CW Milestones Part-6 - Backfilling and top slab pouring

Once the proper curing of the foundation pad and columns has been achieved, backfilling of excavated area has to be started. At instances (as per project demand and mentioned in DEDs) the backfilling is also required for whole site up to a certain level. This is normally required, when EGL at site is lower than its surrounding. Or if there is risk of flooding during some part of year due to excessive rains etc.

In some rollout projects where BTS and Generator pads are under tower, the top slab or pad is supported by columns and is cast monolithically on beams connecting all the columns. And in some projects, there is separate pad for BTS/Equipment and Generator/Fuel Tank. In later case the, the supporting wall (either concrete or bricks) for pads, has to be raised before backfilling.

CW Milestones Part-5 – Concrete pouring of foundation pad and columns for tower (Greenfield Site)

Once the proper layout, excavation and lean concreting (CW Milestone Part -4) has been done, it comes now the time for steel fixing. The steel for pad/s and columns is then cut and bent according to bar bending schedule. In the meanwhile the size of foundation is marked over the lean layer. The steel for foundation is then fastened with the help of binding wires and placed over spacers to give specified cover in both horizontal and vertical directions. The main reinforcement for columns is also fastened which is extending from top right into the foundation re-bars. 

Workers tying steel ribs for foundation columns



CW Milestones Part-4 – Excavation, Layout and Lean concrete

When site is being kicked –off, the site becomes the responsibility of Civil Works. And the period between Kick-off and RFI becomes very crucial for maintaining overall project speed because during this time only one department (i.e. Civil Works) is working on site. For the telecom rollout projects,  this period normally becomes among major bottlenecks, if not handled or planned properly. And the sales and management team has to be thoroughly worked out this period and need to identify for any manageable (contract negotiation/finalization of subcontractors, Sub-con preparedness and their relative brainstorming and trainings in order to be synchronized with targets etc.)  and unmanageable constraints (like offshore supplies of masts or generators etc., shortage of construction material etc in market), before finalizing and sharing targets and deadlines with customers.

The first thing after kick-off a civil subcontractor has to do is to mark boundaries of site, and clear or demolish (if required) the things within parameters.

CW Milestones Part-3 – Site Kick off

After Work Package approval, a formal hand over meeting is being arranged by Site Acquisition department, called site kick-off. This is the first and most important step which counts towards start of construction works on site. Normally the participants of the Kick Off meeting includes

• Site Acquisition(SA) Representative
• CW representative
• Actual Owner or his representative of leased property of site
• CW Sub Contractor’s team lead/site supervisor (along with his team , with all measuring and marking tools)

CW representative have to understand that once s/he will have accepted the site at the time of kick-off, without any report, CW is going to be responsible

CW Milestones Part-2 - Work Package Status

Work Package (WP) is set of documents mainly containing following documents

• Detailed Engineering Drawings (DEDs)
• Civil Works' Technical Site Survey Report (CW TSSR)
• Radio Frequency and Transmission Planning Technical Site Survey Report (RF-TR TSSR)
• Site Acquisition Report
• Geotechnical or Soil Investigation Report (If applicable)
• Structural Feasibility Report (If applicable – Required for Rooftop sites only)
• Any other document as mutually agreed after negotiation

WP should be approved by customer's Site Design Team before

CW Milestones Part-1 - Technical Site Survey from Civil works and Site Design Prospective

Technical Site Survey is an important milestone, to be achieved before land/building for Site is being leased or purchased. TSS component of a Network Rollout Turnkey Project is normally owned by Site Acquisition however a CW/SD representative is also part of TSS team. Here CW representative finalize the site and confirms as if site is initially okay from Design, Material transportation and Power availability point of view. In addition to CW representative there are normally three other departments to be represented, which include RF Planning, MW planning and Site Acquisition. It is important that

Milestones of Construction Work On Network Rollout Turnkey Project

On a GSM (or any other Telecom) site there are some activities in which Civil Works team is either fully involved or at least participated (or represented) in the activity.  Those activities in which civil works is only represented is basically the one which have ownership with other departments. But due to some sort of support work or participation is required from civil works, so it has to spare its resources for those activities.

