The winner of the West Metro ‘Safest Metro Worksite’ competition is the Matinkylä access tunnel project, run by YIT Construction Ltd. During the period of review, from January to June, not a single accident occurred at the YIT Construction site in Matinkylä. The competition is organised semi-annually, and all current West Metro projects are participants.
The competition period was from 1 January to 30 June, and the participants were the Matinkylä and Otaniemi access tunnel projects (YIT Construction Ltd.), the Lauttasaari, Myllykallio and Koivusaari access tunnels (TYL Metro), the Keilaniemi and Karhusaari access tunnel project and the rail tunnel and station project in Lauttasaari (Kalliorakennus Yhtiöt Oy), the Ruoholahti rail tunnel project (Lemminkäinen Infra Oy), and the Keilaniemi piping and wiring transfer project (Yleinen Pohjarakennus Oy).
“We stick to the agreement at all of our sites, and that means being conscientious with safety matters too,” said general foreman Eino Lehtola of YIT Construction Ltd. on receiving the prize.
The current excavation projects of the West Metro were evaluated in the Safest Metro Worksite competition on the basis of accident frequency, civil engineering measurements (MVR)1 and environment-friendly management of extracted water. The accident frequency for each project was weighted by 60% in the evaluation, MVR measurements by 30% and management of extracted water by 10%.
In the West Metro, accident frequency calculation includes both accidents occurring to persons working at a worksite and injuries occurring to third parties through worksite activities. There were no accidents at all at the winning worksite during the competition period. A representative from YIT Construction Ltd. was handed the West Metro ‘Safest Metro Worksite’ trophy, a gilded piece of rail.
Third competition period ongoing
The Safest Metro Worksite competition runs for six months at a time. The third competition is currently under way and will end on 31 December 2011. The first competition was won by METRO, the consortium formed by Destia from Finland and Metrostav a.s. from the Czech Republic.
“The purpose of the competition is to highlight the principles of safe and careful construction,” says Matti Kokkinen, CEO of West Metro.
The competition jury includes Marjo Vuola from the Uusimaa Centre for Economic Development, Transport and the Environment; occupational health and safety engineer Jukka Hietavirta from the South Finland Regional State Administrative Agency; CEO Matti Kokkinen, communications manager Satu Linkola and interaction engineer Reijo Jokela from West Metro; and the overall safety coordinators Ulla Valtonen (planning), Aku Kallio (construction preparation and procurement) and Jorma Teelahti (construction) from Sweco Oy.
By September, 3,500 m of rail tunnel had been excavated, and also almost half of the access tunnels required, about 3,000 m.
1 MVR, known by its Finnish acronym, is an observation-based method for civil engineering measurements to ensure an acceptable level of safety at an earth and water construction worksite. Information is collected on weekly observation rounds about neatness and order at worksites, storage facilities and traffic arrangements, to ensure that protective coverings and exclusion zones are sufficient and in acceptable condition.
More information
Länsimetro, CEO Matti Kokkinen, tel. 050 347 1558
YIT Construction Ltd., general foreman Eino Lehtola, tel. 0400 243 818