5.3 Safety Officer (SO), Safety Patrol and Safety Meeting
The clearing and grubbing works will be subject to the Safety Officer’s regular supervision and operations there will also come under review during the regular safety patrols.
In concern with the approach to continual reinforcement to safety measures, there will also be daily meetings held during the course of the works, where site safety matters will be part of the agenda. These meetings will focus mainly on highlighting the dangers associated with and the measures to taken for the actual works being carried out at the time.
For the works associated with clearing and grubbing, it is envisaged that a review of the particularities relative to procedures associated with the burning operation will be carried out within day times.
5.4 Safety Control
Safety control and verifications include the periodic verification of a clean and tidy working environment, of adequate safety equipment and safety belts, of adequate first-aid facilities etc, as well as the verification of other items particular to the steps detailed in this method statement.
a.All workers shall be educated in the use of excavators, bulldozers, & backhoes, such as the excavator arm & bucket distance and buffer zone in order to prevent from injuries.
b. Signalmen would be deployed in order to alert workers and traffic on the road.
c. Operators would be thoroughly instructed to prevent pushing soil loads into the main road area.
d. Roots would be cut and removed using chain saw and backhoe within the barricaded area. When a dump truck is positioned for loading trunks Signalmen would be deployed on either side to control traffic.
e. Road surface would be cleaned and washed in order to prevent from dusty conditions.
6.0 Method and Procedures
The method and procedures for the clearing and grubbing works follow the steps below. A flowchart is also provided clear picture.
6.1 General Clearing, Clearing and Grubbing
a. Prior to commencement of the work a Notification sheet is forwarded to the Engineer for approval for the area expected to be cleared and grubbed.
b. After getting Engineer’s approval, Road Development Authority, Divisional secretary, Forest Dept and Timber Corporation shall be contacted to get relevant permission and permits to cut and transport listed valuable trees, trunks, and branches.
c. In receipt of relevant permits, site clearing is started by means of manpower and/or machinery.
d. All top soil would be removed to an average depth of 150mm and all surface objects, trees, including stumps and roots, stumps and roots of previously felled trees, overhanging branches would be cleared and grubbed as per the Engineer’s instructions.
e. Outside the limits of earthworks all the stumps which are not more than 300mm above the ground level would be kept as it is.
f. In areas of embankment construction removal of solid objects, stumps and roots would be to an extent of 1m outside the embankment and these materials would be removed to a minimum depth of 0.5m below the top level of the sub-grade or below the slopes of the embankments.
g. Stumps and roots would be removed to a minimum depth of 250mm below the excavated bottom or in to the shaped slope in line drain construction.
h. If the embankment fill is more than 3m non-perishable solid objects would be kept as it is if the top of such object is not more than 0.5m above the natural ground level.
i. In cut areas stumps and roots would be removed to a depth of at least 0.5m below the top of the sub-grade and over which the pavement is to be constructed to an extent of at least 0.5m outside the limits of the base-course.
6.2 Removal of Trees diameter 300mm and over
a. A separate notification sheet will be forwarded for getting approval for cutting trees, which is with a diameter of 300mm and over.
b. The trees to be cut or saved would be marked during the inspection by a representative of the Engineer. The location, type, size of trees to be cut would be recorded in the inspection sheet which will be certified by the Engineer.
c. Trees approved by the Engineer to remove would be cut using chainsaw and/or axes.
d. Lifting ropes shall be used to lower the branches, and trunks of the trees. A guy rope shall be used to guide the branches and trunks.
e. The fallen trees would be cut to standard sizes so that they can be handled easily.
f. All logs and branches would be either transported to disposal area or handed over to Forest Conservation and Timber Corporation, in accordance with the valuation.
g. Then all logs and branches would be either burned, or otherwise disposed.
h. Clearing outside the construction limits up to the ROW will be sufficient to ensure that there are no trees 6m beyond the shoulder area of the road. Clearing would be done in accordance with the instructions of the Engineer and may include trimming of unsound branches of trees and shrubs, grubbing or cutting flush stumps, and clearing objectionable materials flush with the ground.
6.3 Disposal / Waste Material
a. Generally all combustible materials (i.e. trunks, limbs, shrubs etc) would be burned in the disposal areas. The selected material would be transported to disposal area approved by the Engineer and placed to dry.
b. Then those would be burnt with the help of petrol/kerosene oil and matches during day time.
c. All burning would be carried out in controlled conditions in accordance with CEA regulations.
d. Before the disposal of waste materials or selected vegetation, a request will be made to the Engineer for approval of a location for disposal when such a location is in the ROW. Alternatively, if an area outside the site is considered the necessary steps would be taken to obtain approval from landlords, and of the CEA
e. Disposal of all waste including wood, trash, debris, stumps, and other foreign matter would be removed to the approved disposal areas with the help of dump trucks, JCB, tractor and manpower or others.
f. Chain saw would be used to cut the trunk and branches as instructed above, and the branches with leaves would be removed to disposal area in a dump truck close with a canopy. These small branches and waste trunks could be burnt at disposal locations without creating hazardous situation. A fire guard shall be posted whenever need to burn pieces.
g. Cut pieces of roots or removed roots shall be transported to a dry disposal area and set fire with the fire protection.
h. Strict environmental compliance would be implemented with regard to disposal of any demolished debris. The debris in question shall be transported and dump in the disposal areas as specified by contractual specification.
i. Disposable materials would not be dumped into streams or unauthorized areas.