KYAMBOGO UNIVERSITY

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF LANDS AND ARCHITECTURAL STUDIES

COURSE UNIT: BUILDING MAINTENANCE II, LE 326

TASK: GROUP COURSEWORK

NAME OF LECTURER: MR. ELONG SAMUEL

DATE OF SUBMISSION: 9TH MARCH , 2020.

GROUP 2
GROUP MEMBERS
NO. NAME REG. NO. SIGN.
1. AKWI MARY 17/U/5987/BLE/PE
2. WANGOLO EMMANUEL 17/U/6015/BLE/PE
3. NANZIRI DOROTHY 16/U/4135/BLD/PD
4. MUHINDA FRED 17/U/5972/BLD/PD
5. MUHOFAH LILLIAN 17/U/5973/BLD/PD
6. KARUNGI EVELYN 17/U/074/BLD/GV
7. WEPUKHULU BRUHANE 17/U/6016/BLE/PE
8. MIGADDE EMMANUEL SEMAKULA 17/U/5995/BLE/PE
9. PIRWOTH POLYCAP 17/U/BLE/6010/PE

Maintenance
Maintenance is defined as the work undertaken in order to keep, restore or improve every part of
a building, its services and surroundings to a currently accepted standard and to sustain the utility
and value of the building.

All activities or procedures conducted during maintenance works are purposely to return or keep
an infrastructural system in its fully functioning or operational condition or acceptable state.

Regular maintenance is essential to keep equipment, machines and the work environment safe
and reliable. Lack of maintenance or inadequate maintenance can lead to dangerous situations,
accidents and health problems. Maintenance is a high-risk activity with some of the hazards
resulting from the nature of the work. Maintenance workers are more likely than other
employees to be exposed to various hazards. Maintenance is a generic term for variety of tasks in
very different types of sectors and all kinds of working environments.

Although it is estimated that 6% of the working population are involved in maintenance work
(not always all the time), it is estimated that throughout Europe, between 15 and 20% of injuries
at work happen during maintenance work. (European Agency for Health and Safety)

This is for three main reasons. Firstly maintenance work can often involve many of the most
dangerous activities such as work at heights, electricity, and dangerous equipment. Secondly,
maintenance work is often not risk assessed before it is done. Thirdly, much of it is done by
contractors who are unfamiliar with that workplace.

Maintenance is therefore a high-risk activity with specific hazards and risks and these include
working alongside a running process and in close contact with machinery. During normal
operation, automation typically diminishes the likelihood of human error that can lead to
accidents. In maintenance activities, contrary to normal operation, direct contact between the
worker and machine cannot be reduced substantially - maintenance is an activity where workers
need to be in close contact with processes.

Maintenance activities include; inspection, testing, measurement, replacement, adjustment,

repair, upkeep, fault detection, replacement of parts, servicing, lubrication, cleaning.

Health and safety:

This refers to regulations and procedures intended to prevent accident to ensure physical, mental
and social wellbeing of workers and the surrounding environment.

Health:

Occupational health has been defined as enabling people undertake their occupation in a way that
causes the least harm to their health. But according to the World Health Organization, health
means much more: “a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing and not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity.”

According to Section 2 of the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 2006, health also includes
the physical and mental elements affecting health which are indirectly or directly related to
safety and hygiene at work.
Occupational health should aim at:

• the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-
being of workers in all occupations;
• the prevention amongst workers of departures from health caused by their working
conditions;
• the protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors adverse
to health;
• the placing and maintenance of the worker in an occupational environment adapted to his
physiological and psychological capabilities;

Safety

Safety in maintenance is concerned with the freedom from danger, protection from or not being
exposed to the risk of harm or injury during the process of carrying out maintenance procedures.

RICS considers the concept of a safe person to mean that each individual assumes individual
behavioral responsibility for their own, their colleagues’ and others’ health and safety while at
work.

The purpose of health and safety is to minimize the risk of harm; it is not necessary for
somebody to have an injury, suffer ill health or a near miss for the risk of harm to be apparent.

