HELMET

Environment Health Safety

Volume - 4, Issue - 4 October - December 2014

Ushering in
2015 with a focus
on SAFETY
 Contents From the
Change is the only
constant
9
EDITOR
Blasting obstacles 15

It only takes a spark! 23

Gear-up for the 30

unexpected

Forging a robust connect 36

to light up homes

T
he game of cricket will never be the same after 27 work has to go on in an unending race against time. The
November, 2014, the day when a bright career was priority of project managers and other vertical heads at a site
nipped in the bud and young Phil Hughes remained 63 is to keep the ball rolling and push a project to conclusion.
Editor : Vinod Jacob Chacko
not out forever. It is doubly cruel because Phils death occurred However, this cannot be at the cost of safety to the hundreds
Associate Editor : Gopi Kannan. S at a time when protective gear and technology are at their and thousands who are risking their lives to work for us. It is
best. The video clips of him ducking into a bouncer make one absolutely vital that we do not lose sight of the safety factors
Process Owners : M. Kamarajan | P. V. Kaliappan cringe and brings a tear to your eye but the biggest lesson that even for a moment.
Malay Kumar Mahanta cricketers all around the world, across levels learnt that day
Being prepared for any eventuality is one thing but being able
Stephen Philip Storey | Ravi S. M was that you just cannot afford to take your eyes off the ball
to think on your feet, take instant on-the-run decisions and act
K. S. Sudheesh Kumar even for a second!
quickly in concert with your colleagues is what will convert a
For long, experts have always expounded the values of potentially dangerous situation into a routine, every day chore.
Technical Associates : P. Nagarajan | Gabrial Fernandez
single-minded focus and concentration. These are qualities This calls for nerves of steel, a calmness of mind and a perfect
Sudarsan Rajendran
imperative for any function, in any walk of life or line of work understanding of the work environment. In such situations,
Md Quaisar Imam and it is so very important in our line of work. Construction is people seek a leader and that is why very often leaders are born
Sathyanarayana Seelamanthula one area that is so fraught with dangerous situations because in crises.
Murali Krishnan | Nick Abalde you are dealing with so many people, so much of equipment,
Mathivanan Palaniappan Every situation in your workplace seeks to bring out the leader
so many heavy loads, working at heights, so much activity all
in you. The onus is very much on each one of us to hear the
S. Anantha Prasanna Venkatesh happening at the same time the challenges and attendant
call of the situation and take control and you can only do that
risks are real, many and varied.
Editorial team : V. Ramesh Kumar if you are always on the ball.
Ashwin Chand | Mayura. K Not a moment can be lost in a project. Each moment is crucial
Be a Safety leader and take the reins to ensure a safe
because projects have to be delivered as per clearly stipulated
environment to work in because one can never be
Photography : V. S. Natanavelu | R. Vijay Kumar deadlines otherwise the penalties for delay can wash away
too careful!
your entire profit margin! That is non-negotiable therefore
Design & layout : Global Print Design, Chennai

2 HELMET, October - December 2014 HELMET, October - December 2014 3

INAUGURATION INAUGURATION

2015 rings in with safety month

Safety month January 2015 was kick-started with an inaugural
function at HQ campus where the senior management and
other L&Tites displayed their commitment to EHS by actively
participating in the event.

In his welcome address, Mr. M.V. Satish, Senior Vice President

& Head - Buildings & Factories IC, expressed that various
initiatives which are a part of Suraksha Jeet were now
bringing about a positive safety culture and changing mind
sets of people. However, there still seems to be a huge scope for
improvement in EHS performance, he indicated. MVS opined
that mechanization and technology had taken the front seat
at projects and there were potential hazards related to plant
& machinery and fall from heights which can be mitigated by
religiously following Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
He also touched upon the need for better housekeeping
emphasizing that everybody should take ownership and
responsibility at the workplace to ensure that it is cleaned once
the job is completed or at the end of each day.

Mr. S.N. Subrahmanyan, Member of the Board & Senior

Executive Vice President (Infrastructure & Construction)
hoisted the safety flag and highlighted that the top
management should give paramount importance to
safety. SNS urged for better safety records by taking
into consideration challenges such as size and spread of
the project, complicated nature of work and untrained
workmen. SNS also lauded the Suraksha Jeet initiatives
such as IVRS, online EHS observation systems and the
Safety Innovative School that is coming up at Kanchipuram
near Chennai.

Mr. M. Kamarajan, Head - Environment Health & Safety

(EHS), B&F IC, briefed the gathering on the month long
events that includes road safety walkathon, elocution
contest, EHS quiz, fire fighting program, first-aid, spot L&Tites and their family members at the
the hazards in the campus and evaluation of campus Walkathon conducted on January 11, 2015
buildings. The safety pledge was administered by to spread awareness on road safety.
Mr. Kumar Narayanan, Head - Environment, Health &
Safety (EHS), L&T Power while Mr. Stephen Philip Storey,
Head - Environment Health & Safety (EHS), Heavy Civil IC
delivered the vote of thanks.

4 HELMET, October - December 2014 HELMET, October - December 2014 5

TRAINING
Safety training can be fun
seriously!
Make no mistake: Safety training
is deadly serious stuff! And the
pun is totally intended because
lives are involved and therefore it
is imperative that each person at a
site, or anywhere for that matter, is
acutely conscious of the safety norms
and not only practices it but urges
others around to follow suit. Only
then can we move towards living
accident free every day!
Often, the most serious of messages can
be communicated far more effectively
with a small dose of humor. Suddenly,
the messaging and the training becomes
less frightening without, however,
losing its seriousness. It assumes
a cheerfulness and lightness that
makes it entertaining and memorable
with the result chances of employees
understanding, assimilating and then
practicing safety measures are much
higher. That is precisely why we have
introduced a humor corner from the
last edition of Helmet!
6 HELMET, October - December 2014
The first step towards making safety
training fun is at the trainer level
because it calls for a slightly different
approach, a small bit out of the safety
box thinking.
Change is always something that
gets noticed. A change of face and
voice once in a while to conduct
safety training is a very good way
to grab attention. Enacting different
characters by changing face and voice
while narrating a case study on safety
will be engaging for the participants.
Seeing is believing; the practical
always hits home faster than theory
so the more safety videos that can
be shared, the better. Employees are
able to visualize in graphic detail
the dangers and hence become more
sensitized to safety norms.
Communication is always more
effective when it is two-way.
Just having safety managers to
continuously drill down safety norms
will become not only boring but
even counter-productive. One way
to overcome this issue is by engaging
employees in the overall safety
journey. Contests to coin interesting
safety messages, to spot and report
unsafe practices at project sites,
quizzes and crossword puzzles on
safety are excellent ways of keeping
safety top-of-mind among employees.
Many strategic discussions in
boardrooms feature the What if
approach in which strategists draw
Strengthen the safety net
with the internet!
up several What if scenarios and
create solutions for those hypothetical
challenges. It is a very good tool to
resort to in safety training because the
imagination can throw up so many
different scenarios that as a team we
can be better prepared to face far more
exigencies than otherwise.
Rewards and recognition work like
magic in all walks of work and they
do in the realm of safety training too.
There is empirical data to support
the view that there is a proportionate
improvement in safety standards with
the increase in instituting and giving
away of safety awards. What better
way to keep the environment safe!
Safety training therefore need not be
dull and boring. It can also be a great
way to let your hair down safely!
The advantages of using the internet for safety training
and engagement are manifold:
yy
yy
yy
yy
yy
HELMET, October - December 2014
TRAINING
Since the worldwide web and social media have invaded our
lives, whether we like it or not, it makes eminent sense to
use them to our advantage. When working on the story on
the Delhi Metro Rail project for ECC Concord, the editorial
team was surprised by the project teams clever use of
WhatsApp. All relevant stakeholders, including workmen,
formed a group and important information was being
shared in real time by the team. Issues were raised, solutions
debated and corrective action taken all in double quick
time. The facility to share photographs instantly saved travel
time and hastened the decision-making process. One area
that benefited tremendously was Safety which is one of
the reasons why that particular project has already clocked
many million safe man hours!
The internet is also a great tool to dispense safety knowledge and
information: easy to share and equally ease for the recipients
to receive, download and engage with at their convenience.
Safety managers can track the dissemination, gauge the level
of employee engagement online with the option to either urge
greater engagement or share instant praise which is the best
employee incentive to raise the safety bar.
Webcams and Microsoft Lync are excellent tools for online
sharing without have to move out of ones office or project site.
Safety presentations can be shared, feedback can be received,
Easy to use
analysed and played back, specific issues can be addressed
Dissemination can be controlled and resolved and, most importantly, face-to-face interaction is
Convenience possible.
Can be shared or accessed anytime, any place
It is, however, important to acknowledge that the internet
Systematic storage of information for future
cannot be at the expense of personnel interactions. Which
reference
is why, although the Delhi Metro Rail team are linked by
WhatsApp, there are regular Safety Meetings for in-depth
understanding of issues, for collective learning and uniform
sensitization of safety norms and practices.
Surely, the safety net will be far stronger with the internet!
7
 BUILDINGS & FACTORIES

