NBC 2016 Part 7 · NBC 2016 Part 7 — Constructional Practices and Safety & BOCW Act 1996 / Rules 1998
Comprehensive site safety checklist covering personal protective equipment, excavation safety, working at height, electrical safety, and fire safety. Based on National Building Code 2016 Part 7, Building and Other Construction Workers (BOCW) Act 1996, and BOCW Central Rules 1998.
Mandatory PPE as per BOCW Rules 1998 Schedule XIII and NBC 2016
Item
Requirement
Frequency
Responsibility
Safety helmet (hard hat)
IS 2925 certified; must be worn by all persons on site including visitors
Daily — before entering site
Safety Officer / Site Engineer
Safety shoes (steel toe)
IS 15298 certified; ankle-height with steel toe cap and non-slip sole
Daily — mandatory for all workers
Safety Officer
Safety harness (full body)
IS 3521 certified; mandatory for work above 2 m height; double lanyard with shock absorber
Daily — for all height work
Safety Officer / Supervisor
High-visibility vest
Fluorescent yellow/orange with reflective strips; mandatory in traffic areas and low-light conditions
Daily — for workers near traffic or machinery
Safety Officer
Safety goggles / face shield
IS 5983 certified; mandatory during cutting, welding, grinding, chipping operations
During specific operations
Supervisor
Ear protection (ear plugs / muffs)
Mandatory in zones exceeding 85 dB; IS 9167 certified
During noisy operations — piling, DG set area, concrete breaking
Safety Officer
Hand gloves
Appropriate type: leather for material handling, rubber for concrete/chemical work, cut-resistant for rebar work
Daily — task-specific
Supervisor
Dust mask / respirator
IS 9473 certified; mandatory during demolition, sandblasting, cement handling
During dusty operations
Safety Officer
Excavation Safety
Per BOCW Rules 1998 Chapter VII and NBC 2016 Part 7 Cl. 3
Item
Requirement
Frequency
Responsibility
Barricading around excavation
Rigid barricade or guardrail at least 1.0 m high around all edges of excavation deeper than 1.2 m
Before excavation begins; maintain throughout
Site Engineer
Shoring / sloping of sides
Excavations deeper than 1.5 m in loose soil must have side shoring or be sloped to safe angle (1:1 for loose soil, 1:0.5 for medium soil)
Before workers enter trench
Site Engineer / Safety Officer
Access ladder in trenches
Provide ladder or ramp access for trenches deeper than 1.2 m; max spacing of ladders = 15 m
Before workers enter trench
Supervisor
Underground utility check
Identify and mark all underground utilities (water, sewer, electrical, gas) before excavation
Before excavation begins
Site Engineer
Dewatering arrangement
Provide pumps for dewatering if water table is encountered; no worker to stand in accumulated water
Continuous during excavation in wet areas
Site Engineer
Soil stockpile distance
Excavated soil must be placed at least 1.0 m away from edge of trench
During excavation
Supervisor
Working at Height
Per BOCW Rules 1998 Chapter VIII and NBC 2016 Part 7 Cl. 4
Item
Requirement
Frequency
Responsibility
Edge protection / guardrails
Guardrail (top rail at 1.0 m, mid rail at 0.5 m, toe board 150 mm) on all open edges above 2 m
Before work begins at height; inspect daily
Scaffolding Supervisor
Scaffold inspection
All scaffolds to be erected by trained scaffolders; inspected before first use and weekly thereafter
Before first use, then weekly; after rain or strong wind
Scaffolding Supervisor / Safety Officer
Scaffold working platform
Min width 600 mm; fully planked with no gaps > 25 mm; secured against displacement
Daily check
Scaffolding Supervisor
Safety net below work area
Mandatory for work above 6 m where harness anchorage is not feasible
Install before work begins
Safety Officer
Openings in floors / slabs
All slab openings, stairwell voids, lift wells must be covered with secured covers or guarded with barriers
Immediately after creating opening
Site Engineer / Supervisor
Ladder safety
Ladder at 75° angle (1:4 ratio); tied at top and bottom; extend 1 m above landing; one person at a time
Daily inspection
Supervisor
Work permit for height
Written work permit required for work above 3 m; signed by Safety Officer
Daily — new permit each day
Safety Officer
Electrical Safety
Per BOCW Rules 1998 Chapter X and Indian Electricity Rules 1956
Item
Requirement
Frequency
Responsibility
Electrical isolation before work
Lock Out Tag Out (LOTO) procedure mandatory before any work on electrical systems
Every time electrical work is performed
Electrician / Safety Officer
ELCB / RCCB on all circuits
30 mA sensitivity RCCB on all power outlets and distribution boards used on site
Install at commissioning; test monthly
Electrician
Earthing of equipment
All electrical equipment, generators, distribution boards must be properly earthed per IS 3043
Check at installation; verify monthly
Electrician
Temporary wiring standards
All temporary cables to be armoured or run through conduit; no loose/dangling wires; joints in junction boxes only
Daily visual inspection
Electrician / Supervisor
Clearance from live HT lines
Minimum 3.0 m horizontal clearance from 11 kV lines; 4.0 m from 33 kV lines; 6.0 m from 132 kV lines
Before erecting scaffold, crane, or tall equipment
Site Engineer / Safety Officer
Portable tool inspection
All power tools must be double-insulated or have earthed metal body; inspect cable and plug before use
Daily — before use
Supervisor
Fire Safety
Per NBC 2016 Part 4 and BOCW Rules 1998 Chapter XII
Item
Requirement
Frequency
Responsibility
Fire extinguisher placement
ABC type dry powder extinguishers (5 kg) at every floor, near DG set, store room, electrical panels; CO₂ type near electrical equipment
Install at site setup; inspect monthly; refill annually
Safety Officer
Hot work permit
Written permit required for welding, gas cutting, grinding within 10 m of combustible materials
Every hot work session
Safety Officer
Storage of flammable materials
Diesel, thinner, paint stored in separate ventilated shed; 'No Smoking' signs; away from ignition sources
Daily inspection of store
Store Keeper / Safety Officer
Emergency evacuation plan
Evacuation plan displayed at prominent locations; assembly point identified; mock drill conducted
Mock drill quarterly; plan displayed permanently
Safety Officer / Project Manager
First aid kit
Fully stocked first aid box per IS 13115 at site office and each working floor; trained first aider on duty
Check weekly; replenish used items immediately
Safety Officer / First Aider
Emergency contact board
Display board at site entrance showing: ambulance, fire station, nearest hospital, project manager, safety officer contact numbers
Permanent display; update when numbers change
Safety Officer
Notes
• Safety audit by a competent person is mandatory once every 60 days as per BOCW Rules 1998.
• All safety incidents (fatal, serious, and near-miss) must be reported to the Inspector under BOCW Act within 4 hours for fatal and 24 hours for serious injuries.
• Statutory requirements: BOCW registration mandatory for sites with 10+ workers; labour licence under Contract Labour Act if using contractors.
• Weekly toolbox talks (safety briefings) are mandatory for all site workers; record attendance and topics covered.
• Safety induction training is required for every new worker before they begin work — cover site-specific hazards, PPE usage, and emergency procedures.
• Display safety signboards in Hindi, English, and local language at all hazard locations — colour coding per IS 9457.
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