Thus, risks are related mainly to:

  Environment where work is carried out
 Machines and tools used
 Type of energy used (e.g electric, pneumatic or hydraulic);
 Working conditions
 Chemical and/or biological agents that workers handle during work

Occupational health considers the physical and mental effects of work on health (including
health issues that develop over time, referred to as ‘chronic’) and assists an RICS-regulated firm
in ensuring its employees are fit for their work through health assessment, promotion,
maintenance and surveillance.

The risk of work activities or materials causing ‘acute’ illness (i.e. an illness that comes sharply
to a crisis or is severe) is also a possibility and should be considered at all times.

While working in an office environment is generally lower risk, many RICS members are
exposed to higher occupational health risks in the course of their duties when away from the
office.

Because maintenance work is so varied, the types of hazards that can be created will always be
unique, which is why the individual risks always have to be assessed and controlled.

Risk assessment is defined as carefully examining what in your work could cause harm to people
such that you can judge whether or not you have taken enough precautions to prevent harm.

According to RICS, risk assessment involves the management of two key concepts; hazard and
risk.

A hazard is something with the potential to cause harm to someone. The harm could be an
injury or ill health.

Risk is the likelihood (whether high or low) of the harm.

RICS - regulated firms are obliged to ensure the health, safety and welfare of people at work by
providing, monitoring and maintaining:

 A safe working environment

 Safe work equipment
  Safe systems of work
 Competent staff

Before visiting a premises or site to carry out an inspection, maintenance, survey or site
investigation of land, structures or occupied buildings, the RICS member should carry out a pre-
assessment of the hazards and risks that are likely to be encountered on the visit. The pre-
assessment should include the requirement for appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
It is important to collect as much information as possible from the client or person who has
requested the visit, or from the organisation or person who is in control of or managing the
premises or site.
Some of the questions to be posed include:
Condition of property
• Are the premises known to be derelict or in poor condition, and if so what is the extent and
nature of the damage?
• Are any areas defined as unsafe for access?
• Is protective clothing (including perhaps personal protective equipment (PPE)) or any other
special equipment needed?
Lone working
• Does the RICS-regulated firm have specific requirements or procedures for lone working
(whether in the office or other building, on a construction site, on open land, or while
driving at work) that they require employees to follow?
• Is lone working a safe option and, if so, what provisions are made for communications in
an emergency?
• Does the RICS-regulated firm have a record of employees’ mobile phone numbers and
would the lone worker have a good signal at the premises or site?
Occupation
• Are the premises or site occupied? If so, do the occupants know a visit is being made and
have they made any special access arrangements, including any safeguarding matters?
• Are the occupants or neighbours likely to be aggressive or threatening?

Dangerous substances
 • Are there likely to be any hazardous substances such as chemicals, radiation, asbestos,
gas or other noxious atmosphere, explosives, etc. at the site? What safety precautions are
needed?
• Are records such as a register of asbestos containing materials (ACMs) or environmental
reports available? What do they reveal and what special precautions need to be taken?
Roofs
• If it is necessary to go on to the roof, is a safe means of access provided and is there a
safe route once on the roof?
• Does the roof have appropriate guarding or edge protection?
Special risks
Specialist advice should be obtained if any of the following hazards exist:
• Does the building or site present special hazards (e.g. railway premises, security
establishments, plant rooms, rooftop telecoms equipment (microwave radiation from
satellite dishes and other transmission equipment), old hospital premises (radiation in
former x-ray units), excavations (unsupported sides, unventilated atmosphere), etc.)?
• Are there confined spaces? These are not just narrow or small spaces but poorly
ventilated or enclosed spaces where the atmosphere may be toxic, lacking in oxygen or
where flammable/explosive special precautions are required.
Access equipment
• Do you need to take access equipment or arrange for it to be provided at the premises or
site? For example a ladder.