Safety Change is the only constant

of Honour
R o ll

Helmet congratulates the following sites for achieving

five million and more LTI free safe man-hours

44 Mumbai Airport Project

January 2013 to December 2014
8 DLF Maiden Heights Ph I Project, Bengaluru
November 2012 to December 2014

29 NISER Project, Bhubaneswar

September 2011 to December 2014
7 Emami City Project, Kolkata
January 2013 to December 2014

26 Prestige Bella Vista Project, Chennai

April 2012 to December 2014
7 Ireo Victory Valley Project, Gurgaon
September 2013 to December 2014

25 Delhi One Project

December 2011 to December 2014
7 Experion Windchants Project, Gurgaon
April 2014 to December 2014

22 Cognizant Elcot IT Park Project, Sholinganallur

October 2012 to December 2014
7 C-17 IAF Hindan Project, Ghaziabad
August 2012 to December 2014

14 Godrej Garden City Ph-III project, Ahmedabad

July 2011 to December 2014
7 Omkar Worli Sales Project, Mumbai
December 2012 to December 2014

12 ESIC Hospital Project, Joka

November 2009 to December 2014
7 Mall of India Project, Noida
September 2013 to December 2014

11 Lodha New Cuffe Parade Project, Wadala

March 2012 to December 2014
7 Reliance Twin Tower Project, Mumbai
May 2013 to December 2014

11 CMRL Depot Project, Koyambedu

December 2010 to December 2014
7 Seawoods PH II Project, Mumbai
December 2013 to December 2014
WhatsApp is the buzz word among people across generations with information about every move of the management
and having joined this club recently and having had the in organizations, are extinct today. However, those who
10 TCS Customer Care Centre, Siruseri
April 2012 to December 2014
7 Orient Cement Plant Project, Chittapur
May 2013 to December 2014
opportunity to read and enjoy many of the forwarded messages managed to adapt themselves to changes have reached
from friends, the below article is an outcome of one thought better positions.

10 HCL Ph III Project, Noida

January 2013 to December 2014
7 Prestige Ferns Project, Bengaluru
March 2013 to December 2014
provoking piece of information read in WhatsApp.
yy Those in their 40s and 50s will possibly be the last
Therefore, the essence is that change is the only constant in
this universe. As a construction giant, the rules of the game
generation to have known and received the telegrams
10 ATC Tower Project, Gurgaon
January 2012 to December 2014
6 Planet SKS Project, Mangalore
October 2011 to December 2014
which today has died a natural death
are changing. As an organization it is imperative to be smarter
and more agile than the others and the time for us to change
yy The 10, 25 and 50 paisa coins have all vanished and soon is NOW!
9 BMRCL R3 P1 Project, Bengaluru
July 2009 to December 2014
6 Hill Crest Project, Bengaluru
July 2012 to December 2014
will the one rupee coin too
We are seeing the advent of new players, competition is
yy Gramophone records, audio and video cassettes, DVDs
8 UP Awas Vikas Basement Project, Ghaziabad
August 2012 to December 2014
6 RG1 CAR PARK Project, Mumbai
February 2013 to December 2014
and VCDs ... have all been replaced by flash disks, ipods,
increasing, newer technologies are being adopted, clients
and customers are becoming more demanding and L&T is
ipads and other wired and wireless devices
dynamically entering new geographies and global markets.
8 Olympia Grande Project, Chennai
June 2012 to December 2014
5 The Grand Arch Project, Gurgaon
May 2013 to December 2014
yy Cellular devices with QWERTY key pad have become a
Therefore, for us to maintain our leadership position it is
rarity and those who manage to treasure them will find
essential to change, adapt and perform in every area of delivery
an historic value attached to them in a few years
8 IGate Hinjewadi Project, Pune
September 2013 to December 2014
5 Vaishnavi Terraces Project, Bengaluru
November 2012 to December 2014 yy A popular breed called stenographers, a set of people, rich
be it project management, safety or quality.

8 HELMET, October - December 2014 HELMET, October - December 2014 9

BUILDINGS & FACTORIES
In this context, I would like to share
some of the changes that will take place
in the field of safety management as per
the new ISO 14001:2015 Standard for
the benefit of all stakeholders:
The Standard defines the term
competence as the ability to apply
knowledge and skills to achieve intended
results. This definition highlights that
any action taken to provide knowledge
or skill without telling the employees
how to APPLY it, will not be considered
as a competence building exercise.
Also, this Standard states
that the organization
shall, where applicable,
take action to acquire the
necessary competence and
evaluate the effectivness
of action taken. Hence, the
need to take a critical look
at the efforts taken by the
organisation to improve
the skills of employees
and evaluate and prove
that they (trained persons)
will be able to achieve the
intended results.
The new ISO 14001:2015
Standard explains the role of leaders
to implement the requirements of
the Standard that calls for the top
management to fulfill certain specific
responsibilities to ensure that the
environment management system
(EMS) is integrated with the business
process appropriately and achieves
its desired outcome. In this context,
internal auditors may have to audit the
top management to verify how they
integrate EMS into their respective
business processes; they may have
to also face external auditors during
surveillance audits with specific
reference to the compliance of this and a
few other specific responsibilities.
10
Another responsibility of the top
management is to understand the
organizations context and ensure
that the knowledge gained shall be
considered, while establishing EMS.
Top management at all levels may be
faced with external auditors querying
them about the mechanism they have
established (to study the organizations
context). While understanding the
organizations context, one is expected
to understand the internal and external
issues that have the ability to affect our
environmental performance and to
understand the needs and expectations of
interested parties (including customers,
community, suppliers, regulators, NGOs,
investors, employees). Auditors (internal
and external) are bound to verify from
the top management at all levels, the
mechanism existing in the organization
to consult the interested parties and
their (top management) knowledge /
awareness about the outcome of such
exercise.
Recently I sat on the interview panel to
select an EHS Head for a site along with
the Project Director. I was pleasantly
surprised to see the Project Director
posing quite a few questions on BOCW.
Later, I understood that situations
at site forced the Project Director to
master the BOCW act and its safety
BUILDINGS & FACTORIES
provisions. Necessity is the mother of
invention! Know your equipment - Tower Cranes
68% of Indias population of 1.27 billion
is rural and 100% of our workmen
belong to this group. While one
constantly blames these rural workmen
for not following safety norms despite
reminders and enforcements, reality
reveals that the same set of people follow
all the guidelines at work when placed in
a different environment. This only proves
that as an organisation, it is critical to
understand that past glory alone will not
bring results, it is important to keep pace
with the swiftly changing
scenario.
Workmen retention is a
great challenge for project
sites in the present scenario
where workers have a wide
range of options to choose
from. Safety induction by
EHS staff, providing the
mandatory PPE (safety
shoes, safety helmets and
reflective jackets) have all
become a liability to the
organisation as it increases
budgeted project cost by 3
to 4 times. Understanding
the changing aspirations
of workmen and involving
them in micro level planning can only As children we have all wondered how crane to lift steel, concrete, large tools other, the Flat Top crane is used to
help in improving retention. this giant machine with a long boom can like acetylene torches and generators overcome the height constraint.
lift so much weight and never fall. How and a wide variety of other building
In other words, either the training
is it able to grow taller as the building materials. Luffing Jib: This crane is used where
has been lacking or ineffective. One
grows taller? And how it can do things there is a space constraint for free
could also be betting on a wrong horse This article is to further enhance your
that seem nearly impossible? slewing of the horizontal jib cranes
by placing too much importance on
knowledge about Tower Cranes. (Hammer Head & Flat top) like in the
safety training without considering
Well, as an engineer one would have case of many high-rise towers in close
the changing scenario. It is imperative
to introduce engineering controls and understood the working and realized Commonly used Tower proximity.
fool-proof systems, rather than trying to that the Tower Crane is the most Cranes
modify human behaviour. important entity of a project right from
Hammer Head: These are the most
Classification based on
day one. Tower cranes are a common
Having said thus, in the new year, B&F
fixture at any major construction site
commonly used type of tower cranes supports
IC is geared to face all changes, meet all where height and space are not a
and pretty hard to miss for a common When the cranes Height Under Hook
forthcoming requirements and make a constraint.
man as they often rise hundreds of feet (HUH) required is more than the
big change in area of safety.
into the air, and can reach out just as far. Flat Top: In the case of airport projects free standing height, there are two
M. Kamarajan The construction crew uses the tower where many cranes stand close to each
solutions available:
Head EHS, B&F IC
HELMET, October - December 2014 HELMET, October - December 2014 11
 BUILDINGS & FACTORIES BUILDINGS & FACTORIES

