SAFETY PROCEDURES 1 General

All excavation shall be adequately supported against collapse and provided with protective safety barriers and appropriate warning signs and bunting.

Suitable and sufficient scaffolds shall be provided and properly maintained for all work that cannot safely be carried out from the ground or from part of the structure or from a ladder. Every scaffold shall be of good construction, of suitable and sound material and of adequate strength for the purpose for which it is used. Unless designed as an independent structure, every scaffold shall be rigidly connected to a part of the structure which is of sufficent strength to afford safe support. Protective headgear shall always be worn.

All manufacturer’s instructions and recommendations for the use, application, erection or construction of any material or item of equipment or plant shall be followed precisely.

Special care shall be taken to protect all employees when using power tools or materials which will produce a fine dust and in particular all asbestos based products. The operator should stand upwind of the operation and wear an approved respirator and goggles. Wherever possible overalls should be worn and should consist of 60% polyester fibre and 40% cotton.

Transportation of any material by the Contractor shall be in suitable vehicles which when loaded do not cause spillage and all loads shall be suitably secured. The

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Engineer shall have the right to instruct the withdrawal from the site of any vehicle which does not comply with these requirements or any of the Dubai or UAE traffic regulations and laws.

The Contractor shall adopt the safety procedures as proposed by him as per Clause 12.4 for entry into a manhole or other confined space. However, the following safety procedures are outlined as a guide only. The Contractor shall, where appropriate, use these procedures in addition to his proposed procedures while entering into a manhole or a confined space. Also included are additional information on safety procedures for manhole entry in Appendix 3 contained in Part 3 of 3 of these Specifications for his guidance and use where appropriate.

It shall be explicitly understood that safety is the responsibility of the Contractor and use of any of these procedures as outlined under this clause or in Appendix 3 shall not relieve him of any of his contractual responsibilities.

a) The manhole or confined space shall be thoroughly vented by mechanical air blower prior to entry.

b) A full gas check is to be undertaken prior to entry. If the level of toxic or explosive gases is above the safe level (maximum acceptable for hydrogen sulphide is 10 ppm) or the level of oxygen is below a safe level (18%) then entry is not permitted without the use of full breathing apparatus.

c) All persons entering a manhole or a confined space shall wear a safety harness properly rigged to the lifting frame.

d) The mechanical air blower shall be kept close by the manhole or confined space which has been entered.

e) The hydrogen sulphide level in the manhole or confined space shall be continuously monitored. If the level rises above 10 ppm then the manhole or confined space shall be evacuated immediately.

f) At least two people shall be available close to the point of entry to operate the air blower and lifting tackle in the event of an emergency and who shall note the location of the nearest telephone in working order and the telephone number of the nearest hospital before entry is permitted.

g) No smoking shall be permitted and ‘no spark’ tools shall be used. 12.6.2 Atmosphere Monitoring

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When any person is in a confined space, the atmosphere at the work place and at the base of the access manhole or pit shall be continuously monitored by a Monitoring Device to detect oxygen deficiency, flammable gas and toxic gases. The monitoring equipment shall be designed to be lowered into the work place or access manhole and shall not depend on a sample draw tube from the surface. The monitoring equipment shall be the first piece of equipment to be lowered into the place of work and shall be the last piece of equipment removed.

The Contractor shall provide, maintain and calibrate the approved monitoring equipment in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. The Contractor shall provide adequate numbers of monitoring devices to fully cover all proposed work places and open manholes or access pits with adequate spare devices, parts and batteries as needed to ensure complete monitoring of all sites of work at all times throughout the construction period. No entry into a confined space shall be allowed until the monitoring devices have been properly placed at the work place or access site and the readings indicate that the atmosphere is safe. Operatives are to be fully trained in the use of the monitoring equipment and in the necessary response to alarm conditions.

12.6.3 Atmosphere Ventilation

Before any person is allowed to enter a confined space, the atmosphere shall be adequately ventilated. As a minimum, both ends of the sewer section or work place shall be opened to the atmosphere either by removing the manhole covers or through open access pits. Positive ventilation shall be provided at all times when a person is in a confined space, even if the atmosphere monitoring equipment indicates that the atmosphere is safe for access.

12.6.4 Safety Harness

Each person entering a confined space shall wear a harness at all times. The harness shall be designed such that it will enable an unconscious person to be lifted to the surface in a vertical posture.

12.6.5 Emergency Breathing Apparatus

Each person in a confined space shall have emergency breathing apparatus available and ready for use within the confined space. The breathing apparatus shall have a minimum capacity of 2 litres and a working pressure of 200 bar and shall be tested daily, prior to starting work.

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Before any person is allowed to enter a confined space that is in active service, the Contractor shall ascertain the schedule of sewage flows which can be anticipated over the duration of the work. This shall include average and peak gravity sewage flows and the discharge flows from all upstream pumping stations. Should the combined gravity and pumped flows exceed safe working conditions at the work place, then the Contractor shall prepare a plan for the control and diversion of flows around or away from the work place. The method of flow diversion shall be as approved by the Engineer and by the Dubai Municipality. A "permit to work" system shall be employed for work on sewers where incoming flows (from pumping or diversion) are controlled by people remote from the work site.

12.6.7 Washing Facilities

Every work place where persons are entering a confined space, shall be provided with facilities for washing.

12.6.8 Communication

The Contractor shall provide a means of communication, appropriate to the safe system of work, between ground level and any work place within the confined space.

12.6.9 Lighting

When permanent works are being constructed or inspected, the confined space shall be adequately lit. The lighting apparatus shall operate at a voltage not exceeding 50 Volts. The circuit shall be protected against overload. No transformers, switches, fuses, contact breakers, etc., shall be taken into the confined space. Bulbs shall be protected against damage.