Integration of Safety Aspects in the Maintenance Work of a Living Wall: An Overview of Practice and Challenges
Keywords:
Safety, Building maintenance, Living wall, Maintenance risk, Green wallAbstract
Building maintenance is crucial to prolong a building's lifespan. Conducting the maintenance work can be dangerous, especially if it involves high-rise areas such as walls and roofs. Most literature discusses safety aspects at the construction site, while the safety aspects of maintenance work, which occur after occupancy, received less attention. This paper discusses the potential of integrating safety aspects into the maintenance work of a living wall. Living wall system (LWS) is one of the green design aspects in which the wall is designed to allow for vegetation growth. Maintenance works of a living wall involve various risks especially working in high or difficult places. This paper reviews the maintenance process and techniques adapted for maintaining the living wall through literature. This paper presents the safety practices that have the potential to reduce the risks of conducting maintenance work on the living wall and its potential challenges. It is hoped that this paper raises further awareness that work safety in construction is not only enclosed within the construction site and its vicinity, but safety should also be considered post-occupation, especially when the design demands specific maintenance requirements such as a living wall.
References
Abdul-Rahman, H., Wang, C., Wood, L.C., & Low S.F. (2015). Negative impact induced by foreign workers: evidence in Malaysian construction sector. Habitat International, 36(4), 433-443. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.habitatint.2012.03.002
Adeyemi, A., Martin, D., & Kasim, R. (2014). Improvement of existing buildings for sustainability as against maintenance and rebuild. In 7th International Real Estate Research Symposium (IRERS), 29 – 30 April, National Institute of Valuation (INSPEN), Putraya: Malaysia.
Adnan, H., Yussof, F.N.M., Jaafar, F.W., Rashid, Z.Z.A., Abidin, Z.Z. & Bakhary, N.A. (2019). Safety manager competencies in managing construction projects in Malaysia. In IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 385(1), 012057.
Ali. A.S. (2009). Cost decision making in building maintenance practice in Malaysia. Journal of Facilities Management, 7(4), 298 – 306. https://doi.org/10.1108/14725960910990044
Ali, A.S., & Chua, S.J.L. (2011). Issues and challenges in implementation of planned maintenance. The Malaysian Surveyors, 46(4), 33-37.
Ali, A.S., Chua, S.J.L., & Ali, B. (2010). Issues and challenges faced by government office buildings in performing maintenance work, Jurnal Teknologi, 78(11), 11–23. https://doi.org/10.11113/.v78.8363
Alshehri, A., Motawa, I., & Ogunlana, S. (2015). The common problems facing the building maintenance departments. International Journal of Innovation, Management and Technology, 6(3), 234–237. https://doi.org/10.7763/ijimt.2015.v6.608
Ammad, S., Alaloul W.S., Saad, S., Qureshi, A.H., Sheikh, N., Ali, M., & Altaf, M. (2020). Personal protective equipment in construction, accidents involved in construction infrastructure projects. Solid State Technology, 63(6). 4147 – 4159.
Au-yong, C.P., Ali, A.S., Jin, S., & Chua, L. (2016). Interval of routine maintenance and maintenance performance: A literature review. 4th International Building Control Conference, MATEC Web of Conference, 66 (July), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/20166600007
Basri, E.I., Razak, I.H.A., Ab-Samat, H., & Kamaruddin, S. (2016). Preventive maintenance (PM) planning: A review. Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering, 23(2), 114–143. https://doi.org/10.1108/JQME-04-2016-0014
Behm, M. & Poh, C.H. (2015). Safe design of skyrise greenery in Singapore. Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, 1(2), 186 – 205. https://doi.org/10.1108/20466091211260677
Chang, W.R., Leclercq, S., Lockhart, T.E., & Haslam, R. (2016). State of science: occupational slips, trips and falls on the same level. Ergonomics, 59(7), 861-883. https://doi.org/10.1080/00140139.2016.1157214
Chanter B., & Swallow, P. (2007). Building Maintenance Management. 2nd Ed. Blackwell Publishing: Oxford.
