Smart Construction Amidst the Pandemic

China State Construction Engineering (M) Sdn. Bhd has done an excellent job mitigating the spread of COVID-19 in their Imperial Lexis Kuala Lumpur worksite




Behind this ambitious project is the main contractor, China State Construction Engineering (M) Sdn. Bhd. (CSCEM). 



Smart System for Safety & Efficiency

CSCEM has been working hard behind the scenes to bring Imperial Lexis Kuala Lumpur to completion amidst the multiple lockdowns caused by the pandemic. The company has implemented a smart on-site management system so its workers can work efficiently during the pandemic. 

Lyu En, Managing Director of CSCEM

The main components of the comprehensive smart system include a facial recognition system, a tower crane surveillance system, an elevator automation control for emergency and real-time data reporting, and a system to monitor the limits of the cantilever unloading platform to prevent overloading. The smart system includes the server room, entrance set up, CCTV, wiring connection, and relevant systems software. 

According to Lyu En, Managing Director of CSCEM, the decision to implement the smart system was made before the onset of the pandemic. Still, it works well during the pandemic because it reduces the need for close physical contact between the workers. At the same time, it improves management efficiency.

"The system was initiated to solve the common problems we faced during the construction operations, such as safety measures, sustainable construction, insufficiency of supervision and personnel management. To overcome these issues, we need a system that can collect sufficient on-site information for further analysis and generate a suitable logistics and safety plan best suited for the specific site," said Lyu En.

By adopting the smart system, CSCEM has discovered innovative ways to decrease health and safety risks in their construction project and meet the ever-evolving anti- pandemic SOPs.

For instance, the facial recognition system helps to keep a close eye on the worksite for added safety and security. The system comes with a built-in facial recognition and a body temperature screening system to ensure workers are fit for work. At the same time, its site attendance module records the workers' attendance. It enforces SOP compliance through effective site attendance and personnel management by ensuring the optimum and SOP-compliant number of workers, who are not Covid-19 positive, are on-site at any one time. "This not only ensures the health and safety of the site workers but also maintains an operational construction site by limiting the risk of closure due to positive Covid-19 cases," Lyu En stated.

To Lyu En, the tower crane surveillance system has the biggest impact on worksite health and safety. "It helps to monitor the limitations of the tower crane, such as over-lifting, swing coverage, informative storage, increases the visuality of the operator and consequently, eliminates a lot of risks." 

CSCEM also designed a feasible formwork and safety concept tailored to the tight construction timetable and the client's stringent safety standards. These can be seen in the aluminium formwork for swimming pools and floor slabs, the shear wall panel system for the RC Wall, the self-climbing system lift core wall formwork, and the building boundary protection screens. 

Pandemic safety measures
Among the measures implemented on the construction site to minimise the risk of infection are temperature monitoring, regular sanitisation and disinfection of the worksite and workers' quarters, MySejahtera check-ins at the main entrance and the site office, and physical distancing on-site and at the office.

"We also provide buses to transport workers from their quarters to the worksite and swab test our workers and office staff regularly in accordance with the SOP," said Lyu En. Virtual meetings are also encouraged as much as possible. He is pleased to report that they have passed all site inspections by CIDB, DBKL, KKM, JKKP, MITI, and the police with flying colours.

By the end of August 2021, all 351 of their staff were fully vaccinated, thanks to the Construction Industry Vaccination (CIVac) programme.

"Overall, the CIVac programme is greatly beneficial to all our workers since it helped us achieve a full vaccination status at the peak of the outbreak resulting in a safer working environment," said Lyu En. He commended the entire programme for being very well designed and set up, and the supporting staff on-ground were very polite and well organised. While he is grateful to CIDB for making this happen, he mentioned a minor inconvenience during the online registration. "Occasionally, it took a very long time to complete an application due to the unstable internet connection," he explained. 

Costs of the pandemic
The numerous lockdowns have caused delays for the construction industry, and CSCEM is no exception. "The Imperial Lexis Kuala Lumpur project has been delayed due to the numerous lockdowns. According to our calculations, the entire cost of the new SOP measures and total lockdown is about RM3,148,500.00 as of August 2021. The sector is experiencing a shortage of skilled personnel, which has hampered progress. Additionally, some suppliers have increased material prices drastically without warning, resulting in higher construction costs," Lyu En lamented.

Dedicated buses are used to transport workers from their quarters to the worksite


"For pandemic mitigation measures, we spent approximately RM969,000.00 for anti-pandemic related supplies, such as masks, alcoholic sanitisers, hand sanitisers, medicines, swab tests, separate isolation rooms, daily disinfection of worksites and workers' quarters, bus transportation fees, among others," he shared. The highest cost, he divulged, was the cost of workers staying at home during the lockdowns. "The construction industry is very hands-on; most of our work must be done on-site and not from home. So every day we are not at work on-site costs us tens of thousands of ringgit."

That said, the safety and health of their workers remain the priority, Lyu En assuringly. As such, he is adamant that the expenditure on safety measures should not be reduced.  

"Prevention is always better than cure. While some contractors may think they are saving money by skimping on safety costs, they are actually putting the business at risk for bigger losses in the long run. I would rather invest my money to eliminate the risk altogether!"

Lyu En opined that there is one additional and effective way the government could help ease the burden for main contractors. "Materials prices rose rapidly during the pandemic, significantly impacting the main contractors. Unfortunately, according to the contract, principal contractors cannot claim any additional costs incurred due to market frustration. As such, we strongly suggest that the relevant authorities initiate some policies to help the main contractors ride through these tough times."

By providing a working environment that is safe and hazard-free, CSCEM is on track to complete the Imperial Lexis Kuala Lumpur development by May 2022


No one is safe until everyone is safe
When it comes to safety, every single worker plays an important role. CSCEM ensures that the message is conveyed effectively from the top management to the workers on-site via a safety policy developed by the company's senior management and the safety department. "Each project site will have a safety execution committee to execute the company's safety plan. These include safety induction for all employees, toolbox meetings to raise safety awareness, and an awards system for workers who serve as positive role models for safety, among others," explained Lyu En.

As Managing Director, Lyu En is responsible for establishing procedures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 and constantly reviewing and updating the requirements mandated by the authorities. "With the support of my safety team, I oversee and manage the safety measures for pandemic prevention such as education and training, PPE supply, sanitisation procedures, Covid-19 SOP management, enforcing specific company requirements and liaising with the authorities," he said. These are additional responsibilities he has acquired due to the pandemic, but he willingly takes them on for the company's survival.