A health and safety management system should also include occupational health monitoring and
should include arrangements for managing the following matters:

i. Work-related stress
ii. Violence, bullying and harassment
iii. Alcohol and drug misuse
iv. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)
v. Noise-induced hearing damage
vi. Hazardous substances
vii. Infectious and other potentially relevant diseases
viii. Sun protection
ix. Environmental factors
x. Health monitoring and health surveillance

According to RICS, health and safety in regards to the above mentioned issues during
maintenance can be prevented and controlled through the following:

i. Work related stress:

Current best practice guidance recommends using a set of management standards that define the
characteristics, or culture, of an organization where the risks from work-related stress are being
effectively managed and controlled. The management standards cover six key areas of work that,
if not properly managed, are associated with poor health and well-being, lower productivity and
increased sickness absence. In other words, they cover the primary sources of stress at work.

The management standards are:

• demands: this includes issues such as workload, work patterns and the work environment
• control: how much say the person has in the way they do their work
• support: this includes the encouragement, sponsorship and resources provided by the
RICS regulated firm, line management and colleagues
• relationships: this includes promoting positive working to avoid conflict and dealing
with unacceptable behavior.

The management standards represent a set of conditions that, if present, reflect a high level of
health, well-being and organizational performance.

An appropriate standard of risk assessment can then be used to:

• identify the risk factors

• identify people at risk
• evaluate the risks
• record the findings and
• monitor and review the assessments
•
ii. Violence, bullying and harassment
Violence involves abuse, threats to or assault to persons in circumstances relating to their work.
Bullying at work can take many forms. It can involve:
• ignoring or excluding someone
• spreading malicious rumours or gossip
• humiliating someone in public
• giving someone unachievable or meaningless tasks
• constantly undervaluing someone’s work performance
• cyber nuisance.
Bullies are often, but not always, more senior than the person they are bullying. Bullies
sometimes target groups as well as individuals.
Harassment relates to discrimination on the grounds of race, gender, disability, age, religion or
belief, or sexual orientation.
It is recommended that employers have a policy in place that enables them to:

• identify these problems

• provide appropriate communication channels for the problems to be addressed and
• put in place impartial and fair systems to address and resolve problems.

iii. Alcohol and drug misuse

Misuse of alcohol and drugs (whether prescription or illegal) is a major cause of workplace
absenteeism and impaired performance and worst, a direct cause workplace accidents (e.g.
working with machinery, driving equipment under the influence of drugs or alcohol).
RICS recommends that employers put in place a policy to address the misuse of alcohol and
drugs. In some cases this might extend to a ban on the consumption of alcohol and associated
screening for alcohol and drug use together with disciplinary procedures for breaches of the
rules.

It is worth considering that an alcohol or drug habit may be related, in part, to work-related
stress, and this should be investigated as a possible underlying cause.

iv. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs)

MSDs are caused in two ways; manual handling and repetitive strain injuries (RSIs)

a) Manual handling

Manual handling is a major cause of a range of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), including

back pain and upper limb disorders. Manual-handling operations are not restricted to lifting and
lowering heavy loads and can also include: pushing, pulling, bending, twisting, reaching and
carrying.

A risk assessment should address not only the weight of the loads being handled but also:

• The nature of the materials being handled (sharp edges, container shape, stability of the load,
temperature, etc.)

• The physical capabilities of the people involved

All manual handling operations should be planned, giving due regard to the risk assessment for
the task, and training in manual handling techniques be provided to employees who undertake
manual handling operations. Consideration should always be given to the use of mechanical
handling where appropriate.

b) Repetitive Strain Injuries

These normally affect the upper limbs such as the arms, fingers, neck and shoulders.

For RSIs, the following should be carried out to minimize risks associated with the use of
workstations:

 analyze workstations to assess and reduce risks

 ensure that workstations meet specified minimum requirements
 plan work activities so that they include breaks or changes of activity

Analysis of workstations to ensure they are designed correctly should address the comfort of the
user (room to move freely, adjustable chair and screen) as well as the conditions of the
immediate environment (lighting levels, glare, reflection, etc.).

v. Noise-induced hearing
According to RICS, the following can be done to mitigate potential damage to hearing by noise:

 At the lower exposure action value of 80dB (A), make hearing protection available for
employees to wear and provide employees with information, instruction and training.
 At the upper exposure action level of 85dB (A), the workplace should be designated as a
‘hearing protection zone’ and personal hearing protectors are to be provided and used by
employees within the zone (and anyone else entering the zone). The extent of the zone
should be marked with warning signs in an approved format. Anyone entering a hearing
protection zone has to wear appropriate hearing protection when noisy work activities are
in progress, irrespective of the duration of their exposure to noise.

vi. Hazardous substances

A risk assessment (including the consideration of information sheets about the material procured
from the manufacturer/distributor) should be undertaken with the aim of avoiding exposure to
hazardous substances and, if this is not possible, controlling exposure by measures that are
proportionate to the health risks.