Charoenkit, S., & Yiemwattana, S. (2021). The performance of outdoor plants in living walls under hot and humid conditions. Landscape and Ecological Engineering, 1-19, https//doi.org/10.1007/s11355-020-00433-8
Champoux, D., & Brun, J.P. (2003). Occupational health and safety management in small size enterprises: An overview of the situation and avenues for intervention and research. Safety Science, 41 (4), 301–318. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0925-7535(02)00043-7
Chi, C.F., Chang, T.C., & Ting, H.I. (2005), Accident patterns and prevention measures for fatal occupational falls in the construction industry. Applied Ergonomics, 36(4), 391 – 400. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2004.09.011
Cheah, C.Y.J. (2007). Construction safety and health factors at the industry level: The case of Singapore. Journal of Construction in Developing Countries, 12(2). 81 - 99
Chew, M.Y.L., Conejos, S., & Azril, F.H. (2019). Design for maintainability of high rise vertical green facades. Building Research & Information. 47 (4), 453 - 467. https://doi.org/10.1080/09613218.2018.1440716
Chew, M.Y.L. & Conejos, S. (2016). Developing a green maintainability framework for green walls in Singapore. Structural Survey. 34 (4/5), 379 – 406. https://doi.org/10.1108/SS-02-2016-0007
Choi, T.N.Y., Chan, D.W.M., & Chan, A.P.C. (2012). Potential difficulties in applying the Pay for Safety Scheme (PFSS) in construction projects. Accident Analysis & Prevention. 48, 145–155. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2011.04.015
Choudhry, R.M., Fang, D., & Mohamed, S. (2007). Developing a model of construction safety culture. Journal of Management in Engineering, 23(4), 207–212. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0742- 597X(2007)23
Crumbley, J.S. (2014). Management Commitment in Occupational Safety and Health as It Relates to Federal Agency Programs. Online Theses and Dissertations, 207. Eastern Kentucky University, https://encompass.eku.edu/etd
Cruzan, R. (2020). Manager’s Guide to Preventive Building Maintenance. 2nd Ed. River Publisher: Denmark
Eguchi, H., Tsuda, Y, Tsukahara, T., Washizuka, S., Kawakami, N., & Nomiyama, T. (2012). The effects of workplace occupational mental health and related activities on psychological distress among workers: A multilevel cross-sectional analysis. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 64(8), 939-947. https://doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0b013e31825107bb
Ghani, M.K., Hamid, Z.A., Zain, M.Z.M., Rahim, A.H.A., Kamar, K.A.M., & Rahman, M.A.A. (2008).
Safety in Malaysian Construction: The Challenges and Initiatives. Jurutera, 16 – 19.
Growing Green Guide (2014). Growing Green Guide: A Guide to Green Roofs, Walls and Facades in Melbourne and Victoria, Australia. Department of Environment and Primary Industries: Victoria.
Gunawardena, K., & Steemers, K. (2020). Urban living walls: reporting on maintenance challenges from a review of European installation. Architectural Science Review, 63(6), 526-535. https://doi.org/10.1080/00038628.2020.1738209
Gunawardena, K., & Steemers, K. (2019). Living wall influence on microclimates: An indoor case study. In CISBAT 2019 Special issue of Journal of Physics: Conference Series, IOP Science
He, Y., Yu, H., Ozaki, A., Dong, N. & Zheng S. (2017). An investigation on the thermal and energy performance of living wall system in Shanghai area. Energy and Building, 140(April), 324-335. https://doi.org/10.1016.j.enbuild.2016.12.083
Holmes, N., Lingard, H., Yesilyurt Z., & De Munk, F. (1999). An exploratory study of meaning of risk control for long term and acute effect occupational health and safety risks in small business construction firms. Journal of Safety Research, 30(4), 251 – 261. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022- 4375(99)00020-1
Hon, C.K., Chan, A.P., & Yam., M.C. (2012). Empirical study to investigate the difficulties of implementing safety practices in the repair and maintenance sector in Hong Kong. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 138(7), 877 – 884.
https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)CO.1943-7862.0000497
Horner, R.M.W., El-Haram, M.A., & Munns, A.K. (2012). Building maintenance strategy: a new management approach. Journal of Quality in Maintenance Engineering, 3(4), 273–280.
Janicak, C.A. (2008), Occupational fatalities due to electrocutions in the construction industry. Journal of Safety Research, 39(6), 617 – 621. https://doi.org./10.1016/j.jsr.2008.10.007
Jaselskis, E.J., Strong K.C., Aviega, F., & Jahren, C. (2008). Successful multi-national workforce integration program to improve construction site performance. Safety Science, 46(4), 603 – 618. https://doi.org/10/1016/j.ssci.2007.06.023
Jin, X., Weiss, B.A., Siegel, D., & Lee, J. (2016). Present status and future growth of advanced maintenance technology and strategy in US manufacturing. International Journal of Prognostics and Health Management, 7, 012.
