Management of Construction Site Safety During Projects: the Use of 5S System

MANAGEMENT OF CONSTRUCTION SITE SAFETY DURING PROJECTS: THE USE OF “5S” SYSTEM

Yang, XiangSchool of Management, Tianjin University, China

Zhang, LianyingSchool of Management, Tianjin University, China

Zhang, JieSchool of Management, Tianjin University, China

Background

It is well known that worldwide accident statistics are not available, therefore, in order to explore the background of the safety problem, statistics from one nation must be considered. In this paper the statistics refer mainly to the United Kingdom (UK), but studies show that similar trends are apparent throughout the world although, in many cases, the accident figures are considerably higher outside the UK. In the UK the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) produces annual reports on accident statistics throughout the industry. The surveys show that construction is one of the most dangerous industries with 581 fatal accidents between 1986 and 1992. There is no doubt that maximum effort is required to significantly reduce these statistics.

One particularly worrying observation is that almost identical situations continue to cause death and injury. The construction industry seems unable to learn from its past mistakes. There is a tendency to blame external factors for the poor safety record. Factors[1] such as:

The transient nature of the industry;
The complete disregard for safety of many of its employees;
The need to use a partially completed permanent structure, or a regularly changing temporary platform, to access works at a higher level;
The constantly changing hazards as the project is constructed.
In general every corporation has its own safety policy. A corporate safety policy will include:
Policy statement: states what the organization will do.
Operation of the policy: explains how the organization will ensure that the policy is adhered to.
Organization: states who is responsible for safety at different levels of the organization; explains how the policy affects departments, sections or projects within the organization.
Communication: explains how the policy will be communicated throughout the organization, and how senior management will be briefed on its implementation.

There is a danger that, once compiled, the safety policy is filed out of sight. The safety policy must be a working document, used regularly to monitor site practice. If practice begins to device from the policy, the major contractor must act immediately.

The Major Contractor’s Role in Making Projects Safer

In 1988, the UK’s HSC published a guide to managing health and safety. The guide described[2] the roles and responsibilities of the various parties under the following types of construction contract; management contracting; design and manage; construction management.

The major contractor’s responsibilities for managing health and safety[3] include:

to help the design team identify information on major health and safety matters which will be passed no to the package contractors;
to contribute construction and health and safety expertise to the design team. This should lead to design futures which are easier and safer to construct;
to identify high-risk activities during the pre-contract planning stage and to formulate site-wide method statements for dealing with them. These will be included in the contract documents for the package contractors. High-risk activities will differ from contract to contract, but are likely to include:confined spaces and excavation;demolition including asbestos removal;cranes and hoists; scffolding and temporary works;multi-storey frames;clandding and roofing;hot-works (welding/buming/cutting, etc.);substances hazardous to health;
to identify essential, separately priceable health and safety items (for example, access scaffolding, edge protection and welfare facilities) which could be included in contracts with package contractors;
to shortlist package contractors who will be invited to tender, taking account of their skills in managing health and safety;
to produce a site safety policy that includes rules and conditions, procedures, guidance notes and codes of practice. The policy should incorporate client requirements, where appropriate, and be included in the contract documents for the package contractors;
to set up the site organization for the management of health and safety taking into account the following factors:

(1)overall programme for the project;

(2)planned procedures;

(3)arrangements for coordination, liaison and communication;

(4)safety representatives’ functions and arrangements for joint consultation;

(5)arrangements for monitoring site health and safety;

(6)arrangements for training, instruction and information;

(7)policy on the use of common facilities, plant and equipment;

(8)arrangements for record-keeping and statutory examination;

(9)extemal liaison;

(10)responsibilities of package contractors;

(11)responsibilities of individuals.

to ensure that package contractors are briefed about anticipated construction method, site/design factors, relevant hazards, precautions, general site safety rules and conditions, and are clear about divisions of responsibility. Similarly the package contractors should inform the major contractor, and interfacing package contractors, about possible hazards arising from their own activities;
to ensure that package contractors have made plans to work safely, have priced their bids accordingly and have the necessary resources. Each package contractor should produce a contract-specific safety policy;
to ensure that package contractors produce detailed method statements for high risk activities, to monitor the package contractor’s performance against the method statements and take action where necessary. It is good practice to consider safety as the first item on the agenda of the regular package progress meetings;
to manage health and safety on site by coordinating activities, ensuring that planned procedures are implemented and monitoring performance so that revised arrangements can be made as necessary. The major contractor should ensure that he does not become remote from day-to-day problems on site;
to consider the creation of a joint safety committee operating on a site-wide basis and involving representatives of management and operatives from all package contractors;
to convene regular, site-wide coordination meetings, attended by both the major contractor’s staff and each package contractor’s site management. Safety is one of the key aspects of coordination;
to make site-wide arrangements for emergencies, fire prevention, safe access, lighting, etc.

