MANPOWER and SAFETY

MANPOWER

-is the total number of people who can work to get something done.

- The term manpower can mean labor force, workforce, workers or simply people and despite the
man, it applies to both men and women.

- The means of manpower control to ensure the most efficient and economical use of available
manpower.

The process by which a management determine how an organization should make from its current
manpower position to its desired manpower position. Through planning a management strikes to have the
right places at the right number and the right kinds of people at the right places at the right time to do
things which result in both the organization and the individual receiving the maximum long range benefit.

By: Eric W. Vetter

Direct and Indirect Manpower

The workers at the project site are inducted to perform a specified function and its connected
tasks. These workers include supervisors, construction workers, operators and drivers and administrative
personnel. For ease of estimating planning, accounting and controlling, the project workers are broadly
divided into two categories, namely- direct workers or construction site workers and indirect workers or
support manpower.

DIRECT MANPOWER

These are the construction site workers who can be identified with execution of the clients
permanent works such as those listed in the bill of quantities.

The direct construction workers include foremen and tradesmen, skilled in various engineering
trades, in addition to the semi-skilled and unskilled manpower employed at the project site.

INDIRECT MANPOWER

The indirect manpower covers all supervisors, staff and workers other than those in the direct
manpower. It is required to support the direct manpower, both technically and administratively. It
generally consists of the project management and administration group.

There are different types of labours that are required for the construction:

Skilled workers:
Carpenters, iron fixers, masons, concrete/foundation workers, plumbers, shuttering carpenters,
machine/crane operators, electricians, scaffolders

Unskilled workers:
Labourers, assistants, building cleaners
 Management:
Site Managers/Construction Managers, foremen, engineers, bosses, project managers

MANPOWER PLANNING

Manpower Planning which is also called as Human Resource Planning consists of putting right number of
people, right kind of people at the right place, right time, doing the right things for which they are suited for
the achievement of goals of the organization. Human Resource Planning has got an important place in
the arena of industrialization. Human Resource Planning has to be a systems approach and is carried out
in a set procedure. The procedure is as follows:

1. Analyzing the current manpower inventory

2. Making future manpower forecasts
3. Developing employment programmes
4. Design training programmes

Steps in Manpower Planning

1. Analyzing the current manpower inventory-Before a manager makes forecast of future

manpower, the current manpower status has to be analyzed. For this the following things have to
be noted-
Type of organization
Number of departments
Number and quantity of such departments
Employees in these work units

Once these factors are registered by a manager, he goes for the future forecasting.

2. Making future manpower forecasts- Once the factors affecting the future manpower forecasts
are known, planning can be done for the future manpower requirements in several work units.

The Manpower forecasting techniques commonly employed by the organizations are as follows:

i. Expert Forecasts: This includes informal decisions, formal expert surveys and Delphi
technique.
ii. Trend Analysis: Manpower needs can be projected through extrapolation (projecting
past trends), indexation (using base year as basis), and statistical analysis (central
tendency measure).
iii. Work Load Analysis: It is dependent upon the nature of work load in a department, in a
branch or in a division.
iv. Work Force Analysis: Whenever production and time period has to be analyzed, due
allowances have to be made for getting net manpower requirements.
v. Other methods: Several Mathematical models, with the aid of computers are used to
forecast manpower needs, like budget and planning analysis, regression, new venture
analysis.
3. Developing employment programmes- Once the current inventory is compared with future
forecasts, the employment programmes can be framed and developed accordingly, which will
include recruitment, selection procedures and placement plans.
4. Design training programmes- These will be based upon extent of diversification, expansion
plans, development programmes,etc. Training programmes depend upon the extent of
 improvement in technology and advancement to take place. It is also done to improve upon the
skills, capabilities, knowledge of the workers.

Importance of Manpower Planning

1. Key to managerial functions- The four managerial functions, i.e., planning, organizing, directing
and controlling are based upon the manpower. Human resources help in the implementation of all
these managerial activities. Therefore, staffing becomes a key to all managerial functions.
2. Efficient utilization- Efficient management of personnels becomes an important function in the
industrialization world of today. Setting of large scale enterprises require management of large
scale manpower. It can be effectively done through staffing function.
3. Motivation- Staffing function not only includes putting right men on right job, but it also comprises
of motivational programmes, i.e., incentive plans to be framed for further participation and
employment of employees in a concern. Therefore, all types of incentive plans becomes an
integral part of staffing function.
4. Better human relations- A concern can stabilize itself if human relations develop and are strong.
Human relations become strong trough effective control, clear communication, effective
supervision and leadership in a concern. Staffing function also looks after training and
development of the work force which leads to co-operation and better human relations.
5. Higher productivity- Productivity level increases when resources are utilized in best possible
manner. higher productivity is a result of minimum wastage of time, money, efforts and energies.
This is possible through the staffing and it's related activities ( Performance appraisal, training
and development, remuneration)

What is safety?

Safety and security

Safety = protection of environment from the system

Security = protection of the system from the environment.

But, environment is a system as well. So both safety and security represent a protection of one
system from another. . .

IMPORTANCE OF CONSTRUCTION SAFETY

Humanitarian Concern

Economic Reason

Laws and Regulation

Organizational Image

SAFETY MANAGEMENT

Safety management is managing business activities and applying principles, framework,

processes to help prevent accidents, injuries and to minimize other risk.
OBJECTIVES OF SAFETY MANAGEMENT

*To help increase in speed in construction.

*To increase the standard of living,

*To reduce cost of construction.

*To conserve the available labor force by minimizing idle time.

*To reduce human suffering.

SAFETY IN PLANNING AND DESIGN

1. Plan the works to meet the complete requirements.

2. Design the structure considering all the loads and to meet the codal requirements.

3. Procedure and use standard material.

COMMON CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS

1. Lack of effective communication, oral or written, among different workers/contractors.

2. Non-use of protective gear in different contents.

3. Lack of security and monitoring at site of works.

4. Use of substandard materials/equipment and non-adherence to specification guidelines.

5. Storage of hazardous material without permission and beyond allowed capacity and when allowed
without proper security measures.

6. Unclear debris or equipments.

7. Lack of training in safety matters.

8. Alcoholism of workers on duty.

9. Failure of construction equipment.

10. Improper or unsafe operation of lifts.

11. Electrical shocks.

12. Struck by falling objects.

13. Caving in of sides of excavated deep trenches.

14. Unsafe material handling and storage.

15. Fall from heights due to unsafe scaffolding, ladders and absence of railing around platforms or
projections at upper floors.
PERSONAL PROTECTION EQUIPMENT

1. Helmet

2. Fire extinguishers

3. Gloves

4. Goggles

5. Safety Belt

6. Gumboot

7. Apron

8. Safety Shoes

SAFETY ORGANIZATION

The organization of safety on the construction site will be determined by the size of the work site, the
system of employment and the way in which the project is being organized. Safety and health should be
kept which facilitate the identification and resolution of safety and health problems in the site.