Author Archives: Bianca Warwick

Contractors, Ensure You’re Insured!

Accidents, theft, negligence… the list goes on. All of these events could cost you dearly and insurance has become somewhat of a necessity in protecting companies and individuals from the harsh financial implications.
I have spent the past few days studying the various construction-related insurance products that are on offer from the many insurance companies in South Africa, as well as some of the scenarios where insurance could come into play.

Sadly, many injuries and deaths have occurred on construction sites and it is so important that contractors have insurance to cover for these unfortunate events. In one incident in South Africa this year, construction workers were hospitalised after formwork collapsed on them. In a separate incident, in 2017, a construction worker died after falling from scaffolding. Where loss, damage, injury or death has occurred as a result of a structural collapse or any other type of works failure on site, the insurer is likely to determine whether or not the structure or construction works complied with the National Building Regulations (NBR). South Africa’s National Building Regulations are a set of guidelines for construction. Failing compliance, insurance claims could be rejected.

Theft of construction equipment and machinery; damage caused by strike action, riots and violent protests as well as machinery breakdown are other examples of risks that contractors are facing. Thankfully, all of these events can be covered by insurance.

Read on to learn about a few of the insurance options that offer cover against the above-mentioned incidents.

Contractors All Risk (CAR) Insurance
CAR policies cover construction companies against loss or damage caused by fire, seasonal risks, natural disasters, vandalism, theft, liability and other possible incidents, depending on the cover that your preferred insurer offers you. It is important to note that not all CAR policies offer the same amount of cover. The duration of the cover commences at the start of the construction works and ceases when the contract is complete.

Public Liability Insurance
Public Liability Insurance can be included in CAR policies or taken out as a policy on its own, and covers against death or injuries to third parties as well as damage to the property of third parties. The main contractor assumes liability for activities carried out on site by any representatives of his company.

Plant All Risks (PAR) Insurance
This type of insurance is also referred to as Contractors’ Plant and Machinery (CPM) insurance and Contractors’ Plant and Equipment (CPE) insurance and covers construction plant, machinery and equipment against loss or damage caused by unforeseen circumstances. A CAR policy can cover plant, however, specific types of plant are only used for a small portion of the total construction period and are then moved to another site. PAR insurance would be a more suitable type of cover for these specific machines, in comparison to CAR insurance. Often, contractors will opt for a PAR policy that can be renewed on an annual basis, covering the various plant that is in operation on different sites during the course of the year.

Machinery Breakdown Insurance
Contractors can insure against unexpected mechanical and/or electrical breakdown of machinery. Under this type of cover, claims cannot be submitted for any expected breakdown arising from general maintenance requirements.

Special Risk Insurance
The South African Special Risks Insurance Association (Sasria SOC Ltd) is a state-owned entity offering short-term insurance and provides cover against loss or damage caused by violent protests, riots, terrorism and similar circumstances. SASRIA cover can only be arranged by a broker.

The aforementioned insurance policies are most-certainly not the only options that contractors have, as there are many other policies that can be taken out. That being said, contractors have a range of options to choose from in order to protect their companies and assets by ensuring they have the necessary insurance policies in place. Contacting a broker who specialises in construction insurance could pave the way for hassle-free insurance claims, should the need for a claim arise.

 

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Sources:
CivilSure
Carl Greaves Brokers
RBS
Master Builders Insurance

What they are, how do they work and what are they used for?

I am pretty sure most of us have driven past a construction site and wondered what the various machines are used for. Some are humongous!
Those are the ones that require those traffic-slowing “abnormal loads” that we pass now and then on the highway. I always look at the machines being transported, and try to imagine what they do.
To solve a bit of the mystery for some of us, I have gone on a research mission to determine the names and uses of five construction machines that I think could be of interest.

 

Articulated Haulers

This type of machine is also known as an articulated dump truck (ADT), and is capable of traversing tough terrain.
These dump trucks are used for the removal of earth or construction rubble, among other types of materials, and have also been effective for snow removal. In an extreme situation, Linco Construction in Texas used their articulated haulers to evacuate victims of a Hurricane

 

 

 

 

 

Dragline Excavators

Dragline excavators are often used in road and underwater excavation, and in surface mining.
The heavier types of dragline excavators usually have to be assembled on site. These machines use a bucket and rope system to gather materials and dump them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sheepsfoot Rollers

The purpose of a sheepsfoot roller, which is also known as a tamping roller or padfoot roller, is used for soil compaction.
A typical sheepsfoot roller is made up of a drum with stud-like protrusions covering the surface of the drum. These studs can be manufactured in different sizes, depending on the type of soil that is to be compacted.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cold planers

Cold planers are used to remove the surface of paved areas – a process known as milling. These milling machines grind the surface of, for example, a road (asphalt), in order to lay new asphalt, or to smooth out the road surface.
Milling allows for the road surface to be recycled, making it a positive factor in ongoing efforts to curb negative impacts on the environment.
Cold planers use a milling drum to cut the paved surface. Tool holders, which are attached around the drum, hold cutting tools which cut the pavement.
The milled materials are held in the machine’s scrapper, and then transferred from the cold planer, using a conveyor belt, to another vehicle to be transported from the site.

 

 

 

 

 

Tower Cranes

 

Cranes are often the first construction machines that we see, even when the site is not in plain sight – see what I did there 😉 These are very tall machines, which are used to lift various types of materials, in order to place them where they are required.
A typical tower crane consists of a base, mast, slewing unit, machinery arm, counter weights and an operator’s cab. The base of the crane is secured to a concrete pad, which provides support. The tower section (or mast) gives the crane height, and is connected to the base. The slewing unit houses the motor which allows the crane to rotate, and also includes a working arm (longer horizontal section), machinery arm (shorter horizontal section) and counter weights. The crane operator manoeuvres the crane from the operator’s cab.

 

 

 

 

During my research into this topic, I have enjoyed learning more about some of the machines that I have seen, but knew nothing about.

I do hope that next time you pass a construction site, and you see some of the machines that I have mentioned, that you will have a better understanding of their purpose.

 

Sources:
Babcock
Google
Wikipedia
Engineering Intro

 

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