yy Inter-Floor climbing cranes have free standing height

Mounted on climbs through the climbing collars, supported inside the
Fixing Angles
building
yy Externally supported cranes rises from the foundation
level, by inserting adding mast inserts, and struts
and collars are used to anchor them to the building
structure.
yy Self-erecting Tower Cranes are ideally chosen for buildings
of lesser height which demand frequent and quick shifting
of cranes. It requires a large working radius.

Foundation options
Mounted on Fixing Angles:

This is a fixed type and the most commonly used foundation.

The fixing angles are inbuilt in the foundation, cast in-situ.
This foundation may require dismantling on completion of
the job.
yy Sway The crane must be positioned to allow free yy Underground service lines Check for existing service
Mounted on Cruciform:
sway during operation and weather waning during line beneath the ground to avoid damages due to the
Mounted on Cruciform This is also a fixed type where the cruciform legs are placed non-operating period. pressure exerted by the foundation.
properly on load bearing blocks, and precast bottom ballast
yy No excavation Sufficient care must be taken to choose
is used. This eliminates the cost of foundation cast in-
a location where excavation would not be required near
situ, but the cruciform and bottom ballast need additional 1. Height Sensor Prevents the hook from hitting the foundation
transportation. the jib and rope, and also prevents the hook from
touching the ground thereby keeping the rope When the Tower Crane is the tallest structure in the project
Mounted on Rails:
intact with the drum. area, it is mandatory to install a lightening arrester and earth
Rail mounted option is ideal for tower crane with free standing
2. Range Sensor Cuts of Trolley out and Trolley in to the same.
height where the crane needs to travel to cover a large area. The
prevent the trolley from hitting the jib ends
bottom ballasts are precast and reused. Safety in Tower Crane operation
3. Moment cut-off Prevents from excessive load
Mounted on Rails Factors for determining the size and specification of moment yy Authorized Operators - Who are well trained and
foundation 4. Weight Sensor Senses the load being lifted and authorized to operate the crane.
yy Height Under Hook prevents lifting of excessive load than the rated yy Communication Proper communication between
capacity the operator and the signalmen is the key for safe
yy Jib length needed
5. Slewing Sensor Alarms and cuts off the slew at operation. Communication tools like walkie talkies
yy Reaction forces given by manufacturer for the specific
the pre-set limits are very useful.
configuration
6. Anemometer Indicates the wind pressure to alret yy Wind Speed It is necessary to suspend Tower Crane
yy Soil bearing capacity the operator to stop operation when the limit is
operation when wind speed exceeds the limit prescribed
exceeded
Precautions while determining the location by the manufacturer (72 km/hr).
yy Coverage The cranes working radius must effectively 7. Safe Load Indicator - All parameters like radius,
capacity, weight being lifted, wind speed, etc., are yy No dragging / pulling It is forbidden to pull loads at an
cover the construction area.
displayed angle, drag them across the ground or use the crane to
Inter-floor Climbing
yy Access Keep the dismantling plan ready while choosing dislodge loads that are stuck.
8. Anti Collision Device - These are a set of devices
the location with ease of access for dismantling after the
that are fitted on a cluster of cranes to prevent yy Not to carry men It is dangerous to carry men along
construction is completed.
collision while working at proximity with material in any crane.
yy Telescoping Determine the orientation of the jib with 9. Warning Lamps This indicates the height and yy Understand load chart - It is important to read and
respect to the building to enable telescoping and de- breadth of the Tower crane
understand the load chart before using the crane.
telescoping.

12 HELMET, October - December 2014 HELMET, October - December 2014 13

 TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE

Safety Blasting obstacles

of Honour
R o ll

Helmet congratulates the following sites for achieving

two million and more LTI free safe man-hours
35 Beawar Pali Pindwara Road Project 4 10MTPA Tata Steel Railway Project
December 2011 to November 2014 July 2009 to November 2014

14 Kandla Mundra Road Project 3 Chennai Metro Track Works

February 2011 to November 2014
April 2011 to November 2014

2 Villupuram Vriddhachalam Railway

11 Samakhiali Gandhidham Road Project
Project December 2011 to November 2014
October 2012 to November 2014

2 Vriddhachalam-Ariyalur Railway
Project
6 Ganjbasoda-Sanchi Railway Project
December 2011 to November 2014
March 2010 to November 2014

6 Panskura-Kharagpur Railway Project 2 Hyderabad Metro Rail Track & OETS

Project
September 2009 to November 2014 January 2013 to November 2014

The Beawar Pali Pindwara road project (BPPRP) has won several
6 Delhi Agra Road Project 2 Rahuri-Daund Railway Electrification
Project
International safety awards including MORR (Management of
October 2012 to November 2014 Occupational Road Risk), which was bagged for the very first time in the
September 2010 to November 2014 annals of L&T history and not without reason! It is not every day that one
hears of a road project achieving over 35 million injury free man hours!

Snaking through the arid regions

of interior Rajasthan, the Beawar
A strong young workman at a construction site boasted that he was the strongest of Pali Pindwara Road Project (BPPRP)
all. An elderly workman said, I bet that I can haul something in a wheelbarrow over is a four lanning task for a 244 km
to that building which you wont be able to wheel back. stretch even while allowing traffic on
the existing two-lane carriageway.
Youre on, old man, the youngster replied. Lets see what you got. The old man
This road project garners increased
reached out and grabbed the wheelbarrow by the handles. Then he turned to young
prominence from an efficient EHS
man and said, All right. Get in.
management point of view and it has
won accolades despite the glaring risks
and threats involved.
Channelising the flow intersects existing carriageways. The
safety team at BPPRP had the primary
task of planning traffic diversions
While safety management critical per
to enable project execution and
se at a construction site, it is even more
create a work front without causing
crucial in a road project as the project
activities will, in all probability, inconvenience to both the project
impact general public apart from team and road users. Mandatory and
the workforce. Therefore, one of the regulatory sign boards were placed as
most critical areas of concern for a per the approved norms to segregate
road project is traffic management the various zones that include advance
especially when the alignment warning zones, approach transition

14 HELMET, October - December 2014 HELMET, October - December 2014 15

 burrowing through the intersecting
mountains with each tunnel featuring
three lanes apart from shoulder area.
The drilling and blasting crew faced
numerous difficulties due to the
geological complexity along these
zones. The primary concern was that
the hilly terrain comprised a highly
faulted area, with weak zones of brittle
material and the strata varied with
every passing meter from hard to soft
rock and sometimes to even sandy soil.
While drilling through such varied
strata is difficult, blasting is a bigger
challenge as it could cause voids and
cavities in weak zones preventing
further progress. There was also
the threat of cave-ins on personnel
engaged in the drilling activity. To
mitigate this risk, the project team
installed 40 m rock bolts to stabilize
Stemming process
the soil.
Drilling rigs were operated in lower
zones, activity zones, terminal transition zones and end of work zones. Since rpm to maintain borehole wall integrity
the available road was only a two lane carriageway with heavy round-the-clock in such a faulty terrain. On several
traffic, executing and managing the dynamic diversions which moved along with occasions, the drill was plugged in the
the project progress was quite a daunting task which the safety team pulled off hole when it intersected with fault zone
with a professional approach and meticulous implementation. of brittle materials. The charging of
explosives was also tricky which when
close coordination with the tunneling team to ensure that at
no time safety of personnel was at risk. It was ensured that all
workmen entering the tunneling were fully aware of their roles
and the necessary safety drill in the event of any untoward
incident.
Blasting away risks
Blasting being a highly critical engineering activity calls for
compliance to several regulatory norms and team L&Ts safety
preparedness far exceeded even the specified governmental
norms. No efforts were spared. The two most important
parameters to be monitored during blasting are ground
vibrations and control of fly rocks. While fly rocks pose a
threat to the immediate vicinity including residences, ground
vibrations have the potency to cause structural damage to
the foundation of residences. Muffle blasting was extensively
used to control fly rocks and Velocity of Detonation (VOD)
was observed and blasts were filmed for understanding the
intensity of the blast to control the same.
Safety from ground up
The blasting crew also needed to control ground vibrations
because the nearest buildings were located only 200 m from
the new alignment of the road. The owners expressed their Temo rock machine for Drilling and
concern about blast vibrations having the potential to crack the Rock bolting in Tunnel Works
foundations of their buildings. These concerns were resolved
with detailed analyses and the people were explained that the Profiling the tunnel
PPV (Peak Particle Velocity) would always be under regulation