Working procedures are required to include the provision of information and suitable training so
that people know what:

• substances they are working with and what harm the substances can cause
• the symptoms are of harmful exposure
• medical treatment and other action to take in the event of harmful exposure and
• control measures are required in order to work safely with the substance.

vii. Infectious and other potentially relevant diseases

Appropriate PPE (personal protective equipment) and good personal hygiene are important
health and safety control measures.

viii. Asbestos
Asbestos fibres can cause a range of lung-related disorders and other disorders when the fibres
are inhaled, more serious conditions result in significantly impaired lung function, cancers and
death, often many years after exposure to the asbestos.
Individual exposure should be avoided/minimized because risk increases as exposure
accumulates over time.
The following precautionary measures are recommended:
• an asbestos survey to identify and manage ACMs during the normal occupation and use
of the premises
• an asbestos survey prior to commencing work where the premises, or part of the
premises, need upgrading, refurbishment or demolition
• having carried out an asbestos survey, the occupier and owner then need a management
plan, which should include training for key staff either with asbestos-awareness training,
or if disturbance to the fabric is required, appropriate training on how to carry this out
safely should be provided.

If ACMs not already addressed in the management plan are identified, the use of specific
procedures to avoid exposing people to asbestos fibres, including the use of contractors
(specifically competent to work with asbestos) are to be put in place before any work
commences.

ix. Sun protection

Risk assessments for personnel working outside should take account of exposure to sunlight and
the associated risks of damage to skin, which can include:
• sunburn
• blistering
• skin cancer arising from longer term exposure.
It is important that information is provided to people and they should be encouraged to:
• keep skin covered
• use sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of at least an appropriate level of
protection on exposed skin
• schedule work activities to avoid periods of intense exposure to the sun when at work.
 x. Health monitoring and health surveillance
It is recommended that employers obtain essential health information from employees so that
risk assessments can address the particular needs of employees with relevant medical conditions
such as:
• allergies
• asthma and other lung conditions
• eyesight.
It is recommended that health surveillance should be carried out periodically where the risk
assessment has indicated that it is necessary.

According to the European Agency for Health and Safety there are five basic rules for
safe maintenance. These are:

• Planning;
• Making the work area safe
• Using appropriate equipment
• Working as planned;
• Making final checks

Planning
Maintenance should start with proper planning. Employers should carry out a risk assessment of
the maintenance activities that they are proposing, and they should involve safety representatives
in this process. Among the things that they should consider are:

• The scope of the task - what needs to be done, and how it will affect other workers
and activities in the workplace;
• The appropriate risk assessment that needs to be carried out: potential hazards have
to be identified (e.g. dangerous substances, confined spaces, moving parts of
machinery, chemical substances or dust in the air), and measures need to be
developed to eliminate or minimize the associated risks;
 • What is needed for the activity: who will be involved, what their individual roles and
responsibilities will be, the tools that they will use, the personal protective equipment
that may be needed;
• The time and resources that the activity will require;
• Communication between maintenance and production staff, and all other parties
concerned.
• Consulting workers and keeping them informed is vital throughout the planning
stage. According to the European Agency, workers' participation in the planning
process increases not only the safety of maintenance work, but also its quality.

