Safety

Occupational health and safety was a primary consideration in the planning and organisation of the project’s operations.

Our attitude to safety flows all the way through the project and was also a major influence in construction planning. The project involves many different activities from earthworks to bridges and encompasses road users, workers and residents.

By identifying the potential major hazards associated with the different activities on site it was possible to reduce the risk of injury to employees, damage to the equipment and minimise environmental impact. Strategies included:

• Planning each stage of the project with safe working as one of the primary objectives.
• Ensuring the appropriate equipment is used for each operation including the provision of protective clothing.
• Encouraging everyone to work together in developing and maintaining a spirit of safety consciousness.
• Providing adequate training and instruction.
• Ensuring adequate supervision.
• Maintaining adequate records and undertaking full accident investigations.
• Providing full feedback information to all participants.

Hazards identified include:

• Paving (large machines and much activity).
• Existing services (high voltage, fibre optic cable, etc).
• Land and marine piling (large cranes, heavy materials).
• Bridge construction and launching (high stresses, hydraulic equipment, etc).
• Terrain.
• Adjacent traffic on public roads, including intersections.
• The mixing of construction plant and traffic.
• Working at heights.

Risk management formed a significant role. Detailed processes require each major activity and sub-activity associated with the works to be given a risk rating. This was the catalyst for the subsequent development of safe work procedures which were documented on Job Safety Analysis (JSA) Worksheets. Training was provided to give work crews and supervisors help in the development and understanding of these worksheets and risk management.