Burrowing the mighty mountains
From the dry plains, the road alignment rises sharply only to be encountered
by the mighty Aravali range of hills. The project scope included twin tunnels
not done carefully can result in back
breakages of the remaining wall or
sliding of the adjacent blocks, and cause
toe problems. The safety team worked in
through controlled blasting techniques. The blasting crew also
timed the blasts between the approved window period of 7-8
am, 1-2pm and 5-7pm after prior intimation to the nearest
police station and traffic department.
Another role that the safety team had to handle along
with the site execution team was to ensure that the
tunneling activity was restricted strictly within the
authorized area. There were possibilities of heavy

16 HELMET, October - December 2014 HELMET, October - December 2014 17

TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE
Precautions in handling explosives
yy A clearly drafted procedure should be developed
for the blasting operation which should be read
and understood by every person involved in
handling explosives
yy Good housekeeping to be ensured for all areas
where explosives are stored, used or handled
yy Work involving explosives cannot be undertaken
during extreme and / or inclement weather
conditions
yy Explosives should be stored only in closed
containers that must be clearly labeled to identify
the contents
yy Warning signage such as no smoking, no mobile
phones, no use of 2-way radios, etc., to be placed
in the area where explosives are stored, used or
handled
yy At least one person who is thoroughly familiar
with the accepted firing procedures and aware
of static electricity, hazards of electromagnetic
radiation to ordinance, grounding procedures,
and overall safety procedures should be present
at the site.
yy PPEs such as helmets, goggles, gloves and safety
shoes should be worn at all times and it should
be ensured that workmen refrain from wearing
garments made of silk, wool and synthetic
material.
penalties being levied in the event of any construction
activity hampering unauthorized areas. To mitigate this risk,
the team unanimously took the call to install high precision
GPS based guidance systems that gave the tunneling team
accurate coordinates to progress with the work.
Clearing the zone
A pre-blast meeting was conducted to sensitize personnel
involving the blasting and traffic control in which blasting
signals were discussed to ensure that everyone understood
18
exactly when the detonation would occur and when the area
could be cleared for restoring traffic.
An accurate assessment of the bounds of the blast area is the
first step in ensuring safety because blasting often causes
redistribution of stress in the surrounding areas. A blasting
shelter is provided for the blaster and his co-workers for
carrying out the activities and a head count is to be taken to
ensure that no one is left behind in the blast area.
Following the loading of the blast site, all personnel and
equipment are cleared from the area and guards are posted
at all access points to prevent people from re-entering the
area. Once the blast area is cleared, the crew and blaster get
to the designated safe shelter area from where the blaster
checks with the guards to ensure that the area is secure.
The warning alarm is then sounded and a series of pre-blast
signals are given. Once the blaster is confident that the area
has been truly secured, the shot is detonated. Following the
blasting, the dust needs to settle before the blaster can visit
the area and give the All Clear signal that everything has
gone as per plan.
A major precaution to be taken for electrically detonated blasts
is that the blaster must never enter the blasting area after the
blast without disconnecting the firing cables from the blasting
machine and has short circuited the lead wires.
HELMET, October - December 2014
Railway Over Head Electrification
A popular puzzle goes, If an electric
train is going at 150 km per hour north
and the wind is blowing south, which
way does the smoke blow? While the
answer is a no-brainer, the fact that
electric power can fuel engines to haul
heavy wagons that weigh hundreds of
tons is well worth pondering over.
The world embraced 25 kV single phase,
50 cycles A.C. system for electric traction
following its implementation by the
French National Railways in 1955. In
just two years time, India too adopted
the same and today, the Indian Rail
Network is predominantly connected
and powered by electric traction.
A railway electrification system supplies
power to trains without an on-board
HELMET, October - December 2014
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE
fuel supply system. Power is supplied
to moving trains with a continuous
conductor running in the form of
an overhead line or catenary wire
suspended from poles or towers along
the track or from structure or tunnel
ceilings. Locomotives or multiple
units pick up power from the contact
wire with pantographs on their roofs
that press a conductive strip against
it using a spring or air pressure. In
railway electrification works, Over
Head Electrification (OHE) is both
critical and prone to risks, especially
while commissioning lines adjacent to
live lines. Several safety measures are
being adopted to mitigate risks such as
permits, earthing, appropriate PPEs and
innovative construction methodologies.
Permit to work
Before commencing work on any part
of the dead OHE or within 2 m of live
OHE, a permit to work needs to be
obtained from the authorized person/s
which is usually from the Railway
authorities.
Power block
The supervisory official in-charge of
work on OHE needs to ensure that the
power block has been initiated in the
relevant section and is observed by
all concerned to prevent accidental
energisation of the section under
power block on account of electric train
movement.
19
TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE TRANSPORTATION INFRASTRUCTURE

Earthing before
commencement of
work
All metallic parts within reach (either
directly or through tools, etc.) need to
be earthed after they are made dead.
Each workman should be protected by
at least two independent earths, one on
each side. If the distance between two
workmen exceeds 100 m, intermediate
earths should be provided in such
a manner so as to ensure that the
distance between the earths do not
exceed 100 m even when earthing is
provided by isolator switches with
earthing heels.

The following sequence of operations

need to be carried out while providing
temporary earths on OHE:
yy Signalmen should be posted on
both sides of the site of work to
warn the working party of any
approaching train on the same
track or adjacent track(s).
yy Discharge / earthing pole assembly
specially designed for this purpose
alone should be used.
yy The cable should be flexible and
have adequate cross-section (40
sq.mm) to be able to withstand
short circuit currents.
yy Fix the earthing clamp securely to a
mast at least one span away on one
side of the work site after ensuring
that the mast to earth rail bond is
intact. Alternatively, the clamp may
be fixed to the bottom flange of one
of the traction rails.
yy Hook securely with a snap action
from the top clamp of discharge
/ earthing pole assembly to the
yy
OHE conductor close to the mast /
structure and tie the earthing pole
to the mast / structure.
yy After temporary earths have been
fixed on the OHE on both sides of
the work site, the maintenance work
can be continued. After the work is
completed and men, material and
tools have been removed and the
OHE is clear, the earthing rods may
be removed in the reverse order i.e.,
first remove the hook on the OHE
and then the clamp fixed to the rail
or mast / structure.
yy After warning everybody that
supply will be restored and that
they should keep away from the
equipment, the permit-to-work
may be returned and supply
restored.
yy Any contact with conductors
which are not specifically earthed
is forbidden.
yy No heavy material should
be stacked on the rail bonds,
Never hook the top hook of the
transverse bonds between two rails
earthing cable to the OHE until
of the same track as well as rails of
the other end has been first
different tracks.
connected to the earth.
Use of ladders
A ladder should never be used in such
a position that may have a likelihood
of coming in contact with the live part
of the line. It is to be ensured that only
one person be allowed on the ladder.
Climbing a ladder with wet or slippery
foot-wear is forbidden and ladders
should not be used for transporting
materials. A rope should be used to
pass tools or any equipment to the men
working on a ladder. Also note that
nobody should stand directly below a
work spot under the ladder.
Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE)
At the work-site, staff/supervisor/
workmen are to strictly wear necessary
personal protective equipment as per
their work requirement that includes
crash helmets, body harness, hand gloves,
safety shoes, eye goggles, ear plugs, etc.

