Safety and civilized construction costs in project costing

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The cost associated with safe and civilized construction in project costs: With the rapid development of China’s construction industry, there is an increasing emphasis on safe and civilized production practices by all relevant parties, as this is related to the health and safety of workers as well as the stability and development of society. In the construction sector, where safety accidents occur frequently, such efforts must be given top priority. The safety in construction should be based on the principle of \"putting safety first, adopting comprehensive management, and focusing on prevention.\" By investing in safe production in advance, it is possible to eliminate occupational hazards and safety accidents at their inception; this represents the most feasible, economical, and safe approach to production and construction. Ensure that safety production measures are effectively implemented and properly safeguarded. I. The significance of establishing a system for calculating and utilizing costs related to safe and civilized construction measures In accordance with the provisions set out in the \"Regulations on Work Safety Management in Construction Projects,\" such funds shall be used for purchasing and replacing safety equipment and facilities, implementing safety measures during construction, and improving work safety conditions. The construction entity shall provide the funds required for creating a safe working environment and implementing safety measures during construction; these funds shall not be used for any other purposes.” 　　However, due to factors such as high labor intensity, complex working environments, low safety margins, and numerous variable elements in construction projects, safety accidents occur frequently. The characteristics of the construction industry dictate that only by strengthening on-site management and strictly enforcing safe and civilized construction practices can the quality and progress of projects be ensured. Therefore, it is highly important to establish a set of scientific management methods and procedures to reasonably determine the scope and standards for costs related to safe and civilized construction, ensuring that these funds are used for their intended purpose and are managed dynamically. II. Definition and Components of the Cost for Safe and Civilized Construction (1) Definition of the Cost for Safe and Civilized Construction The cost for safe and civilized construction refers to the expenses required in accordance with **the current standards regarding the construction site environment, construction safety, hygiene, as well as relevant regulations. The costs required for purchasing and updating construction safety equipment and facilities, as well as for improving safety conditions and the working environment. (II) Contents of the safety and civilized construction fees: On-site safety and civilized construction fees refer to the expenses incurred during the construction period to ensure civilized construction practices, safe production, and a healthy living environment for workers. Its content is as follows: Civilized construction (1) Site fencing: The site shall be enclosed with fencing; the materials for such fencing can include prefabricated colored steel plates, brick walls, concrete blocks, and other types of walls. (2) Safety warning signs: At locations where accidents (or hazards) are likely to occur, clear safety warning signs that meet **standard requirements should be installed. (3) Corporate logo: The entrance gates to the site should bear the company’s logo or emblem.
(4) Signboards: At the entrance, there should be five signboards displaying the project overview, supervision contact number, safety in production, list of management personnel, civilized construction practices, and fire protection measures, as well as a general layout plan of the construction site. (5) Material stacking: When stacking materials, tools, components, etc., signs indicating the type, name, specifications, etc. should be hung. Flammable, explosive, toxic and hazardous substances should be stored in separate categories. (6) Site appearance: Unobstructed roads, functional drainage facilities and drainage channels; hardened surfaces at the construction site; landscaping. (7) Waste removal: A sealed waste station shall be set up at the construction site, and construction waste and household waste shall be stored separately. (8) On-site fire prevention: Fire-fighting equipment is properly installed and meets fire safety requirements. Work safety: Costs associated with the purchase of safety warning signs, preparation of safety materials, and installation of bulletin boards, as well as measures for protecting “three critical areas”, “four openings”, and “five edges” ； Safety protection costs and inspection costs for lifting equipment and outdoor elevators ； Costs for safe electrical usage during construction ； Costs related to safety passageways at construction sites, protection of fire-fighting equipment expanders, costs for safety lighting facilities, etc. III. Problems existing in the management, calculation, and utilization of fees for safety and civilized construction measures. (1) The method used to calculate the costs for safety and civilization measures is not entirely scientific. Given the long duration of construction projects, most regions lack effective, dynamic evaluation mechanisms as well as specialized organizations for evaluating such measures. There is no proper tracking and management of the allocation and use of funds intended for safety and civilization construction, which affects the scientific nature of how these costs are calculated. (II) Insufficient awareness of the importance of measure costs. The characteristics of the construction industry mean that safety responsibilities are of utmost importance. Only by strengthening on-site management and carrying out construction in a civilized and standardized manner can the safe production of projects be ensured. Some construction companies, although they included the costs for safety and civilized construction measures in their bid prices in full, fail to allocate these funds specifically for that purpose during construction, investing very little of them; as a result, safety accidents occur frequently. (III) Insufficient oversight of measure costs In practice, due to the lack of effective supervision measures during construction, and because the safety responsibilities of various parties involved are not clearly defined, illegal and irregular activities occur from time to time. These issues are not detected in a timely manner, and inadequate enforcement leads to a reduced effectiveness in the management of pricing for safety and civilization measures. (IV) The scope of use for measure costs is unclear. The components of measure costs include expenses related to temporary facilities, scaffolding, and other such items; however, there is overlap in the contents covered. For example, expenses related to safety nets, toe boards, safety bamboo fences, protection measures for openings and edges, as well as electrical protection costs, are not clearly distinguished from the expenses associated with scaffolding. Given that measure costs have a fundamentally non-competitive nature as compared to temporary facility costs and general construction measure costs, ambiguity regarding the scope of application of these measure costs will directly affect their use, calculation, and oversight. IV. How to strengthen the supervision of costs related to safe and civilized construction, enhance publicity and implementation efforts as well as conduct regular inspections, in order to ensure safe production in construction projects. (1) Construction enterprises. In the construction organization plan, are appropriate safety protection and civilized construction measures established in light of the actual conditions of the project? ； When submitting a bid, should the costs associated with safety and civilized construction measures be included in the bid amount as non-competitive costs? ； Are the responsibilities for managing the costs related to safety measures and proper construction practices specified in the construction contract and subcontract? Are safety measures, proper construction practices, and the facilities needed during construction implemented in accordance with relevant standards and regulations? Is it ensured that these costs are used for their intended purpose? (II) The construction entity. When preparing the tender documents, the base price for the project, and the budget, does the project owner include (calculate) the costs associated with safety and civilized construction measures in accordance with the current relevant regulations? ； In the construction contract, are the payment plan, total cost, usage requirements, etc., for safety and civilized construction measures specified separately? ； Has the cost for safety and civilized construction measures been paid to the construction contractor in a timely manner, in accordance with the contract terms and relevant regulations? (III) Whether the project supervision unit reviews and signs off on the implementation plans for civilized construction measures, safety protection, and temporary facilities developed by the construction company, as well as on the use of related costs; whether it carries out on-site supervision to ensure that the construction company implements the safety protection and civilized construction measures, and verifies the associated costs. (IV) Intermediary agencies. Inquire whether the project base price and tender documents prepared by the consulting firm specify separately, as required, the list of items related to safety protection and civilized construction measures, as well as the costs associated with safe and civilized construction; whether these amounts are listed as non-competitive costs; and whether the applicable cost rates comply with the prescribed requirements. 　　In short, with the development of the socialist market economy, the legalization and institutionalization of its order continue to be strengthened. A people-oriented harmonious society will be established swiftly. By employing administrative and economic measures, methods for regulating and improving the calculation and management of costs related to safe and civilized construction at work sites can be put in place. This ensures that measures for safe and civilized construction are properly implemented through established systems, with adequate funding provided to prevent potential hazards and eliminate any safety risks at construction sites. This is of great importance for protecting the lives and property of construction workers, and it undoubtedly contributes significantly to the creation of a harmonious society.