Risk Assessment and Safety Precautions for Construction Site Scaffolding

Abstract

Accidents from heights are rampant and are rising day by day, with a higher number of injuries and deaths recorded in the construction industry. Some of the impacts of these incidents are the characteristic nature of the construction sector; unfailing deadlines to be met, environmental conditions during construction, natural and man-made disasters, lack of skilled manpower, undue gain over the provision of the best materials for construction. This paper gives an account of investigations of 100 scaffolding structures erected on-site in South East of Japan in terms of conformity with safety guidelines specified by the Japan International Centre for Occupation safety and health (JICOSH). Different kinds of hazards associated with falls from heights as well as the possible collapse of scaffolding due to human error/negligence and structural problem were also collated randomly from different construction and rehabilitation sites and are presented. Qualitative appraisal of conditions of some scaffolding components such as bracing, guardrails, platforms, struts and dresses, etc., which are categorized into standardized and non-standardized operations were done. According to the investigation, the most significant factor influencing the scaffold accident is structural safety, particularly the improper use of clamps and connectors which are critical elements on site. It is indispensable that trained personnel are hired to carryout scaffolding operation for effective safety.

Keywords

• scaffolding
• safety precautions
• jicosh recommendation
• fall from height
• site investigation