20 HELMET, October - December 2014 HELMET, October - December 2014 21

 HEAVY CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE

Safety It only takes a spark!

of Honour
R o ll

Helmet congratulates the following sites for achieving

five million and more LTI free safe man-hours

55 Kakrapar Atomic Power Project 9 DMRC CMC1 Project

February 2010 to November 2014 July 2010 to November 2014

22 Badarpur Faridabad DMRC Project

February 2012 to November 2014
8 Subansiri Lower HEP Project
May 2011 to November 2014

Singoli Bhatwari HEP Project CMRL Elevated Project

11 June 2011 to November 2014
8 June 2013 to November 2014

10 Sawalkote Project 5 Vizag Vessel Project Site

August 2011 to November 2014 April 2014 to November 2014

While there are hundreds of articles on fire safety, the message of awareness
is worth repeating a thousand times considering the precious lives that it can
save. A fire incident gives only fleeting seconds for people to react and when
armed with awareness, things can be kept under control without causing
panic and pandemonium.

Just two minutes and intensity in seconds, blocking the exit path as well as
creating a hazardous atmosphere causing a grave threat to

Spot the Did you know that in the event of a fire at your home or
office, you have only two minutes to escape? On a lighter
your life. If the fire is at an early stage, fight, else flee and
call for help.

HAZARDS
side, if anybody asks me what steps I would take if there was
a fire accident, my answer would be, Long, Quick Steps. Yes, What do you prioritize?
it is sensible not to attempt extinguishing a fire if there is an
imminent threat to your safety. The question as to whether In any emergency situation, especially fire, your priority
to fight or flee during a fire is extremely subjective. Attempts should be to get yourself and your family members to safety as
If you have spotted the hazards, rush it to
to fight a fire should be done only if you are trained in fire quickly as possible. Do not think of collecting your valuables
ngfernandez@lntecc.com. First five correct
safety and know the type of fire and how to extinguish it because time is very important and you may have only a few
answers will win exciting gifts!
scientifically. This is because fires can increase in size seconds to escape to safety.

22 HELMET, October - December 2014 HELMET, October - December 2014 23

HEAVY CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE
To breathe easy ... go on your
knees!
Did you know that most of the fatalities in a fire
incident are due to smoke and not fire? This is
because people inhale smoke that contains toxic
gases and the superheated air in the smoke makes it
even more dangerous causing the person to swoon
if not evacuated immediately. While this is the bad
news, the good news is that you can avoid breathing
this toxic smoke even when you are surrounded by
it. Heres how. Smoke is lighter than air and so it rises
above air, some toxic smoke that are heavier than air
may settle at floor level. So, there lies a safety zone
between these two layers of smoke where you will
find clean breathable air. This is most often found
one to two feet above the floor level when an area is
filled with smoke.
To get to this area of clean breathable air, all you need
to remember during the crises situation is to crawl on
your hands and knees by keeping your head in the
safety zone. If it is possible, do cover your nose and
mouth with cloth.
Never open a hot door
Another important tip you need to bear in mind
during a fire is to always check if the door is hot
before attempting to open it. If the door feels hot,
do not open it and also check for smoke emanating
from under the door. By opening a hot door you
may let the fire enter the room you are in apart from
24
HEAVY CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE
Blasting obstacles
filling the room with smoke thereby worsening the
situation. If you are unable to open the door because
of fire, you should try and escape through a window.
Always remember Stop, Drop &
Roll
The biggest task during a fire is to keep the fire
off the clothes of a person. Clothes are made of
material that catches fire easily and can spread
rapidly engulfing the person in flames. In case
clothes catch fire, remember three golden words,
Stop, Drop & Roll.
The victim must first stop which will prevent
further fanning of the flames and help people
attempting to put out the fire. The next thing the
victim should do is to drop to the ground and then
Did you know that according to experts a pair of hands can
start rolling to extinguish the fire by depriving it of
perform up to 2500 different activities? At a deeper level,
oxygen. If a rug is available nearby it can be used
hands are what sets us apart from other species of the animal
to roll the victim in it to completely arrest and
kingdom.
extinguish the fire.
Hands build projects and for a construction organization like
Call for help ours, the hands of workmen are crucial for project success.
Perhaps, it is their importance that makes hands more
Once you are certain that the fire is beyond your
attempts to extinguish it, run to safety and call
susceptible to injuries. To figure out the incidences of hand
injuries, Heavy Civil Infrastructure ICs EHS team conducted a
your local emergency services number for help. Do six month long analyses of all reported incidents. The results
not enter the building under any circumstances. If were, as anticipated, alarming. Over 50 % of the incidents at
anyone is trapped or missing, inform the firefighters projects sites were hand injuries!
on their arrival. They are more experienced and
capable of dealing with the situation. To curb this dangerous trend as well create an impactful
awareness about the importance of hands, the EHS team
planned and implemented a bold pilot initiative at the Chennai
Metro project.
HELMET, October - December 2014 HELMET, October - December 2014 25
HEAVY CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE HEAVY CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE

The programme was conducted by safety officers at KMC,
Pacchiyappa and Nehru Park station locations. Leading by
example, the Project Director too came forward and partook
in this significant programme by tying his hands as those of
the other 150 (50 from each station location) participating
workmen, supervisors and engineers.
unable to work for almost half a day. Having patiently
heard them out, the EHS team ended the initiative by
asking the participants to ponder over a pertinent
question: If you cannot manage without a hand for just
half a day, how will do so for the rest of your life if it gets
injured badly due to unsafe work practices?

A dedicated EHS team was designated to observe the conduct
of the programme that concluded with a meeting to garner
feedback from the participants which was the most essential
part of the initiative.
Untying the whole affair
Apart from sharing their experience, some of the
participants were expectedly annoyed that they had been
The maiden implementation of HIP day was an instant
hit and the message of keeping ones hands safe was
communicated loud and clear across project sites. The EHS
team also learnt the nitty-gritties involved in conducting the
programme and decided to replace the piece of cloth with
the more limiting Plaster of Paris to create a better impact
for future sessions.

A hand in glove operation The activity called HIP (Hand Injury

As part of the programme that was
designed on the lines of the DUPONT
safety system, a select group of people
from the workforce were asked to to go
about their usual routine from the start of
the day till noon with one hand tied, with
the instruction that it should not be untied
till the end of the programme.
Prevention) Day was initiated on December HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE
22nd at all station locations of L&Ts CMRL
project. To start with there was the regular
STAART (Safety Task Analysis Risk Reduction S. V. Rao Project Director
Talk) that elaborated upon the statistics of
With my hand tied, I found it difficult to attend an important meeting with the
hand injuries in the past and the importance
Managing Director of CMRL. I felt this had caused great inconvenience to me in
of using the right PPE for the protection of
discharging my official duties for half a day. But then,
the hands, especially the fingers, followed by
I personally also felt how important it is to have our hands intact.
a presentation on various factors that lead to
hand injuries.
Appa Rao Civil Supervisor

I felt like a handicapped person and was very depressed thinking how bad it
would be to lose ones hands. I take a vow to never allow any of my workman to
work without proper hand gloves.

Riya Dharma Carpenter

Without my hands, I was no longer a carpenter. This I realized this only when my
hands were tied. I could not even attend to natures call. Today, I got the message of
a lifetime.

Binder Ram Singh Rigger

Being a rigger, my job is to work with slings, D-shackles and giving signals. How
can I do it if I had no hands? I realized that I will become unemployable. As the sole
breadwinner of my family, I realized the importance of safety and proper use of
PPEs.

26 HELMET, October - December 2014 HELMET, October - December 2014 27

HEAVY CIVIL INFRASTRUCTURE

Safety champs Safety

of Honour
R o ll

Averting the impact!

Pradeshwara Singh, EHS in-charge of Chennai
Metro rail project and his team have quickly
Helmet congratulates the following sites for achieving
embraced the companys commitment to safety
and the essence of L&T L.I.F.E (Living Injury Free
three million and more LTI free safe man-hours
Each Day) by averting a major incident.

