOP), Staff-in-Charge of Non-Operating Area (SICNOA), KCRC Qualified Supervision (KQS), Authorized Person (AP) for isolation of HV lines, General Line Safety (GLS); and for contractor staff, Contractor Qualified Supervision (CQS), AP and GLS.

 

Even simple hoarding can become one of the important issue. Minimum platform width, queuing zone must be maintained as well as the normal operation of the station. Some hoarding in close proximity to operating tracks had to be erected during night work [Figure 15]. Full height (8m) fire rated hoardings were provided in some areas to fence off the

construction work area so as to eliminate nuisance to the operating station.

 

Special Safety Considerations

Majority of the construction materials and plants are scheduled to be delivered to the track area at night time after the closure of train operation. In order to prevent sparks emitted by welding of the structural steelwork escaping out of hoarded area, full height fire rated curtain had to be erected from the top of the hoarding to the ceiling of the Station. The intumescent painting of the structural steel member was carried out at mid-night as the operation considered that the odour of the paint would harm the passengers. Difficulties were also encountered when concreting to the new mid-level concourse, with concrete pumped at high level over the platforms where thousands of passengers passed through below.

 

For E&M services and utilities diversion at high level, suspended bamboo scaffoldings were erected at the ceiling of the Station as the working platform. The contractor proposed to re-phase the sequence of work by providing the fire rated working platform above the high voltage cable cross over to four platforms. The advantage of this arrangement is to provide

the continuity of E&M works at high level independent of rack possession, minimizing the interrupt to the building services to the station and train operation. [Figure 16]. Fire precaution and safety must be addressed. Sufficient fire rated boards were used to spread over the platforms and safety net were stretched under the platforms. For those scaffolding platforms above the overhead high voltage cable, a minimum clear distance of

600mm between the cable and the platform must be maintained as stipulated by the rules of East Rail. No workers can be allowed on the bamboo scaffoldings above live tracks during the

railway operating hours.

Contractor Safety Performance and Awards

As public and construction safety are the top priority over all other concerns, a safety management system is implemented by the contractor which includes (i) All workers need to attend safety induction course before their commencement of work. (ii) Tool-box talk to workers about 2 tails per worker per month. (iii) Site safety committee to be held monthly. (iv) Joint site safety inspection to be held weekly. (v) Conduct internal safety audit and external DNV safety audit every six months. (vi) Conduct risk assessment and relevant safety training before commencement of work. (vii) Conduct daily morning briefing to workers. (viii) Permit to work system including permit to operate of crane, hotwork permit and entry permit for confined spaces. (ix) Safety cash award to workers. (x) Safety promotion on site such as fire drill. With the implementation of the above safety measures and partnering approach, the project has the following safety achievements: - (1) Hong Kong Occupational Safety Awards – Gold award 2002. (2) No safety compliant from public, with over 200 million passengers passing through the Hung Hom Station during the last 2 years. (3) The accident frequency rate is 0.42, which is significantly lower than the Government Works Bureau target of 1.4 and KCRC ERE target of 1.25. (4) The lowest accident rate within KCRC ERE, with only 3 reportable accidents in the whole contract.

 

The challenge of construction work in a busy operating railway terminus with over 200,000

passengers a day is an immense task. Train services and evacuation routes must remain un-interrupted at all times. This demands detailed phasing, careful planning of every step, close co-operation with station operations, and stringent safety practices. Limited working space with restricted headroom for plant, limited access to track area, material handling restriction, inefficiency at restricted hours during track possession and night works. Underpinning of the podium and load transfer are technical challenge. Safety to public, train operation and construction is the top priority over all other concerns. The project is successfully delivered through partnering approach to overcome various constraints and

unforeseen conditions. No safety complaint received from the public with over 150 million passengers passing through the station during the construction period, and even achievements in the safety awards under such conditions deserve a recognition on its own.

 

 

4. Findings and improvement

 

5. Discussion

 

6. Conclusion and recommendation

- outbreak of any hazard may contribute public hazard

7. Reference / bibliography

 

General - Public Works1, www.yubacity.net/documents/Chapter 14 - Public Works.pdf
- Hazards and public safety, http://www.plantown.com/Willits/3.12Hazards.pdf

Section 2 - Contractor Safety Handbook, www.hkbu.edu.hk/~ehsu/access/handbook.pdf

 

 

 

Reference

 

HOLT, G. (1998) A guide to successful dissertation study for students of the built environment. 2nd ed., School of Engineering and the Built Environment, University of Wolverhampton: The Built Environment Research Unit.      

 

SIME, J. D. (1988) Safety in the built environment. School of Architecture, Portsmouth Polytechnic: E. & F. N. Spon.

 

GEORGE, H. & CHRIS, G. (1983) Practical Site Management – An Illustrated Guide, 2nd ed.,. Longman Group Limited: George Godwin.

 

Bibliography

 

LEE, H. K. (1996) Construction Safety in Hong Kong. 1st ed., Form Advertising Co., Ltd.: Lorrainelo.

 

No Data (2005) Code of Practice for the Lighting, Signing and Guarding of Road Work. 2005 Draft ed., Highways Department, Hong Kong Government: Publications Sales Unit. <http://www.hyd.gov.hk/eng/public/publications/Code/index.htm> 

 

No Data (2002) Contractor Safety Handbook. 1st ed., Hong Kong Baptist University: Environmental Health & Safety Unit, Estates Office.