However, the advice given is applicable to all major construction projects, especially those where the major contractor has some influence over detailed design and employs package contractors to construct some, or all, of the project.

“5S” SYSTEM

The source of “5S”

“5S” is a series of management activities canonized in Japan. It includes: tidy (seiri), dight (seiton), clean (seiso), clear (seiketsu), attainment (shitsuke). The five items begin with “s” in Roman pronunciation of Japanese, so they are called“5S”. “5S” is so frondose and actuality that employee can understand as they look at this. The purpose of “5S” is creating a clean, comfortable, suitable and tidy environment for the employees.

The three stanchion of “5S”

The activities of “5S” are implemented one by one and can be divided into three stanchions:

Firstly creating a disciplinary process of project. “5S” changes the way of people’s behavior, so it is very important to train each person to be responsible.
Secondly, creating a clean environment, that is cleaning every cant and gap, getting rid of dust to make the site look brand-new and exciting. This is a revolution of mind.
Lastly creating a visual management project. Observe by eyes to discover where the abnormity is, to help each man finish his work very well, to avoid making mistake. This is the standardization of “5S”.

Tidy (seiri)
Definition: to distinguish whether the object is necessary or not and get rid of the unnecessary.
Purpose: to make place for other utility.
Essentials: to examine all work concourse including the visibility and invisibility, establish the criterion to justify the necessary and unnecessary, get rid of the unnecessary objects, investigate the utility frequency of the necessary and determine everyday dosage, formulate the way of dealing with the castoff, and examine selves every day.

Dight (seiton)

Definition: to place the necessary according to the rule to allow easy identification.
Purpose: orderliness, nameplate and do not waste time to look for something.
Essentials: arrange the flow and determine the concourse to placing, rule the way of placing, draw and pitch, and identify the objects there (the emphases of visual management).
Emphases: dight to formulate the state that anyone can find the objects in need at once; look on the side of the abecedarian or other occupation to make it explicit that something should be somewhere; as for placing concourse and placed objects, the measure should be taken to use them immediately; besides it can be recovered easily after use and understand immediately if not recovered or placed by mistake.

Clean (seiso)

Definition: to get rid of the dust in concourse and prevent pollution occurring.
Purpose: to eliminate the “dust” to keep the concourse clean and bright.
Essentials: to set up the responsible field for cleaning (indoor and outdoor), execute and routinely sweep and clean up the dust, investigate the source of pollution and stop it, establish the benchmark of cleaning and look at it as a criterion.
Emphases: make the concourse free of dust and pollution. After the tiding and dighting the necessary can be made available immediately but can they be used normally? The first purpose of cleaning is so that the equipments can be used normally. Especially when high qualification and worth are needed it is forbidden to have dust and pollution. It should be known that cleaning is not only sweeping but an important part of the project and it is executed by heart.

Clear (seiketsu)
Definition: to institute and standardize the activities of frontal 3S, fulfil and keep the production.
Purpose: to keep the production by system and show where the “abnormality” is.
Essential: to fulfil the frontal 3S; formulate the benchmark of visual management and colour management; formulate the way of auditing; formulate the system of rewards and punishment and execute it seriously; keep the mind of “5S”; the super director should usually take the initiative to go on a tour of inspection.

Attainment (shitsuke)

Definition: everybody performs in accordance with the rule and form the good custom.
Purpose: to change people’s attainment and form the custom of serious work.
Essentials: to keep on promoting the frontal 4S customary; formulate the related rule and regulation and abide by them; formulate the convenance regulation ; educate and train; promote all kinds of spirit activities(morning meeting, smile sports, etc.).
Emphases: attainment is not only the last result but also the ultimate purpose aspired by director in enterprise. If every employee has good custom and abide by the rule the director must be very comfortable, the work order can be fulfiled, the spot law can be united, and all activities can be fulfilled.

“5S” and safety

The safety committee should be founded in lots of projects and issue safety regulations because safety is the most important to the project. If there is no exhorts every day the safety can be neglected. [5] Although it is necessary that everyone should be told to work with safety helmet and shoes, to notice the movement of objects and assure the road open. It is well known that “5S” is not only the indispensable activities to stead qualification and raise efficiency but also the base of preventing the accident. A project which fulfils “5S” completely[6] will reduce many disasters, so it is usually said that “5S” is the mother of the safety and qualification”.