Leading by example, Pradesh has replaced the

Impact Protection Vehicle (IPV) from a lower
14 Storm Water Drainage Works Jabalpur 4 Rehabilitation and O&M of 110 MGD
Bhagirathi WTP
capacity mini-truck to a full-fledged water tanker
only to witness that a few days later a car speeding
towards the airport rammed into the rear end of the
5 Hogenikal Water Supply Project - Pkg 5
4 Trans Varuna Sewerage Work Varanasi
IPV despite the highly visible, reflective diversion
stickers. The act of quickly analyzing the need for
a larger truck to avert any untoward incident by
4 UGDS & WSIS Nizamabad
3 GIDC-DAHEJ Water Supply Project
25 & 50 Mgd
the EHS team has resulted in saving the lives and
limbs of several workmen who were concreting 4 Dhanbad Water Supply Project
the metro rail piers at that point of time.
3 GDWSS Hyderabad

4 Areva 125MW CSP Solar Thermal

Thoughtfulness of L&Ts workman saves 45 lives Plant-Pokaran
3 Kamal Vihar Project Raipur

4 Nalgonda UGD & WSS 3 GCW Package-Pokaran

Mr. Srinu receiving

appreciation certificate from
Shri. Rahul Bojja, IAS, District
Collector, Medak.

Mr. Srini, a workman on the project site of Solapur Sangareddy

road saved the lives of 45 passengers by alerting the bus driver.
Mr. Srini while supervising dumping activity at the site noticed a fast
moving bus that had caught fire at the bottom. He signaled using
the safety baton light, alerting the driver and bringing the bus to a
Spot the

HAZARDS
halt after which the passengers jumped out to safety. In a matter of
minutes the entire bus was engulfed in flames. The thoughtfulness
of Mr. Srini was appreciated by the local media.

If you have spotted the hazards, rush it to

Helmet Congratulates Safety Champs! ngfernandez@lntecc.com. First five correct
Feature your safety champs too! If you have any such unsung heros in your project sites, send in the details along with photographs to your
IC EHS coordinators to reach the editorial team.
answers will win exciting gifts!

28 HELMET, October - December 2014 HELMET, October - December 2014 29

WATER & RENEWABLE ENERGY
Gear-up for the unexpected
It is a clear Sunday morning at the beach with people having a
lot of fun. Suddenly, the perfect day is marred when an army
of huge waves crash-land on the coast and in split seconds
the picture turns gory. Most of you would have guessed this
right! A snippet of the devastating tsunami which struck the
coastlines of Southern Asia a decade ago; one of the most
terrible natural calamities to strike mankind in recent times.
How unprepared we were to handle this mammoth disaster is
an old story. The lessons have been learnt the hard way and
today amidst the hustle and bustle of chores, there is focus and
a strategy developed on how to prepare for the worst.
After all nobody expects the worst and the simple truth is
that emergencies and disasters can strike anyone, anytime,
and anywhere. They can be natural or man-made and calls
for a well-thought out emergency action plan to mitigate
the situation.
30
Enact before disaster acts
The best way to be prepared and respond to an emergency is
before it happens. Mock drill is a mandatory legal requirement
as per section D 8 (Appendix D) Part IV of the National Building
Code (NBC) that familiarizes know-how and individual action
to protect at the time of real emergencies.
Since only a few people can think clearly and logically in
a crisis situation, it is important to do so in advance, when
you have time to be thorough. To inculcate a preparatory
awareness on emergency situations, W&RE ICs Safety Team
developed an emergency action plan and scheduled a mock
drill on 2 December, 2014 at 3.20 pm in the TC III Tower B
building.
HELMET, October - December 2014
Occupants of the building from the
ground to 8th floor actively took part in
the proceedings. A total of 1209 people
including sub-contractors and visitors
were evacuated from different floors
and congregated at the assembly point.
Following a head count, the participants
were given an awareness orientation.
Knowing your codes
Adhering to specific building codes
is a sure and safe way to mitigate
emergencies. All buildings are
constructed as per NBC codes which
specify mandatory requirements to be
adopted for emergency situations. The
TC3 building - Tower B at HQ, Chennai
incorporates these codes to the fullest
and is well prepared to meet any likely
crisis. Heres a list of the safety essentials
that make up the NBC code requirements
for buildings.
Fire detection and
alarm system
The fire alarm system comprises
components that detect a fire, initiate an
alarm and prompt other warning signals.
These can be manual or automatic and
can be installed as specified in the NBC.
a) Smoke detectors with fire alarms
A smoke detector is a device that
senses smoke, typically as an
indicator of fire. This device issues
a signal to a fire alarm control panel
as part of a fire alarm system.
b) Manual call points and fire Alarm
systems
As per NBC, buildings of more than
15 meters in height should have
manually operated and automatic
fire alarm systems. An automatic
fire alarm system is a set of electric/
HELMET, October - December 2014
WATER & RENEWABLE ENERGY
ON HEARING EMERGENCY ALARM / SHOUT
DOs DONTs
Stop working and leave the work Do not Panic and do not Run.
place IMMEDIATELY when you hear
Alarm/ SHOUT from Wing Leaders.
Follow the instructions of Wing Leaders, Do not search for your belongings, Do
who are in high visibility Jacket. not use Mobile.
Walk fast towards the nearest Emergency Do not use the Elevators.
Exit
If you can, help Disabled /Pregnant Do not return to the building for any
Ladies/Old Aged People, else they can reason; Do not go to Basements for
assemble at Refuge Point in the Floor. fetching your vehicle.
If you do not succeed in helping them,
report to the Wing Leaders.
Keep the Emergency Exit clear. Do not Lock any Doors and do not block
the way.
Go outside the building in an orderly
mannerand reach theSAFE ASSEMBLY
POINTof the building.
In the Safe Assembly Point, stand in Do not make crowdy /noisy environment
Queues wing wise and floor wise. This at Assembly Point.
will make head counting easier.
Fire Hydrant
electronic devices/equipment working together to detect and alert people
through visual and audio appliances when smoke/fire is present. These alarms
may be activated from smoke detectors. Manual call point is used to initiate an
alarm signal. It can be a manual alarm system or part of an automatic alarm
system. Under normal conditions push buttons will be in the depressed position.
31
WATER & RENEWABLE ENERGY WATER & RENEWABLE ENERGY

In the case of a fire the glass cover is broken and the push
button released by a spring action which actuates an
alarm at the control panel through its switching contacts.
In addition to this, there will be an LED indicator on the
monitor module for visual indication to locate the call
point easily.

c) Public address systems

NBC specifies buildings to be provided with two way

public address systems for seamless communication
during emergencies and guide people evacuation in a
systematic manner.

d) Automatic sprinkler systems

NBC stipulates the installation of automatic sprinkler

systems at suitable intervals and heights to actuate
automatic control and extinguish a fire by the discharge
of water.

Fire escape door with warning signs e) Fire protection systems

First aid and fire fighting appliances are to be provided

and installed in accordance with latest IS 2190 standards.
Fire is classified as ABCD and based on this classification
fire extinguishers are designed. The most common type
Sprinklers of extinguishers used are the Carbon-dioxide, Dry Powder
(ABC) and Foam Types. A fire hydrant is an active fire
protection measure which is provided with a source of
water from a fire water tank to enable firefighters to assist
in extinguishing a fire and is extended to all floors in the
building.
Exit requirements
Fire warning
The escape route should be marked with a sign board on
the corridor and passage to guide evacuation. Normally, the
escape route sign board must be written in luminous paint
for easy identification. This is to guide every occupant of the
building who is bound to panic in the event of accident. As
per NBC guidelines a high rise structure has to adhere to the
following safety specifications:
a) Should have a minimum of 2 staircases
b) Width of staircases can vary from 1 m to 2 m
Fire alarm
c) Out of the 2 staircases, 1 can be used as a fire escape
staircase
d) Width of fire escape should be of minimum 0.75 m a) A lift capable of carrying minimum of 8 persons weighing
545 kg should be provided for every high rise building
e) Number of staircases is to be ascertained based on the
travel distances. Staircases should not be extended b) Landing doors of lifts should open to ventilated lobbies
to basements to prevent smoke, heat and gases from and must have a fire resistance of 1 hour
travelling to the upper floors
c) 1 lift should be designed as a Fire Lift
f) Access to the basement from the ground should be
d) Fireman Switch should be provided for every lift
through a separate staircase, which is not connected to
main staircase (i.e. it should be remote from each other) e) Lifts should not be used as means of evacuation
g) Staircases should be of enclosed type to prevent entry of
smoke and fire into it and vice versa.
h) Spiral staircases should be provided up to a height of 9 m
i) External staircases should not be built
Why Drills?
Elevators
Drills provide virtually the only means, short of an
The most important access way in all high rises are elevators. actual incident, of measuring the state of readiness and
During emergencies there is a grave danger of getting caught of testing the effectiveness of an emergency response
in these compartments. Bearing in mind the criticality of the plan
equipment, NBC has specified stringent norms for elevator
operation which include: Robert B. Kelly

