METHOD STATEMENT
MS Structure Fabricated Pipe Rack Installation
Project / Company: Bluestar Limited
Document Type: Quality & Safety Work Method Statement
(WMS)
1. Purpose & Scope
The purpose of this work method statement is to define a standardized, safe, and efficient
sequence of execution for the mobilization, positioning, alignment, bolting/welding, and final
quality control inspection of mild steel (MS) fabricated structural pipe rack modules. This
procedure applies comprehensively to all structural elements, including supporting columns,
longitudinal load-bearing beams, horizontal and cross-bracing structural systems, and multi-tier
utility piping supports.
2. Reference Documents & Standards
All erection work shall be executed in strict compliance with the project-specific technical
provisions and international engineering practices, incorporating the following statutory
regulatory references:
Approved For Construction (AFC) Drawings (Latest revisions of Structural, Foundation, and
Piping Layout designs).
IS 800: Code of Practice for General Construction in Steel (Bureau of Indian Standards).
IS 7205: Safety Code for Erection of Structural Steelwork.
Project Technical Specifications for Fabricated Structural Steelwork and Structural Welding.
Applicable AWS D1.1 / Structural Welding Code - Steel standard operating limits.
3. Roles & Responsibilities
Construction Manager / Site Engineer
Responsible for managing the field construction sequence in complete compliance with the
approved AFC drawings. Duties include managing field logistics, organizing work shifts,
arranging structural handovers, and facilitating close cross-functional coordination with lifting
operations teams.
QC Manager / Quality Engineer
Responsible for managing pre-erection visual checks, establishing anchor bolt geometric
verification, performing plumbness surveys, inspecting High-Strength Friction Grip (HSFG)
bolting torques, and managing non-destructive testing (NDT) programs on welded structural
configurations.
HSE Officer
Accountable for enforcing daily execution of the Permit to Work (PTW) protocols (including Hot
Work, Height Work, and Critical Lifting operations). The HSE officer reviews safety setups,
performs rigging hardware safety tests, enforces mandatory physical barricades for swing-
zones, and conducts daily pre-task Tool Box Talks (TBT).
Lifting & Rigging Supervisor
Tasked with evaluating ground bearing stability, analyzing specialized rigging configurations,
cross-verifying crane load charts against intended lifting radiuses, and maintaining authoritative
signaling communication with the certified equipment operator.
4. Plant, Machinery, and Tools
The execution team must ensure that all machinery, equipment, and manual tools are
calibrated, certified for field service, and logged within active site registries:
Heavy Equipment: Mobile Crane / Crawler Crane (Sized to match calculated maximum lifting
capacity and operating radiuses), Boom Lifts / Articulating Aerial Work Platforms (AWPs).
Machinery & Support Systems: Diesel Generators, SMAW / GMAW Shielded Arc Welding
Machines, Heavy-duty Air Compressors.
Rigging & Lifting Gear: Certified Webbing Slings, Shackle Links (D-Shackles/Bow-
Shackles), Steel Wire Slings, Tension-controlled Tag Lines.
Precision Hand Tools: Magnetic Base Core Drills, Calibrated Digital Torque Wrenches, Spirit
Levels, Electronic Total Station / Theodolite, Field Grinding Tools.
5. Work Methodology / Sequence of Execution
Phase 1: Pre-Erection Checks & Foundations
1. Civil Foundation Survey: Before structural steel deployment, verify all concrete foundation
pedestal coordinates, relative heights, and general structural alignments using an electronic
Total Station to match dimensions specified within AFC blueprints.
2. Anchor Bolt Verification: Conduct physical mapping checks to confirm anchor bolt projections,
thread clarity, and spatial positioning pitches.
3. Inbound Material Inspection: Confirm all incoming MS steel components match the erection
tag numbers. Inspect parts for shipping damage or manufacturing twists. Ensure Dry Film
Thickness (DFT) for protective paint coats is tested and signed off prior to structural lift-off.