The embedding and fulfilling of “5S”

In the case of fire and accident occurring without“5S”, attention should be paid to the following:

(1)place something in or out of the passage;

(2)place something nearby the entrance or safety passage;

(3)place something in the front of the hydrant or switchboard;

(4)the layout and tubing is not steadfast;

(5)pile up the sharp things irregularly;

(6)the flammable things not in the directed vessel with lid.

The virtue of fulfilling the “5S”

The achievements of “5S” are great on the preventing accidents; be good to tidy the site, stead and raise the qualification; make the flow[7] orderly, fault discovered easily and efficiency improved; the work space can be increased and used effectively; reduce the damage of the things; in favor of health and sanitation; in favor of forming comfortable air; make the concourse bright and clean; conducive to preventing the fire.

The emphasis of work safely

(1)work clothes

keep clean usually;
if the fastener fall off or damage;
if the heel of work shoes disrupted, bootlace loose ( baboosh forbidden);
put on the safety helmet in the appointed work;
if schlep sharp things.

(2)the things for safeguard(glasses, respirator, earplug, and safety helmet etc.)

put on glasses and earplug;
put on respirator correctly, not chin;
filter things;
get store at any time;
determine the spot for storage and keep correctly.

(3)passage

place anything in the passage;
if there is there any accident and hazard;
if sprinkle the oil or water;
if there is any dangerous situations that the wire and tube cross the passage;
determine the height and width of the entrance.

(4)the floor of the concourse

if is there any unnecessary appliance;
assure wire and tube safety;
keep the sweep appliance and store in directed place;
do not put anything nearby the switch, hydrant, fireproof equipments, and safety gate;
if is any problem about the tidy and dight.

(5)organic acid and tinder[8]

mark the content and functionary of the things at the custodial place, and tidy them by class;
prevent evaporation by the lid of vessels, avoid overfalling and leaking;
ensure the exchange and discharge equipments run normally in the work concourse;
examine the keeping warehouse termly, prepare the hydrant and sign “fire forbidden”;
keep the scrap cotton yarn in the fireproof vessel;
if oil is spilled it is clean up immediately;
survey if is there any fire or fume nearby;
do not execute the work with fire (belt etc.) near the tinder.

The emphasis of visiting and examining at concourse

The safety guideline[9] should be fulfilled and strengthen everyone’s safety mind includes: to make the safety sign board, the safety record, and calendar; plan the safety advertisement and selves’ purpose; sign the items that can almost become accident and constitute the examination team.

Master the affairs to resolve hazard problems include: to illuminate what degree has the action reached; ensure to use the safety clamp practically and determine the spot for placement obviously; examine every team, patrol and record the items that may be accident.

Confirm if there is any dangerous state includes: to take the measures[10] that settling the equipments’ safety cover, interlock and transducer etc. consummate the safety installation of equipments, especially notice the temperature of drier, manipulator and auto running equipments.

Conclusions

As the major contractor, it is necessary that much attention should be paid to the construction site safety. Though by now “5S” system has not been applied in the field of construction, in other fields it shows very strong functionality, especially in Japan it is usually used by many directors of enterprise. Through the discussion in this paper,“5S” system must become one of the most effective means to resolve the problem of site safety.

References

[1]The Establishment and Implement of Assurance System for Safety Producing in Construction Site, The Supervise Seminar of Project Construction in Shanghai, The Press of Construction Industry in China, Beijing, 1999.

[2]Health and Safety Commission Annual Report (UK), 1991/1992,HMSO, London,1992.

[3]Project Management Institute. A guide to the project managementbook of knowledge, Project Management Institute, Upper Darby, PA, US, 1996

[4]A.M.Levitt and H.W.Parker:“Reducing construction accidents—Top management’s role”, in Journal of the Construction Division, ASCE, Vol,102,No.3,Sep.1976.

[5]Total project management of construction safety, health and environment, Thomas Telford Services Ltd. London, ISBN 0-7277-1923-8,1993.

[6]Shaoxiong Shun, How to Push 5S,The Press in Xiamen University, Xiamen, 2000.

[7]Morris PWG,Hough GH. The anatomy of major projects, John Wiley, Chichester, UK, 1987.

[8]Adapter from Managing health and safety in construction: Management contracting, Construction Industry Advisory Committee, HMSO, London, 1988.

[9]Cooper KG. The rework cycle: benchmarks for the project manager. Project Management Journal 1993;24(1):000-111.

[10]Major Project Association Beyond 2000: a source book for major projects. Major Projects Association, Oxford, UK, 1992.