Construction Safety of Infrastructural Facilities in Hilly Regions: Review of Building Codes
Satish Kumar1 and V.K. Bansal2
1Research Scholar, Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology Hamirpur, H.P., India
2Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology Hamirpur, H.P., India
*Corresponding Author Email: satish_katwal@yahoo.co.in; vkb@nith.ac.in, vijaybansal18@yahoo.com
ABSTRACT:
Construction activities accounts for about fifty per cent of the total outlay in any Five Year Plan in India. Half of the total money allocated for construction activities is spent on developing infrastructural facilities. There are numerous building codes available nationally/internationally to control and regulate the construction of infrastructural facilities and ensure construction safety in turn. Hence, controlling and regulating the construction to ensure safety of infrastructural facilities through building codes is receiving focus among the construction professionals. Architects, planners, and engineers find it difficult to locate the relevant building codes and utilise the information placed there in. The authors have explored various national/international building codes for the construction safety of infrastructural facilities in the hilly regions. Although, various existing building codes lack in uniformity but help in regulating the construction of infrastructural facilities. The national/international building code provisions have been explored and utilised for ensuring the construction safety of constructed/proposed infrastructure facilities in the campus layout of Jawaharlal Nehru Government Engineering College (JNGEC) Sundernagar, Himachal Pradesh, India.
KEYWORDS: Building code provisions, infrastructure facilities, construction safety, hilly regions.
1. INTRODUCTION:
Indian construction industry is an essential contributor to infrastructural developments like: roads, dams, irrigation works, schools, houses and hospitals. These construction works are physical foundation on which development efforts and improving standards of the country are established (Kulkarni, 2007). About 50% of all expenditures incurred in five year plans are directly traced to Indian construction industry (Seetharaman, 2009).
In addition to respecting deadlines and providing high quality work, workers’ safety must be of primary importance. In the past decade, the need for safety awareness among construction companies has greatly increased (Wilson and Koehn, 2000). This is due to the high cost associated with work related injuries, workers’ compensation, insurance premium, indirect costs of injuries and the increased chance of litigation. Accidents are the direct results of unsafe activities and conditions, both of which can be controlled by management (Holt, 2005). Accidents in the construction industry tend to be costly in both human and financial terms. Cost of safety is paid by the organization either through the uncontrolled cost of accidents or through the controlled cost of safety program (Koehn et al., 1995).
The reasons of considering building code provisions for construction safety of infrastructure facilities include humanitarian concern, economic reasons and organisational image (Seetharaman, 2009). The construction of infrastructure facilities has inherent risk to life and limb due to lack of well-defined building code provisions. (Kulkarni, 2007).
Generally, the construction of infrastructure facilities focuses on productivity in aspects of time and cost. The construction professionals believe that construction safety of infrastructure facilities usually conflicts with production work. Further, it is believed that construction safety provisions slowdown the production work and costs more money (Benjaoran and Bhoka, 2009). The benefits of using building code provisions during the construction of infrastructure facilities shall be a step towards effective construction safety program and shall help in reducing accidents, insurance premiums, besides increasing profits, improving reputation and organisational image (Koehn et al., 1995).
Proper knowledge and adoption of building code provisions can play a vital role in reducing hazards and accidents during the construction of infrastructure facilities (Stokdyk, 1994; Anumba and Bishop, 1997). Effective use of building code provisions is essential if projects are to be delivered without experiencing accidents or damaging the health of site personnel.
The infrastructure facilities never achieve the optimum benefit of the three vital objectives (cost, time and safety) unless construction of infrastructure facilities is carried out as envisaged in building codes (Benjaoran and Bhoka, 2009). Building code provisions for construction safety includes the safety of the facility to be constructed as well as safety in process of constructing the facility. In developing countries, building code provisions for construction safety usually do not exist; if any exist, the regulatory authority is usually very weak in implementing such provisions effectively (Yadav, 2009). Prevention of occupational injuries and illness should be a primary concern of all employers. Especially in developing countries like India, efforts should be made to raise the level of awareness among both the employees and employers about the importance of building code provisions.
In India, there is a substantial geographical variation, from plain to hilly regions; the scope of the present study is to explore the national/international building codes for the construction of infrastructure facilities safely in the hilly regions. It shall provide a firm basis for taking decision for construction safety of infrastructure facilities in hilly regions. The main aim was accomplished by identifying and reviewing various national/international codes. The building code provisions applicable for the construction safety of infrastructural facilities were identified, listed and their applicability has been checked for infrastructure facilities constructed/proposed in the campus of JNGEC, Himachal Pradesh, India.
In order to develop hilly regions naturally, various building codes used nationally/ internationally have been explored and space standards useful for construction safety of hilly regions have been extracted. The brief description of these building codes is as under:
Construction Site Safety Handbook, 2005 is published by The Real Estate Developers Association of Hong Kong and The Hong Kong Construction Association. The handbook has been prepared to provide practical guidance to construction professional including contractors and subcontractors in managing safety and health risks on construction sites and meet legal obligations.