Phase 2: Crane Setup and Rigging
1. Positioning & Cribbing: Ensure the mobile crane is configured over pre-calculated solid
structural pad points. Fully extend outriggers and position them over hardwood timber or
engineered steel spreader boards.
2. Rigging Fastenings: Bind lifting slings around designated pick points matching structural
center-of-gravity profiles. Affix a minimum of two heavy-duty tag lines to the sides of structural
members to control swaying or wind rotations during the lift.
Phase 3: Column Erection
1. Safe Lifting: Carefully hoist columns vertically, preventing contact with the ground to protect
the paint layer.
2. Anchor Positioning: Lower the primary structural column over the exposed anchor bolts. Fit
heavy washers and structural nuts, hand-tightening them first.
3. Plumb Adjustment: Adjust column plumb lines and grid alignment using structural shims or
level-adjusting pack plates. Do not detach crane hooks until the structural module is stabilised
with temporary guy ropes or connecting structural framing bays.
Phase 4: Longitudinal Beams & Cross Bracing
1. Frame Integration: Lift connecting longitudinal beams into position once adjacent supporting
columns are secured.
2. Structural Tie-In: Riggers operating from mobile manlifts must secure connecting joints using
temporary tapered alignment drift pins before final fastening.
3. System Stabilization: Install structural cross-bracing bays immediately to form a rigid
structural box layout before extending additional longitudinal bays.
Phase 5: Torqueing, Welding, and Final Alignment
1. Survey Alignment: Check the layout using a theodolite to confirm the overall geometry is
within specified limits before final locking.
2. Tension Bolting: Tighten HSFG bolts using a calibrated torque wrench following the project's
design methods (such as the part-turn method or specified torque levels).
3. Structural Welds: Qualified structural welders must execute field splice welds or moment
connections in line with approved Welding Procedure Specifications (WPS).
4. Non-Shrink Base Grouting: Fill gaps underneath the column baseplates with non-shrink high-
strength grout once final structural validation is completed by the QC department.
6. Quality Control & Inspection Plan (QA/QC)
Activity / Inspection Method of Inspection Acceptance Criteria Responsible Party
Point
Foundation / Anchor Total Station & Thread Within +/- 3mm spatial Surveyor / QC Engineer
Bolts Survey Gauge Profile Check deviation limits
Vertical Plumbness of Theodolite Reverse Maximum H/1000 height QC Structural Engineer
Columns Verification Check tolerance limits
High-Strength Bolting Calibrated Design specified torque QC / Structural Crew
Tension Manual/Digital Torque tension benchmarks
Wrench Test
Structural Joint Welding Visual Scan & NDT Defect-free structural NDT Inspector / Certified
Profiles (DPT, MPI, Ultrasonic passes per AWS D1.1 QC
Testing)
Field Paint Touch-up Digital DFT Meter Layer Matches or exceeds QC Inspection Team
Coatings Thickness Review initial paint finish specs
7. Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE)
CRITICAL SAFETY DIRECTIVE: Erection work must be immediately suspended if site wind
velocities exceed 32 km/h (10 m/s), during structural lightning events, heavy downpours, or
whenever visual fields fall below critical worker safety ranges.
Permit to Work (PTW) Governance: Active Risk Assessment reviews and valid operational
authorizations for High-risk Lifting, Hot Work, and Height Work operations must be verified
and signed off daily.
Fall Prevention Engineering: Maintain 100% tie-off compliance using twin-tail safety
harnesses with integrated shock absorbers while working at elevated positions. Install
permanent stainless steel lifelines across structural spans before allowing personnel onto
the frame.
Operations Exclusion Zones: Set up physical warning tape barriers and strict safety
blockades around the crane's full counterweight swing radius and active overhead lift zones
to prevent unauthorized entry.
Rigging Inspections: All slings, shackles, and lifting hooks must undergo pre-shift physical
checks and carry valid load test certificates.