Köhler, M. (2008). Green facades-a view back and some visions. Urban Ecosystems, 11(4), 423–436. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-008-0063-x
Koirala, M.P. (2018). Safety Awareness of Workers for Construction Sites in Nepal. Journal of Advanced Research in Civil and Environmental Engineering, 5(4), 34–41. https://doi.org/10.24321/2393.8307.201804
Korkmaz, S., & Park, D.J. (2018). Comparison of safety perception between foreign and local workers in the construction industry in Republic of Korea. Safety and Health at Work, 9(1), 53–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.shaw.2017.07.002
Kwon, S., Chun, C., & Kwak, R. (2011). Relationship between quality of building maintenance management services for indoor environmental quality and occupant satisfaction. Building and Environment, 46(11), 2179 – 2185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2011.04.028
Langford, D., Rowlinson, S., & Sawacha, E. (2000). Safety behaviour and safety management: its influence on the attitudes of workers in the UK construction industry. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 7(2), 133 – 140. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb021138
Li, H., Lu, M., Hsu, S.C., Gray, M., & Huang, T. (2015). Proactive behavior-based safety management for construction safety improvement. Safety Science, 75, 107-117.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2015.01.013
Loh, S. (2008). Living walls – a way to green the built environment. Environment Design Guide, 1–7. https://www.jstor.org/stable/26149051
Mahalingam, A., & Levitt, R.E. (2007). Safety issues on global projects. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 133(7), 506–516. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)0733-
(2007)133
Manso, M., & Castro-Gomes, J. (2015). Green wall systems: A review of their characteristics. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 41, 863–871. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2014.07.203
Maurice, P., Lavoie, M., Chapdelaine, A., & Bonneau B.H. (1997). Safety and safety promotion: conceptual and operational aspects. Chronic in Disease Canada, 18 (4), 179 – 186
McManus, N. (2018). Safety and Health in Confined Spaces. Routledge: Canada
Meswani, H.R. (2008). Safety and Occupational Health: Challenges and Opportunities in Emerging Economies. Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 12(1), 3-9.
https://doi.org/10.4103/0019-5278.40808
Mjema, E.A.M. (2002). An analysis of personnel capacity requirement in the maintenance department by using simulation method. Journal of Quality in Maintenance, 8(3), 253 – 273.
https://doi.org/10.1108/13552510210439829
Mydin, A.O. (2015). Significance of building maintenance management system towards sustainable development: A review. Journal of Engineering Studies & Research, 21(1), 58 – 65.
Niciejewska, M., & Kirilliuk, O. (2020). Occupational health and safety management in “small size” enterprises, with particular emphasis on hazards identification. Production Engineering Archives, 26(4), 195 – 201. https://doi.org/10.30657/pea.2020.26.34
Nielsen, K.J. (2014). Improving safety culture through the health and safety organisation: a case study.
Journal of Safety Research, 48, 7 -17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2013.10.003
Olanrewaju, A.L., & Abdul-Aziz, A.R. (2015). Building Maintenance Processes, Principles, Procedures, Practices and Strategies. Chapter in Building Maintenance Processes and Practices, Springer: Singapore, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-287-263-0_5
Olanrewaju, A.L., Idrus, A., & Khamidi, M.F. (2011), Investigating building maintenance practices in Malaysia: a case study. Structural Survey. 29(5), 397 – 410.
https://doi.org/10.1108/02630801111182420
Omar, M.S., Quinn, M.M., Buchholz, B., & Geiser, K. (2013). Are green building features safe for preventive maintenance workers? Examining the evidence. American Journal of Industrial Medicine. 56(4), 410–423. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajim.22166
Palmer, R.D. (2019). Maintenance Planning and Scheduling Handbook. 4th Ed. McGraw-Hill Education: New York. https://www.accessengineeringlibrary.com/content/book/9781260135282 Patanapiradej, W. (2006). The scope of facility management. Nakhara: Journal of Environment, 1, 75–
Pérez -Urrestarazu, L., Fernández-Cañero, R., Franco-Salas, A., & Egea, G. (2015). Vertical greening systems and sustainable cities. Journal of Urban Technology, 22(4), 65-85.
https://doi.org/10.1080/10630732.2015.1073900
Pérez, G., Coma, J., Martorell, I., & Cabeza, L. F. (2014). Vertical greenery systems (VGS) for energy saving in buildings: A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 39, 139–165. https://doi:10.1016/j.rser.2014.07.055
Perini, K., Ottelé, M., Haas, E.M., & Raiteri, R. (2013). Vertical greening systems, a process tree for green façades and living walls. Urban Ecosystems, 16(2), 265–277. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252- 012-0262-3
Perini, K., & Rosasco. P. (2013). Cost-benefit analysis for green facades and living wall systems.