1.       Technical Site Survey (CW+SA+RF+Transmission) (Normally owned by Site Acquisition )

2.       Work Package Approval (Process is owned by Design Department or by CW if design is totally externalized/outsourced)

3.       Site Kick off (The process is owned by Site Acquisition, however this is the activity in which site location is handed over from Site Acquisition to Civil Works, so in order to rule out the waste of money time and resources and chances of not meeting the target, at some later stage, CW representative has to take necessary measure. He/She has to mark all area which will be included in Construction, has to clearly tell site owner if any destruction is required, estimated time of construction etc.etc. )

4.       Excavation + Layout + Lean concrete (Complete CW Activity)

5.       Concrete Pouring (Pad + Columns) (Complete CW Activity)

6.       Backfilling + Top slab concreting (Complete CW Activity)

7.       Boundary wall (Complete CW Activity)

8.       Tower Erection + Accessories installation (Complete CW Activity )

9.       Generator installation & commissioning (Complete CW Activity)

10.   AC Power Inspection (Power Meter+ ACDB+ Intake box) (Complete CW Activity)

11.   Shelter or Sunshade Installation and (if applicable) Guardroom Installation (Complete CW Activity)

12.   Declaring site RFI (Ready for Installation) (Complete CW Activity, The activity is important in a sense that normally time from Kickoff to RFI is an important KPI among other indicators. This is because during this time only civil works department can do work on site and  is considered one of the main bottle necks in such projects. Once the site is declared RFI other teams of project like Telecom Implementation, BSS, Care can also do their due work on site along with other minor civil works which are being carried out on site. )

13.   Finishing Works (Complete CW Activity)

14.   Red – Line/As – Built Drawings preparation (Complete CW Activity)

15.   Acceptance from Customer (The activity is owned by project as a whole)

Applicable Health and Safety(HSE) Documents on Telecom Projects

The previously mentioned HES guidelines have normally been enforced by either a Client or vendor (or sometimes by both). And have to be followed in general by all vendors and its Partners’ employees. However if this would not be the case, the  each person who is involved in decision making and implementation, either as manager or junior engineer or worker or supervisor at the site have to follow all possible guide lines. In addition to these, project specific documents related to HES will also be applied after getting approval from Project Director. The following documents may normally be applicable, and are vital part of Partial/Final Acceptance Documents folder.

•  HES Checklists
•  HES Handbook
•  Incident-Near miss Report
• Risk Assessment Forms

In order to ensure that a fair deal of HSE compliance is on work, a vendor would have to conduct various audits and visits in order to verify that all its local and global conditions are being followed by its Partners during work on sites and/or at factories.

HSE Checks Related to Telecom Implementation

Although principally Telecom Implementation does not come under the domain of Civil Works Department of a telecom company (either vendor or client or operator), however working in telecommunication industry really demands muti – functional and cross – functional skills to have, demonstrate and at times even to practice. So therefore it is good to know at least some basics of other functions/departments you are working with in project. And some telecom organizations have even trained their staff for cross – functional training to utilize the same work force to work on different type of assignments even out of their main area of expertise.  (I am planning to cover this topic of x-functional training in detail in some other post later).

So in view of above details, now I think you be more interested in following some HSE Checks related to TI.

1. TI Equipment transportation should be carried out keeping in view the safety aspects so that risk of injury could be avoided.
2. Trained Riggers are required with proper Ropes & Pulleys to pull Feeders and Antenna Dish movement above tower.
3. Correct Polarities to be used while Installation of Power system/battery. Wires with proper Gauge are required. 
4. Anti Static Strip Should be used by personnel, plugging in modules. 
5. Proper coring & mid spanner Stripper Tool Is required for making on site connectors.

Safety measures for the Antennas Mounted at the Edge of the Rooftop (on Monopole or RT Tower)

1.         Poles less than 5m height will be equipped with step irons or a removable ladder system. Some form of attachment point for safety belt/harness will be installed.

2.         Poles higher than 5m are to be considered masts or towers and the standard recommendations as required during erection of towers needs to be applied, as mentioned below

i)          Lightening arrestor to be installed on legs adjacent to ones where BTS equipment is placed.

ii)        Fall arresting system (a system for the safety of workmen who are climbing the tower) must be properly installed.

iii)       Rest platforms must be installed at the specified heights as mentioned tower’s assembly/erection drawings

iv)       All the tower bolts must conform to the allowable torque limits as recommended by tower designer

v)         Torque test would be applied after finishing of tower erection by sub-contracting company in front of vendor’s Site Engineer (CW representative)

Protective and Safety Measures for Accessing Rooftop Structure Wall Mounted Antennas

Sometimes as per requirement by RF, height of antennas to be installed is such that they need to be installed on the walls of available structures. Care must be taken for fixing mounting poles have to be installed such that no permanent damage is being made to existing structures.

1.    Fixation of anchors has to be made on RCC (either on column or on slabs), must not be on brick/blocks  

2.    Access can usually be handled safely with a portable ladder if there is no inherent fall risk.

3.    If there is a potential fall risk, a permanent ladder with safety system will be installed.

4.    Working in a two-person team is a general rule of thumb whereby one worker can support the ladder of access for another worker.

5.    The ladder has to be of good quality according to local requirements.

Safety measures to be Adopted for Rooftop Structures and Wall Mounted Antennas

·         Access can usually be handled safely with a portable ladder if there is no inherent fall risk. If there is a potential fall risk, a permanent ladder with safety system will be installed.

