Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 1.10
Safety and security
Safety and accidents
Safety
Responsibility for safety of people
engaged in building operations is
not only confined to the contractor -
specifiers also share the
responsibility, in the sense that they
must consider safety aspects of
installing the items they are
specifying, consider the risks, and
decide whether to select alternatives.
The specifiers are also obliged under
current legislation to provide
information about health and safety
issues for all items specified.
Compliance with all relevant items
of safety legislation is outside the
terms of reference of this topic, but
reference may be made to the various
regulations
(15,53,54)
, to the
Construction safety handbook
(61)
, and
Designing for health and safety in
construction
(62)
.
or any horizontal surfaces onto which
children might climb (eg large bay
windows). Glazed doors and side
panels are an obvious hazard but
windows positioned low in relation to
stairs and landings may also be
dangerous.
Open windows should not severely
obstruct footpaths (Figure 1.60).
Where this is likely either using a
different design of window or
obstructions such as flower beds or
permanent barriers to keep
pedestrians clear should be
considered.
Window handles and locks should
not require excessive force to operate
and they should be easily reached
without unreasonable stretching over
baths, sinks and work surfaces, or the
need to stand on steps (see Chapter
1.12). Where there is a risk of people
falling through open windows above
ground floor level, external barriers
should be provided, or windows with
safety devices, called restrictors,
should be fitted to prevent openings
greater than
100 mm. Such devices should not be
easy to disengage except by adults
during cleaning. Unless there is a
balcony, cleaning should be possible
from inside without the use of steps or
the need to lean out through the open
window. Glazing close to floor level
(less than 800 mm) should be of
toughened
(63)
or laminated glass to
minimise the risk of personal injury
from falls and impacts. This covers
glass in windows, as well as in doors
and door side panels.
The risk of accident will also be
present when doors are opened and
closed, particularly where they are
power driven.
Accidents
Accidents often occur as a result of
people tripping as they step over door
thresholds, sometimes because the
threshold is high in relation to the
floor level or alternatively because the
change in level from the ground to the
floor is too great. Serious accidents
result when people trip and fall into
non-safety glass in doors and
windows.
Steps out of buildings may be too
high, lacking an intermediate level.
Some door threshold designs,
particularly PVC-U types, may be
bulky and in combination with a deep
step create a possible hazard. See also
Chapter 5.2.
Ordinary quality thin annealed
glass in large areas is a hazard in any
situation where it is close to floor level
Figure 1.60
Hazard caused by an open casement
window