International Building Code (IBC), 2009, published by International Code Council, Inc., USA is used internationally, prepared to safeguard the public health and safety in construction. The code is based on principles intended to establish provisions consistent with the scope of a building code that protects public health, safety and welfare. The code covers provisions that do not unnecessarily increase construction costs restrict use of new materials, methods of construction and give preferential treatment to particular types of materials or methods of construction.
In India, Model Town and country planning legislation Zoning Regulations Development Controls building Regulation bye-laws for natural hazard zones by illustrating additional provisions in Development Control Regulations for Safety. It also highlights additional provisions in Building Regulations/Byelaws for Structural Safety in Natural Hazard. It guides that where cutting of hill slope in an area causes ecological damage and slope instability in adjacent areas, cuttings of such hill slopes shall not be undertaken unless appropriate measures are taken to avoid or prevent such damages.
Safety, Health and Welfare on Construction Sites: A Training Manual, 1995, published by Geneva, International Labour Office with an aim to safeguard safety, health and welfare conditions on construction sites.
NBC, 2005, published by Bureau of Indian Standards, unify the building regulations throughout India for the use of government departments, municipal bodies and other construction agencies. The code contents are meant for use by all concerned in the field of planning, designing and construction activities. According to NBC (2005) site development is the most effective means to resolve the problems created by topography, definitive architectural designs or concepts, water table, existing streets, and typical problems, singularly or collectively, so that aggress, ingress and egress to facilities/utilities may be facilitated while preserving the desired design and effect of the architecture.
Topography, existing facilities, open space around, and existing utility services like: electricity, water supply, sewage line, etc. play a crucial role in construction safety of infrastructural facilities in hilly regions. The building code provisions pertaining to these aspects have been identified and discussed in subsequent sub-sections:
Topography is concerned with natural and artificial features. It involves recording of terrain, three-dimensional (3D) quality of the surface, and specific landforms. Construction safety of infrastructure facilities is ensured by adhering to building codes and placing the buildings with respect to topography. Infrastructure development as per building codes provisions causes minimum disturbance to the natural topography of an area reduces retaining works, cut/fill situation, development and construction cost.
Slope indicates the steepness, incline, or grade of the region. The ecological damage and slope instability is caused due to cutting of a hill slope (NBC 2005). Therefore, cuttings shall not be undertaken unless appropriate measures are taken to avoid such damages in order to ensure site safety. In India, Model Town and Country Planning Legislation Zoning Regulations Development (2007) controls building regulation bye-laws for hazard zones. NBC (2005) suggests that no construction should be ordinarily undertaken in areas having slope above 30° or areas which fall in landslide hazard zones. Construction may be permitted in areas with slope between 10º to 30º or spring recharge areas or old landslide zones with such restrictions as the competent authority may decide (NBC, 2005). The elevation of a location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly the Earth's mean sea level. It is one of the important factors associated with construction safety of infrastructure facilities.
It is the human use of land that involves the management and modification of natural environment into built environment such as fields, pastures, and settlements. Infrastructure development should take into consideration the land use pertaining to different activities going on in an area and their respective locations (NBC, 2005).
Open space around infrastructure facilities has a significant ecological and environmental importance. It improves the climate, abates the heat-island effect by their ecological-balancer function, reduces environmental damages, and ensures construction safety. Besides providing lighting and ventilation, open spaces left around and in between infrastructure facilities ensure safety by minimizing the risks of spatial and temporal exposure to the existing infrastructure facilities (Sacks et al. 2009). In case of institutional buildings, the open spaces around a building should not be less than 6 metres (NBC 2005).
A utility service is a business that furnishes an everyday necessity to the public at large. Public utilities provide water, electricity, natural gas, telephone service and other essentials. The height of a building along the roadside is regulated by the road width, which should not exceed 1.5 times the width of road abutting plus the front open space (NBC, 2005). In hilly areas, width of road should be 4.5 metres to 6 metres for internal road and 1.5metres to 2.5 metres for pedestrian path.
A clean water supply is most important determinant of public health. Destruction of water supply after major catastrophes like earthquakes, floods, and landslides poses immediate threat of severe epidemics of waterborne diseases, several of which can be life-threatening. Water supply line laid with respect to the topography ensures proper water supply. A sub-soil dispersion system should not be closer than 18 metres from any source of drinking water, such as well, to mitigate the possibility of bacterial and microbial pollution of water supply scheme. The sub-soil dispersion system should also be away from the nearest habitable building as economically feasible but not closer than 6 metres, to avoid damage to the structures (NBC, 2005).