32 HELMET, October - December 2014 HELMET, October - December 2014 33

WATER & RENEWABLE ENERGY
Nothing would be done at all, if
a man waited till he could do it
so well, that no one could find
fault with it.
Cardinal Newman
34
f)
g)
Collapsible gates should not be provided for the lift
If more than 1 lift is installed, the partition wall should be built to have a
Safety
of Honour
R o ll
capacity to resist fire for a minimum of 2 hours
Assembly points / refuge areas
NBC specifies earmarking of sufficient open spaces (setbacks) around buildings to Helmet congratulates the following sites for achieving
facilitate free movement of fire service/ambulance vehicles. It is also mandatory
to provide refuge areas on the periphery of the floor which is open to air at least
one million and more LTI free safe man-hours
on one side protected with suitable railing. The guidelines for refuge areas at
various levels of the buildings include:
a) For floors above 24 m and up to 39 m, one refuge area is to be provided on the
floor immediately above 24 m
4 765 kV Raipur Wardha TL 2 Raigarh - Installation Package
November 2011 to September 2014 July 2012 to September 2014
b) For floors above 39 m, one refuge area on the floor immediately above 39 m is
to be provided
c) Similar areas are to be provided after every 15 m
3 765 kV D/C Varanasi Kanpur TL 1 Power Evacuation from KUDGI TPS
June 2013 to November 2014 January 2014 to September 2014
Fire officer
As per section D6 (Appendix D) Part IV of NBC, a fire officer has to be appointed
to maintain all the records of inspection of the emergency equipment. He has to 3 800 kV HVDC Champa Kurukshetra TL 1 400 kV D/C Kurukshetra Jalandhar TL
also coordinate for emergency evacuation drills and create awareness among the April 2013 to November 2014 March 2014 to October 2014
occupants of the building.
Drills
3 BRGF Jalpaiguri Pkg-1 1 400 kV Raipur-Jagdalpur TL
As per section D 8 (Appendix D) Part IV of NBC, it is mandatory to have an November 2011 to November 2014 November 2013 to October 2014
Emergency Evacuation Plan to prevent and extinguish any fire in the building.
The plan should have a detailed activity listing along with the telephone numbers
of all emergence services. As an occupant of the building, it is our responsibility
to know and be familiar with the emergency evacuation plan.
2 400 kV D/C Quad Rasipalayam to Salem 1 4x600 MW OP Jindal STPP,Tamnar -
Transmission Line RGGVY-II Rural Electrification, Jaunpur
Other specific requirements June 2014 to November 2014 December 2013 to August 2014
The road which abuts a high rise building is to be constructed with more than
12 meter width. The road should be hard surfaced to carry a minimum weight of
18,000 Kg which is the maximum weight of a fire engine. Every high rise building 2 400 kV D/C Quad Mettur to Thiruvalam 1 RGGVY-II Rural Electrification, Barabanki
should have at least 2 means of access, one remote to the other, of minimum Transmission Line Project December 2013 to November 2014
width 4.5 m with a height clearance of 5 m. This minimum width is essential to June 2014 to November 2014
facilitate free movement of fire units.
All the service ducts should be enclosed by walls which are built to resist 1 Power Supply & SCADA Package - HMRL
fire for at least 2 hours. It should also be sealed at every alternate floor 2 800kV HVDC Nidhaura-Agra TL April 2012 to October 2014
with non-combustible materials that can resist fire for two hours. The May 2013 to November 2014
sealing at floor level is to prevent travel of smoke and fire to the upper
floors through the ducts
These are mandatory requirements and would need to be suitably implemented
only through specific training, mock drills and regular/periodic inspection of the
equipment.
HELMET, October - December 2014 HELMET, October - December 2014 35
POWER TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION
Forging a robust connect
to light-up homes
(Restructured Accelerated
Power Development and
Reforms)
Have you ever tried to consciously live off the grid for a few
hours in a day? If it seems possible, then switch off the power
supply and life grinds to a standstill. Driven by powerful
needs, lives without electricity is unthinkable! Meeting
the burgeoning power demands and managing effective
distribution calls for the implementation of efficient power
systems.
The Restructured Accelerated Power Development and
Reforms Programme (R-APDRP) of the Government of India
is a novel scheme that aims to streamline power distribution
and minimize losses in transit. This scheme makes use of
reliable and automated systems for collection of base line
36
power data and incorporates information technology in
the areas of energy accounting for cities, certain high-load
density areas and small towns.
L&T Constructions Power Transmission and Distribution
business has been at the forefront in executing major
R-APDRP works across the country. Unlike the core power
infrastructure projects, these works are relatively smaller
in scope but pose a very different kind of challenge as they
involve working with charged lines in local communities
that calls for utmost safety precautions during execution.
Here is a list of safety essentials that the team needs to
prioritize prior to the commencement of works.
HELMET, October - December 2014
Get going with safety gears
It is mandatory for workmen deployed to equip themselves
with PPEs and safety gadgets such as helmets, safety shoes,
gum boots, thermolatex hand gloves, sit and stand full
body safety harnesses, 11 kV grade rubber hand gloves
(electrically tested), induction testers (helmet mounted),
pen type induction testers, fiber reinforced plastic ladders,
11 kV/33 kV discharge rods, reflective jackets, shoulder
guard/pads, traffic safety cones, barricading tapes, warning
boards, locks and tags.
Minimise the risks
One of the primary tasks for the team is to establish a safe
right of way. Initiatives such as spreading of carbolic acid /
phorate powder to keep away snakes, procurement of first-
aid medicines and identification of a medical centre that is
equipped to handle insect bites go a long way in minimizing
the risks. Survey works should be taken up only during the day
and workmen need to be oriented to avoid the use of steep and
sloped pathways. Use of mobile phones near railway tracks
and along highways should be prohibited.
HELMET, October - December 2014
POWER TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION
Excavation - Do it the right way
The challenges below ground are plenty and workmen need
to be briefed on the criticality of taking up pit excavations.
It is secure to have a detailing of the underground
utilities through a cable detector to avoid damages and
incidents. The pits can be manually done with the help of
an insulated shovel / crowbar to avoid electric shock. Pits
opened up for a day need to be backfilled the same day. For
excavation works near traffic zones, a flagman should be
stationed with a whistle along with cautionary boards and
road safety cones.
Rooting the robust power poles
The seemingly slender power poles have to be handled
with precision during erection. A slip always runs the risk of
hitting passersby that could cause serious injuries. For safe
manual lifts it is mandatory to determine the size, dimension
and weight of the pole along with the appropriate manpower
required. For an 8 m pole, a crew of 12 workmen is required
while 16 for a 9 m pole. The poles are erected through 4
guy ropes with the support of bamboo ladders which is
37
POWER TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION POWER TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION

Minimum clearance table for live conductors:

Clearance from Building (IE Rule No: 79)

Voltage
Vertical
Clearance
Horizontal
Clearance
Striking the right chords
Stringing together the lines of power is a deft task
Low & medium
8 ft 4 ft that calls for working at heights and runs the risk of
voltage & Service
(2.439 m) (1.219 m) getting close to charged lines. For such critical tasks,
line
it is mandatory that the crew involved insulate
High voltage line 12 ft 4 ft themselves with protection gears such as helmets
upto 11 kV (3.658 m) (1.219 m) and mounted induction testers with sit and stand
work positioning belts.

tightened with binding wire at the top and bottom corners

for stability. Poles should be supported by a 22 mm PP rope
from 4 corners. Accessories such as cross arms should be
fixed at ground level before erecting the pole. When there Activity plan for shutdown operation
are a large number of poles to be erected, the service of a
Charting a secure activity plan is one of the most important safety measures while taking up shutdown works. To avoid
mobile crane could be deployed to facilitate works.
unforeseen incidents a prolonged safety methodology is adopted which includes:

Handling with care Pre Task Plan: Prepared before the start of work or preferably a day before, it involves review of the work area
in detail and planning the sequence of tasks. The number of poles required, location for the discharge rod,
Working amidst local communities has its own set of challenges. earthing and other minor activities are decided. A supervisor prepares the list of activities which is verified
There are no defined boundaries and the interference of locals is by the section in-charge and authorized by the Construction and Project Managers
always a possibility. In such circumstances, material handling Saying it loud and clear: A megaphone is used to communicate the shutdown activity plan in a stage wise
has to be secure and foolproof. Ratchet latches (Nylon) are manner as a public awareness measure
preferred over ropes to secure material and transport to
Token system: Post shutdown, workmen identification tokens are issued to those fitters who work at heights.
locations. Materials such as cable drums and transformers
These tokens will released by workmen to the concerned site supervisor before releasing the shutdown
should be tied to the vehicle body during shifting to avoid
displacement and damage. Wooden planks should be provided Log Out and Tag Out system (LOTO): This safety system calls for stationing a person at GOS (Gang Operating
to prevent slipping of loads. While shifting the materials by Switch) location if LC is obtained locally from linemen. The padlock arrangement (LOTO system) should be
truck the protruding portion of GOS pipes and poles should be made on the GOS location to avoid any third person operation
displayed with a red caution flag. For manual shifting a trolley Discharge rod: De-energize the HT/LT line by putting the discharge rod on both sides of the battery limit
or shoulder pads can be used. and connect the earth wire of the discharge rod to the spike rod. After connecting the discharge rod to earth,
discharge the line by discharging the rod and keep it on the line till the completion of the job. Use independent
Grounding the transformer earth discharge rods for each conductor in the line. Provide earth discharge rods at all incoming and outgoing
lines of the conductor near the working area
Transform erection forms the crux of works and calls for micro High voltage tester: It is mandatory to use high voltage testers along with discharge rods which will prompt
planning which includes prioritizing of minor tasks such as beep sounds and blinkings in case of a current leakage
fitting of pole accessories and channels to facilitate installation.
Service connection: In case of the availability of service wires in safe zones, all the wires have to be grounded
For seamless installation, it is better to take the help of crane
for protection against back feeding of the line from DG, inverter and other sources of power
by using a D-shackle. During erection works, fitters should be
briefed to stand on fiber reinforced plastic ladders with sit and Transmission line crossings: When other transmission lines cross the vicinity of the safe zone, the shutdown
stand work positioning belts to assist in the grounding of the must be ensured for the neighboring electrical line before allowing workmen to work in the same zone.
transformer.

38 HELMET, October - December 2014 HELMET, October - December 2014 39

POWER TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION (I)
HIRADC
A Secure Safety Strategy
HIRADC (Hazard Identification, Risk
Assessment and Determining Control)
is a time tested strategy which when
implemented simplifies the process of
minimizing risks and enhances control
measures. It advocates a proactive
way of knowing about the problems
during implementation and provides
procedures to prevent accidents from
happening.
The key components of the analysis are:
yy Defining the process and method of
work
yy Identifying the hazards specific to
each work activity
yy Probing the possible consequences
if unwanted events happen
yy Associating risks to tasks and
measuring their severity
yy Checking the Safe Operating
Procedures (SOP) or Safe Work
Procedures (SWP) and specifying
specific control measures to be
Hierarchy of Control applied on identified risks
Apply the highest level of control commensurate with the risk yy Reevaluating if risks are reduced
level-lower value controls may be used in the interim until to acceptable levels by analysis of
long-term controls are implemented. possibility and severity
ELIMINATION While using control measures stated
SUBSTITUTION on the SOP or SWP, one has to adhere
to the hierarchy of applying control
ENGINEERING
measures which involves learning from
ADMINISTRATIVE previous accidents and incidents to
create effective control in addition to the
BEHAVIOR
existing SOPs or SWPs. A combination
PPE
of active and reactive precautions will
ensure good results.
Increasing Increasing participation While this proactive strategy is a simple
effectiveness and supervision
formula for achieving excellence in
and sustainability needed
safety, the challenge lies in effective
implementation and timely monitoring.
40 HELMET, October - December 2014
Perfecting the art of inspection
The simple rule to get things right is
to check, recheck and check again!
Certainly if we identify and make sure
that things we are using are safe, at
least one probable cause of accident
can be prevented. This is all the more
relevant when we encourage workers
to use machineries and power tools to
make work easier and reduce manual
handling. Items such as power tools,
hand tools, ladders, full body harnesses
and other equipment which are
largely used in projects need constant
inspection at different stages to ensure
safety.
Fix the time frame
Inspections of machines and tools
can be conducted on a monthly, quarterly,
semi-annual or even daily basis on
the manufacturers recommendation.
To make it standardized, a monthly
inspection is reasonable enough
conducted regularly by identified and
nominated competent persons.
HELMET, October - December 2014
POWER TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION (I)
Tag using the right
colour
The challenge is in identifying items
that are to be inspected. The color
coding system is a handy process
that aids inspection through the
tagging of colour codes with the
sticker and details the complete
identification of the item. During
reviews this system facilitates auditors,
safety officers and inspectors to check in
detail.
In such a system it is critical to
understand the core values and affix the
tags in a precise manner. Inspectors are
entrusted with the moral responsibility
to place the tags only after inspection
and with the right colouring. Any error
in this phase could lead to serious
issues in the later stages of delivery. It
is mandatory to depute a competent
authority who is well versed with the
system and the product rating.
Follow manufacturer's
specs
Largely, it is recommended that
inspections should be done according
to the specifications given by the
manufacturers of the item. That is why,
it is essential that the item inspectors are
trained on what to inspect and should
use a checklist that is approved by the
manufacturer.
Always cross check
It is also important to monitor the
effectiveness of the system through
a random audit. Get a specific record
of an item and go to site to double
check if it was done properly or go to
site and identify a specific item and
compare it with the inspection record.
Lastly, a quick site inspection by a safety
officer on the colour codes backs up all
the effort put in at different phases.
41
POWER TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION (I)
Scale-up to triumph
Working at heights is an arduous task and the men who
perform such roles are gallant ones with a robust state of mind.
However the flipside is that there are no second chances in
such high-risk tasks and one needs to be doubly safe to ride
high and ground safely.
A live case study would be an apt way to assess the safety
measures to be undertaken while working at heights. Here,
three different work conditions are presented and the safest
modus operandi that is to be followed is deliberated.
Condition #1
When the working condition offers the opportunity to build
scaffolding below the working area or the identified platform
has the possibility to collapse then the control measures that
need to be put in place include:
42
Appoint certified scaffolding erectors and adopt
strong scaffolding materials below the installed
service.
Ladders placed within the built scaffolding as access
and egress. The scaffolding will serve as a cage upon
a possible fall of a person while accessing the ladder.
This protects the person from falling to the ground.
The ladder should exceed the height level of the exit
platform on which it is secured with ropes.
If a person has to step into existing services, a working
platform should be placed and secured with wooden
planks and ropes
General control measures:
The worker should wear full body harness with
double lanyard when working above the ceiling
HELMET, October - December 2014
POWER TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION (I)
Portable ventilation and lighting are to be provided in the working area
If possible, a watchman should be deployed to man the staging
Entry registers must be available at points of access and egress
Verification on safe working load limit should be ascertained
Condition #2
When there are multiple services below the working platform and the possibility of
falling is limited to dropping on the other services then the control measures to be put
in place include:
Erection of scaffolding below the working platform is not required
Clear access and egress as stated in condition #1 should be in place
Clear and safe working platform (wooden planks) should be placed and
secured with ropes
General control measures are always required to be complied
Condition #3
When the working condition doesnt offer the opportunity to build scaffolding and
there are no other services below the working area then the control measures to be put
in place include:
Clear access and egress should be provided as explained in condition #1,
General control measures are always required to be adhered to
Lastly, emergency preparedness arrangements such as availability of lifelines and drills
should be conducted through specialized teams.
HELMET, October - December 2014 43
 PREVENT
fall from HEIGHT

Provide protection / barriers at

edges and openings

Keep your access way clear and

tidy

Provide appropriate warning signs

and display boards

Always use safety harness and

anchor harness's lanyard to a firm
structure or to the lifeline

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 Lokavani Southern
Printers Pvt. Ltd., Chennai.