·         Working in a two-person team is a general rule of thumb whereby one worker can support the ladder of access for another worker. The ladder has to be of good quality according to local requirements.

Safety Measures to be Taken Care of for Access to Antennas

Walkways:

·         Only trained personnel with proper certification shall access the antennas. Recommendation is accessing the antennas from rear where applicable.

 Exclusion Zones:

·         The minimum exclusion zones have to be in accordance with valued international regulations, or where not applicable, according to local standards. Personnel should not work on, or remain within exclusion zones. However passing and climbing through them should not present any hazard.

·         If the rooftop is to used by the owner for any purpose, or if the rooftop has public access, an exclusion zone must be clearly marked. Further, if within a public zone, the site must also be physically secured form unauthorized personnel.

·         A warning sign board should be placed on every roof top pole sites below the antennas, with written Caution!  “Please do not stand in front of antennas”. The size of sign board will be 3ft X 2ft which will contain both local and English text, back ground will be yellow whereas texts will be red,  aluminum or G.I sheet (both are non ferrous), thickness of sheet will be 3mm.

·         Radiation and exclusion zones related to microwave antennas should be according to local standards.

Note: ESM/Radiation exposure risk evaluation is to be done on a project specific basis where the output and frequency is known, in accordance with local regulations.

Safety Requirements Associated With Individual Types of Machinery and Equipment Used in Construction Works

   Lighting:

·         Shelter or equipment room shall be equipped with a permanent fluorescent light mounted on the ceiling of the room.

·         On a site-specific basis existing building with complex access routing will need emergency lighting. Further, it is recommended that shelters which would not immediately adjacent to access points have a light fitting near the shelter door installed.

    Hoisting:

·         Possible point of placement for a mobile crane for material lifts shall be marked on the site drawings. This point is for material lifts only and the lifting point for access to antennas via a cherry picker must be marked separately if applicable.

·         When hoisting/erecting is ongoing, safety areas and exclusion zones must be clearly indicated.

Safety Measures to be Taken Care of for Equipment Used in Construction Work on a Telecom Site

For construction of and GSM cell site following equipments is often in use

·      Batch Mixing Machine for concrete Mixing (Normally full load, 50Kg Cement, Machine is asked to be used)

·      Vibrator for Concrete compaction

·      Vibratory Plate or Reverse Vibratory Plate compactors for Soil Compaction

·      Crane for Tower Erection at some places

·      Chain Pulley for Tower Erection at some places and for lifting material like Generator on Rooftop Sites

·      Fast Moving Concrete Lifts for transporting concrete on Rooftop Sites

To use these equipments on site effectively and to have precautionary measures for any unforeseen risk of life or property following safety measures needs to be taken care of and adopted, with regard to use of equipments.

1.    Before start of work ensure that all equipment is in good working condition

2.    The moving or motion-transmitting components of any machinery and equipment used in construction works should be protected in a suitable manner.

3.    The electrical systems of machinery used in construction work should be properly earthed.

4.    Only trained staff is allowed to work on construction equipment.

5.    Staff using the equipment should be wearing respective personal protective equipment, and especially no operator with loose cloths is allowed to work on equipment

6.    Make sure that staff operating the equipment is alert all the time.

Safety Measures to be Taken During Demolition Work

Sometimes demolition and flattening of existing structures also need to be done which were either already built on site or come in the way of site hindering standard clearance way. Following are a few safety measures to be adopted during these destruction/demolition works.

1.       Perform only the demolition works mentioned in DEDs (Detailed Engineering Documents, e.g. Detailed Site Drawings and/or in TSSR (Technical Site Survey Report). Because these are the one for which necessary approvals and (structural and cost) analysis has already been made. And if it found to be some extra works needs to be done by Site Engineer, this has to be immediately reported to immediate manager and concerned department (e.g. Site Design, Site Acquisition etc.)

2.       Demolition works may only be performed under supervision of authorized and qualified personnel.

3.       Debris or waste materials, such as masonry, bricks or concrete chunks, resulting from the demolition work should not be piled and left to lie on the floors of the building. Such materials have only to be moved down from floor to floor after taking necessary safety measures.

4.       The part of the structure which would has be taken down as a whole cannot be demolished until safety of workers near or under that part has absolutely been ensured.

5.       A safety area will be formed around the part of the structure to be demolished, with dimensions at least twice as large as the height of the structure itself, which area should be barricaded with a guarding fence or atleast with safety strip.

6.       Building elements like glass doors, window panes or mirrors, which may prove to be dangerous during demolition work, should be dismantled, removed and moved away to a suitable location before start of the work.

7.       Workers to take part in the demolition should be provided with personal protective equipment such as goggles, hardhats, masks and steel-toed boots.