Many safety and environmental risks arise because an important part of the project area is located in residential areas and it is directly related with life areas of people particularly during excavation and pipe laying works in streets. Additionally, character of the construction directly relating with public health increases importance of measures to be taken. In order to avoid those risks, measures given under the following headings are recommended to be taken. Among these measures, technical suggestions are related with the contractor, supervisor and project consultant, in priority order, and social suggestions are related with the project consultant, supervisor and the contractor firm.
3.4.1Technical Measures
No explosive, inflammable, dangerous and toxic material will be used in excavation, all excavation works will all be performed manually or mechanically.
In excavations, types and sizes of working machines used will be in accordance with the road, traffic and infrastructure conditions of the location.
Topsoil from excavation will be kept by surrounding its borders at areas found appropriate by the Municipality, and will be utilized in a short time as road filling material and as upper cover soil for landscaping works or landfills.
Considering the Regulation for Control of Excavation Soil, Construction and Demolition Waste, a Plan will be prepared for Demolition Waste’s temporary and final disposal, by Metropolitan Municipality. Necessary permissions will be taken from the municipality for waste disposal.
Trucks carrying excavation will be covered on to prevent dusting and alternative roads will be used to avoid these trucks to disturb surrounding.
For the dust emissions caused by working of bulldozer, excavator and trucks during preparation of the area, necessary measures will be taken to keep them below levels specified by the Regulation for Control of Air Pollution Caused by Industrial Plants (2006). (Irrigation of the land by raining method, etc.)
In order to minimize impact on the traffic, pipes will be passed as far as possible through places of old pipes and care will be taken not to create new excavation areas.
Domestic wastewater of site personnel at the construction stage will be collected with mobile toilets and transferred to the sewerage at nearest discharge points.
Necessary measures, defined in “Regulation for Assessment and Management of Environmental Noise / Vibration Regulation” will be taken to make noise and vibration to occur at all stages in accordance with "Regulation for Assessment and Management of Environmental Noise / Noise Control Regulation" and collective noise generation will be avoided by setting working machines and trucks separately in construction sites to be carried out simultaneously in three different stages.
In regions with higher density, the excavation area will be closed with necessary equipment (prefabricated wall equipment) and spread of noise will be avoided.
Emission and noise of vehicles and machinery will be considered. New vehicles and machinery will be prior used vehicles during activities.
Necessary repair and maintenance works will be carried out to keep vehicle exhaust emissions used and the emissions from machines below the limit values stated in "Regulation for Control of Air Pollution Caused by Industrial Plants".
Oil replacement of working machines and pouring the oil to the soil will be prevented and necessary collection equipment will be provided.
As-build drawings and plans of other existing infrastructure (electricity, telephone, sewerage, etc.) will be provided and these structures will be kept free from damages during excavation.
If there is a risk of fire in the construction site and for construction vehicles and machinery used, fire fighting equipment will be provided.
Works will be managed in accordance with Worker Health and Work Safety Laws, and measures will be taken to reduce risk of accidents listed below:
Use of warning signs at site,
Installing warning bands and temporary barriers,
Use of safety shoes and helmets,
Provision of first aid equipment and staff,
Wearing masks against dust,
Wearing earcaps against noise.
"The Regulation About Health and Safety Measures for Works With Asbestos" which took effect in December 2003 aims to prevent exposure of workers to asbestos dust and to protect them against possible heath risks. During activities to be carried out under the project, measures specified in this regulation will be taken into consideration while the asbestos pipes are disposed off in accordance with the Hazardous Waste Control Regulation, thus exposure of workers will be avoided. In order to specify asbestos material class in the hazardous waste regulation, asbestos content of the asbestos waste pipes will be analyzed.
Upon completion of excavation and construction works, roads and footways will be covered and reinstated as soon as possible. For this purpose, connection lines construction will be progressed along the route in certain intervals to minimize the excavation area.
New trees and plants will be planted for those removed for excavation, or removed plants will be kept safe and planted at the same place.
3.4.2Administrative Measures
In order not to harm other infrastructure systems such as electricity, sewerage, etc. during construction, excavation and constructions will be carried out in coordination with the relevant institutions.
In order to ensure safety of city traffic and public in construction sites, Provincial and District Police Directorates will be informed in time and support will be demanded when necessary.
In order not to harm archeological and cultural structures that may be encountered in the excavation areas, Directorate of Provincial Culture was informed about the construction sites and work programme and necessary permissions were taken. Directorate of Provincial Culture carried out investigation on places and routes of the construction sites to be excavated, and they stated according to the existing information that no cultural and natural asset was encountered at the relevant areas. Said document is given in Appendix 2.
Measures on the Environmental Management Plan in plans and designs to be made by the Project Consultant will be marked on technical and administrative specifications.
An "Emergency communication list" for emergency cases will be made and the executives will be informed as soon as possible.
3.4.3Social Measures
Neighborhood population will be informed via effective ways about water cut offs to be made during construction.
When the new pipes are put into operation, initial water given to the line will be discharged in a certain rate before reaching the consumers and announcements will be made for public not to use this water reaching the taps first for drinking purposes.
Impacts that may occur on city traffic will be taken into consideration and arrangement of vehicle routes will be provided accordingly.
Work programmes will be made to allow construction of main city arteries at different times and especially in weekends.
Pedestrian crossing roads will be created around the construction site.
Necessary warning signs in the construction site will be posted in legible manner and order.
Public safety will be ensured by surrounding the construction site boundaries and in particular, measures will be taken to prevent entry of children to the construction site.
Necessary measures against work accidents that may happen at all steps will be taken at highest level in accordance with the regulations of the Ministry of Work.
