Holdfast Training Services Trial Blog

This blog will focus on the installation of a sump pump in basement level 2 which I was involved with last week – another classic example of simple things taking time due to co-ordination (sump pump access is directly under the lay down point for a tower crane) and H&S constraints (confined space).

What was required?

The installation and connection of 3 no pumps into the sump pump chamber, drawing of power & data cables, installation of the control panel and connection of the control panel. Energisation and testing and commissioning of the system were outside the scope of the works at the moment as we’ve not bought beneficial use of the sump pump – yet.

How was I involved?

RAMS

A few weeks ago I was given the RAMS for the installation of the sump pump which had previously been reviewed by a Carillion MEP manager and returned as status C – works cannot commence. The plan was that I would just have to ensure the new RAMS has incorporated the comments on the old RAMS. Obviously this plan didn’t survive contact. The first box to tick on Carillion’s cover sheet when reviewing RAMS is, “have you reviewed phoenix for the appropriate documentation?” Phoenix is Carillion’s intranet which has policy and guidance documentation. Looking at the previous cover sheet returned by the other Carillion manager it was clear that this box hadn’t been ticked. So out of due diligence I completed a quick search for working in confined spaces, which for once returned a whole host of information (like the army intranet, Phoenix is particularly good at normally not allowing you to find what you want). The fallout from this was that the RAMS submitted by the subcontractor needed additional information adding and subsequently checking by other specifically qualified individuals. The subby wasn’t happy about the goal posts moving, but ultimately we got the safe system of work required in place. So what? The MEP manager that originally checked the RAMS has forgotten more about safe systems of work and MEP than I have learnt. The original RAMS were probably good enough, but if an incident had occurred without the correct procedures in place then Carillion would have been exposed. My involvement eliminated that exposure and it has reinforced to me the need to question and apply scrutiny.

EXECUTION

Getting works started

In order to get into the sump pump the trade contractor required the chamber to opened and vented, dry and free from sludge. I have now fully got into the mentality of site and understand that being overly proactive is wasted effort. Being proactive, but leaving something until it is fairly urgent seems to be the most efficient way to get works completed. Therefore the day before the works were due to commence I arranged for the   sump pump to be opened and pumped dry. Prior to doing this I walked the area again and noticed that the lid had effectively been fixed in place by a small concrete spill which hadn’t been reported. This was rectified quickly enough and the area was then pumped dry. Looking inside the sump there appeared to be about 5mm of sludge left, which I didn’t think would represent an issue – wrong! The next day the trade contractor refused to enter due to the thin layer of sludge. Not on any health and safety grounds, but because their contract is to enter a clean sump. The options available were for the trade contractor to leave site (abortive works costs), see if we could instruct the sump pump trade contractor to clear out the small amount of sludge (unwilling to do so), which left only one viable COA – instruct our ground works contractor to enter the sump pump and clear the sludge. Fortunately this final COA was achieved   by using pre-existing confined spaces RAMS, the groundworks contractor’s confined space trained personnel and the sump pump trade contractors equipment. A simple and effective plan which required detailed co-ordination to ensure all parties were aware of what was going on. The groundworks contractor was given all the certification associated with the equipment being used so the idea was that they owned the clearing out element of the works and all risks associated with that – making the delineation of responsibility and culpability clear if anything went wrong. In reality the sump pump trade contractor was still involved in monitoring confined spaces work (this wasn’t the plan) and so if something had gone wrong the water would have been muddied. As it was the  area was cleared in about 20 mins of physical work after about 2 hours of getting everything geared up. The lesson I’ve re-learnt is that subbies are there to do a specific job and rarely step outside of their lane – don’t give them wriggle room. I should have had a plan in place to get the sump made spotlessly clean on the morning works were due to take place, any sooner and rain water would likely wash sludge back into the sump. What would have been even better is if the sump had been bunged when it was installed.

CO-ORDINATION

 As mentioned in the opening paragraph the sump pump lies directly below a lay down point for one of the tower cranes. This issue was simply resolved by briefing into our daily 4Cs meeting that works would be being under taken in this area the following week for 2 days. As belt and braces I also had a conversation had with the Carillion construction manager for this area to fully de-conflict – no problems. What I didn’t do was speak to other MEP trades directly. The reason for this was that SRW have representatives at the 4Cs and as the contractor delivering the entire MEP package under “self delivery” it should be a safe assumption that different elements of the SRW package speak to each other. In fact it shouldn’t have required me to go to the 4Cs at all, SRW should be capable of doing this themselves. On day two of the installation this problem came home. SRW electrical package were trying to deliver stores whilst the installation of the sump pump was ongoing. As it was this was easily resolved by my involvement, but it is frustrating that I had to get involved. Carillion have bought “self delivery” from SRW and this should mean that the left hand talks to the right and they resolve these issues internally.

Pulling Cables

The final issue to resolve was the pulling of cables from the sump pump to the control panel location, a distance of 40m with a 90 degree bend. This is probably too far without an intermediate pulling pit. I was given a call to say the pulling cable was jammed prior to anything being connected. There are two pulling cables in this area, so I asked are you sure you are looking at the ends of the same cable? I was assured they were and that they’d reviewed the issued for construction drawings. A quick walk on site confirmed that they were trying to pull cord A whilst having undone the end of cord B. This was quickly resolved and also highlighted that the control panel had been installed in the wrong place. All simple stuff to resolve, but frustrating given that SRW are supposed to be managing the works and are far too quick to pass any problems up to CCL as quickly as possible. Luckily for me it allows for some additional CPR material so I don’t mind too much. Finally the length of cable pull and 90 degree bend proved too much for the thin diameter pulling cable that had been installed – the cables wouldn’t come through and there was a risk the line would snap. As expected SRW came running to CCL for thicker / stronger cordage in order to allow a winch to be used to pull the cables through. Having had to jump through hoops to get the works underway I took absolutely no delight in reminding SRW that they were the Design & Build MEP contractor, they had provided input into the design process with respect to the location of the duct and lack of a pulling pit and that as competent contractor with access to the for construction drawings they should have fore seen this problem. Strangely enough they got the problem sorted when it looked like they’d have to stump up for the abortive work costs.