Building and Environment, 70, 110-121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2013.08.012
Ragheb, A., El-Shimy, H., & Ragheb, G. (2016). Green Architecture: A Concept of Sustainability. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences, 216 (October), 778 – 787. https://doi.org/10/1016/j.sbspro.2015.12.075
Riley, B. (2017). The state of the art of living walls: Lessons learned. Building and Environment, 14, 219 – 232. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2016.12-016
Saharuddin, S., Khalil, N., & Saleh, A.A. (2019). Assessing Practice and Criteria for Green Roof Maintenance on High-rise Residential Building in Malaysia. In MATEC Web of Conferences, 266, 01014. EDP Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1051/matecconf/201926601014.
Spies, C., & Trohman, R.G. (2006). Narrative review: electrocution and life-threatening electrical injuries. Annals of Internal Medicine, 145(7), 531 – 537. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-145-7- 200610030-00011
Susorova, I. (2015). Green facades and living walls: vertical vegetation as a construction material to reduce building cooling loads. in Eco-Efficient Materials for Mitigating Building Cooling Needs, Chapter 5. 127 – 153. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-1-78242-380-5.00005-4
Tanko, B.L., & Anigbogu, N.A. (2012). The use of personal protective equipment (PPE) on construction sites in Nigeria. In: Laryea, S., Agyepong S.A., Leiringer, R. and Hughes, W. (Eds.). Proceeding 4th West Africa Built Environment Research (WABER) Conference, 24-26 July, Abuja, Nigeria. 1341-1348
Tam, C.M., Fung, I.W.H., Yeung, T.C.L., & Tung, K.C. (2003). Relationship between construction safety signs and symbols recognition and characteristics of construction personnel. Construction Management and Economics, 21(7), 745 – 753. https://doi.org/10.1080/0144619032000056171
Törner, M., & Pousette, A. (2009), Safety in construction – a comprehensive description of the characteristics of high safety standards in construction work, from the combined perspective of supervisors and experienced workers. Journal of Safety Research, 40(6), 399 – 409. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsr.2009.09.005
Tudiwer, D. & Korjenic, A. (2017). The effect of living wall systems on the thermal resistance of the façade. Energy and Building, 135 (January), 10 -19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2016.11.023
Vitharana, V.H.P., De Silva, G.H.M.J.S., & De Silva, S. (2015). Health hazards, risk and safety practices in construction sites – a review study. Engineer, 3, 35–44.
Weinmaster, M. (2009). Are green walls as “green” as they look? An introduction to the various technologies and ecological benefits of green walls. Journal of Green Building, 4(4), 3 – 18. https://doi.org/10.3992/jgb.4.4.3
Widajati, N., Ernawati, M., & Martiana, T. (2017). Effect of the role of safety officer on compliance to Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) among outsourcing workers in Company X., Surabaya. Folia Medica Indonesiana, 53(2), 131. https://doi.org/10.20473/fmi.v53i2.6357
Wordworth, P., & Lee, R. (2001). Lee’s Building Maintenance Management. London: Blackwell Science.
Wu, W., Yang, H., Li, Q., & Chew, D. (2013). An integrated information management model for proactive prevention of struck-by-falling-object accidents on construction sites. Automation in Construction, 34 (September), 67 – 74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2012.10.010
Yeoh, H.T., Lockhart, T.E., & Wu, X. (2013). Non-fatal occupational falls on the same level.
Ergonomics, 56(2), 153-165. https://doi.org/10.1080/00140139.2012.746739
Yusof, M.J.M. (2012). Identifying green spaces in Kuala Lumpur using higher resolution satellite imagery. Alam Cipta, International Journal of Sustainable Tropical Design Research and Practices, 5(2), 93–106.
Zahir, M.H.M., Raman, S.N., Mohamed, M.F., Jamiland, M., & Nopiah, Z.M. (2014). The perception of Malaysian architects towards the implementation of green roofs: A review of practices, methodologies and future research. E3S Web of Conferences 3, 01022, 8. https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/20120301022
Zamanian, Z., Afshin, A. Davoudiantalab, A., & Hashemi, H. (2013). Comprehension of workplace safety signs: A case study in Shiraz Industrial Park. Journal of Occupational Health and Epidemiology, 2(1), 37 – 43. https://doi.org/10.18869/acadpub.johe.2.1.2.37
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International