Making the work area safe

The procedures developed at the planning stage now have to be implemented. The work area
needs to be secured (preventing unauthorized access, for example, by using barriers and signs).
The area also needs to be kept clean and safe, with power locked-off, moving parts of machinery
secured, temporary ventilation installed, and safe routes established for workers to enter and exit
the work area. Warning cards should be attached to machinery, with the date and time of lock-off
as well as the name of the person authorized to remove the lock - this way, the safety of the
worker performing the maintenance on the machine will not be jeopardized by another worker
inadvertently starting it up. If possible, guards should be designed so as to allow minor
maintenance on the machines without removing the safeguards. If the guard must be removed or
deactivated, then lock-out procedures should be followed.

Using Appropriate Equipment

Workers involved in maintenance tasks should have the appropriate tools and equipment, which
may be different from those that they normally use. Considering that they may be working in
areas that are not designed to have people working in them, and that they may be exposed to a
variety of hazards, they must also have appropriate personal protective equipment. Safe work
practices developed in the planning stage have to be followed.

Working as planned
The work plan should be followed as shortcuts could be very costly and may lead to injuries, or
damage. It may be necessary to notify supervisors and/or consult with other specialists should
anything unexpected happen

Making final checks

Checks have to take place to ensure that the task has been completed, the item maintained is in a
safe condition, and all waste material generated has been cleaned away. When all is checked and
declared safe, then the task can be signed off, the locks can be removed, supervisors and other
workers notified. The final step is to complete a report for the management, describing the work
done, including comments on difficulties encountered and recommendations for improvement.
Ideally, this should also be discussed at a staff meeting where the workers involved in the
process, as well as those working around them, can comment on the activity and come up with
suitable suggestions to improve the process.

Training

It is important that those workers involved in maintenance work, as well as those working around
them, are properly trained. The competence of the people carrying out maintenance, including
inspection and testing, is vital to safety. Injuries may result if workers try to carry out tasks when
they do not have the competence or experience to do them. Employers need to ensure that
workers have the skills that they need to carry out the necessary tasks, are informed about safe
work procedures, and know what to do when a situation exceeds the scope of their training.
Employers should think carefully about the 'chain of command' among those who are involved in
a maintenance task, and any procedures that will be used for the duration of the activity,
including reporting procedures if there should be a problem. This is especially important if the
maintenance is carried out by contractors.

Inspecting the workplace - a checklist for health and safety representatives

When inspecting the workplace, health and safety representatives are encouraged to include the
inspection regime as well. Often that will involve asking for the risk assessments and records.
You should also check the accident book. Among the things you should be looking out for are:

 Does your employer have a maintenance program for all buildings and equipment?
  Are all routine or standard maintenance tasks risk assessed and are the risk assessments
up to date?
 Have all control measures that arise from the risk assessment been put in place and are
they working?
 What procedures are in place to ensure that non-routine maintenance work is risk
assessed?
 Is maintenance activity logged and monitored?
 Are all maintenance workers fully trained and provided with the appropriate equipment
and Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)?
 Are other workers trained on how maintenance work can affect them?
 Are all potential hazards (such as asbestos) identified and clearly marked so that
maintenance workers will be aware of them?
 What arrangements are in place to ensure that external contractors are competent and
informed about any potential risks within the workplace?
 Have there been any injuries, illnesses or near misses reported relating to maintenance
activities, or a lack of maintenance work, since your last inspection?

Conclusion and recommendations

Maintenance operations typically include both disassembly and reassembly, often involving
complicated machinery. This can be associated with a greater risk of human error, increasing the
accident risk.

But while maintenance activities can put workers at risk, not carrying out maintenance may put
even more workers at risk, as people will have to work under dangerous conditions. A planned
maintenance program is therefore part of a good safety culture, but must be done safely.

According to RICS, It is necessary to identify the risks of working at (or in/on) a particular place
of work, which may include consideration of factors outside the immediate limits of the premises
or site.
It is important that information concerning the risks and the safe method(s) of managing them is
provided to all those who may be affected; this may include visitors, contractors, clients and the
general public.
REFERENCES

1. Surveying safely: health and safety principles for property professionals (RICS guidance
note, global, 2nd edition)
2. Maintenance in the workplace: a guide for health and safety representatives
3. The World Health Organisation
4. The occupational safety and health Act, 2006
5. European Agency for Health and Safety