Workers engaged during the construction stage are frequently exposed to electric currents in various forms and are vulnerable to shocks and electrocutions from overhead cables, underground supply lines, electrical installations, and tools (NBC, 2005). Many workers are unaware of the potential electrical hazards present in their work environment, which makes them even more vulnerable to the danger of electrocution. Workers are ignorant to believe that electrocution is only too remote because very often they only receive minor electric shocks or burns from arcing and flashover. In order to ensure safety against electrical hazards at construction sites, safety provisions according to NBC (2005) and International Building Code (IBC, 2009) should be adopted.
Besides considering critical aspects, general requirements of buildings should also be considered. This shall address ecological and sustainability issues and develops these hilly regions more naturally causing less cutting of hill slopes with minimum development and construction cost. National Building Code (2005) of India further highlights that no infrastructure facility shall be located closer than 1 metre to another existing facility. Code also indicated that none of the facility shall be located closer than 10 metres to a steep slope, built on a landfill or on the edge of a slope. Infrastructure facilities in hilly regions shall be clustered together to minimise the exposure to cold winds and shall be located on the south slope of a hill for better exposure to solar radiation. Exposure to cold winds may be minimized by locating the building on the leeward side.
A clear cut line of difference between plain and hilly regions needs to be drawn prior to the commencement of infrastructure developments. As per National Building Code (2005) of India, any area above 600 m in height form mean sea level may be classified as hilly, or any area with average slope of 30° may also be assumed as hilly, considering the sensitive and fragile eco-system of hills and mountains. However, code further stresses that the state governments may identify and notify areas to be covered under hilly area, which need to be dealt with special consideration, when infrastructure developments are taken up (NBC, 2005).
Hilly areas have one of the most fragile eco-systems, which need to be conserved. Therefore, planning and development strategies for hilly areas shall have to be designed with added sensitivity and stress on integrated development. In any hilly region, topographical features of the region are influencing factors for all kind of infrastructure developments.
In hilly regions, topography and site conditions vary from place to place. Therefore infrastructure developments in hill regions depend upon the analysis of locational and topographical aspects. Aspects like landslides, slope stability, topography, drainage, etc. need to be considered strictly as per the provisions laid down in various building codes. In order to ensure environmentally sound infrastructure developments in hilly regions, critical aspects along with special building requirements should be considered.
JNGEC campus, a case study, spreads over an area having north-east slope. The campus layout consists of six blocks. A, B, and C blocks have been constructed and D block is under construction. As shown in Fig. 1, A, B, C and D blocks were constructed across natural contours and locations of E and hostel blocks have also been proposed against contours. In the present case study, building code provisions related to constructed and proposed facilities were modelled in ArcGIS and evaluated for any violations. Analysis helped to identify those proposed facilities which were located in the steep hill slope. Analysis further facilitated in identifying those proposed facilities/utilities which violate of the building code provisions, as shown in Fig. 2.
Fig. 1: Contours and placement of constructed and proposed blocks.
The proposed location of E block in the initial spatial plan was across the contours which shall involve lots of cutting, retaining work, and disturbance to the topography. Fig. 2 shows that E block was proposed at higher elevation range (265-298m) as compared to other constructed A, B, C, and D blocks (246-265m). For better connectivity between E block and other constructed blocks, its location has to be in accordance with elevations of other constructed blocks. This will not only provide better connectivity but also retain the natural topography. Therefore, location of E block should be shifted to a place having a gentle slope and involve less cutting of hill slope. Also Fig. 2 depicts that open space between B and hostel blocks was not ample and if location or geometry of the hostel block was not changed/modified, safety, security and ventilation of both the blocks shall be affected. After detailed investigation, the open space between constructed B and hostel blocks was enhanced by modification of the geometry of the hostel block as shown in Fig. 3.
Fig.2. Violation of building code provisions.
Fig. 3: Modified part plan of JNGEC Campus.
The review of existing building codes can be envisioned for a very broad range of use during infrastructure developments in hilly regions. It could be used to define and check infrastructure developments. The current study provides guidelines for managing construction safety by identifying critical aspects such as topography, land use, open spaces and existing facilities/utilities. The various building code provisions have been extracted while exploring national/international building codes from the perspectives of the hill regions. It facilitates construction professionals like architects, engineers and contractors in taking firm decisions during infrastructure developments. The study serves as a handy reference in managing critical aspects of hilly regions. The building code provisions besides controlling and regulating the development of infrastructure facilities ensure construction safety and enhance sustainability of the region in turn.
The authors appreciate the thoughtful comments on drafts of this paper made by Dr. Bhanu Marwaha, Professor, Department of Architecture, Dr. Pradeep Kumar, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Civil Engineering and Dr. Dharmendra, Assistant professor, Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology Hamirpur, India.
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Received on 28.05.2015 Accepted on 28.06.2015 © EnggResearch.net All Right Reserved Int. J. Tech. 5(1): Jan.-June 2015; Page 04-10
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