TECHNICAL REPORT ON

STUDENT INDUSTRIAL WORK EXPERIENCE SCHEME

(SIWES)

HELD AT

HIGH PROFILE ARCHITECT

ENGINEERING CONSULT
(SHOP 2, GAA-AKANBI, ILORIN KWARA STATE)

BETWEEN
August – November, 2023

BY:

HAMMED FATIMOH OLAYINKA

ND/22/BLD/FT/053

SUBMITTED TO:

THE DEPARTMENT OF BUILDING TECHNOLOGY,

INSTITUTE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES (IES)
KWARA STATE POLYTECHNIC, ILORIN.

i
 IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT FOR THE AWARD OF
NATIONAL DIPLOMA (ND) IN BUILDING TECHNOLOGY,
KWARA STATE POLYTECHNIC, ILORIN

2023/2024 SESSION
PREFACE

The Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) was established by

the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) to enable student of tertiary institution to have
basic technical knowledge of industrial work basic on their courses of study before the
completion of their program in their various institutions.

In the early stage, student are graduating into institution without any technical
knowledge of working experience, this make them to undergo further training after
servicing an employment with the reason.

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 DEDICATION
This report is dedicated to Almighty Allah for His blessings, and mercies
bestowed on me right from womb till this very moment and for always been there for
me and got my back always and ever (Alhamdulillah). And special thanks to my
parent and departmental lecturers as well.

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I really thank God Almighty for making this vision a reality. The foundation of
everything in life is of utmost importance. Therefore, I give credit and kudos to all
Mentors at High Profile Architect engineering consult. I also thank the Director of the
center for his leadership attitude which provides a conducive and uninterrupted
academic Centre for which students can acquire knowledge in different kind of field
of study.

A report of this magnitude definitely involved more than just my hand work alone. In
consequence to that, it is important that effort of my people who contributed to the
success of this programme should be acknowledge.

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 TABLE OF CONTENT

Title page i
Dedication iii
Acknowledgement iv
Table of contents vi

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
SIWES Background 1
1.1 Objectives of SIWES 1
1.2 Bodies involved in the management of SIWES 2

CHAPTER 2:
2.0 Background of Establishment. 3

CHAPTER 3:
3.0 Work experience during attachment 8
3.1 Introduction to construction materials, equipments and machinery. 8
3.2 Control of International workplace hazard 13
3.3 Construction of the second floor. 14
3.4 Block-work 16
3.5 Lintels 16
3.6 Plastering 17
3.7 Rendering 17
3.8 Construction of the Septic tank. 17
CHAPTER 4
4.0 Problems encountered during attachment 21
4.1 Recommendation 22
References 23

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 CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

STUDENT INDUSTRIAL WORK EXPERIENCE SCHEME (SIWES)

BACKGROUND
In the earlier stage of science and technology education in Nigeria, students were
graduating from their respective institutions without any technical knowledge or
working experience. It was in this view that students undergoing science and
technology related courses were mandated for students in different institution in view
of widening their horizons so as to enable them have technical knowledge or working
experience before graduating from their various institutions.

The Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) was established by

the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) in 1973 to enable students of tertiary institution
have technical knowledge of industrial work base on their course of study before the
completion of their program in their respective institutions. The scheme was designed
to expose students to industrial environment and enable them develop occupational
competencies so that they can readily contribute their quota to national economic and
technological development after graduation.

1.1 OBJECTIVES
The Industrial Training Funds policy Document No. 1 of 1973 which
established SIWES outlined the objectives of the scheme. The objectives are to:

1. Provide an avenue for students in higher institutions of learning to acquire

industrial skills and experiences during their course of study.
2. Prepare students for industrial work situations that they are likely to meet after
graduation.
3. Expose students to work methods and techniques in handling equipment and
machinery that may not be available in their institutions.
4. Make the transition from school to the world of work easier and enhance
students’ contacts for later job placements.

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5. Provide students with the opportunities to apply their educational knowledge in
real work situations, thereby bridging the gap between theory and practice.
6. Enlist and strengthen employers’ involvement in the entire educational process
and prepare students for employment in Industry and Commerce (Information
and Guideline for SIWES, 2002).

1.2 BODIES INVOLVED IN THE MANAGEMENT OF SIWES

The bodies involved are:
 The Federal Government.
 Industrial Training Fund (ITF).
Other supervising agents are:
 National University Commission (NUC)
 National Board for Technical Education (NBTE)
 National Council for Colleges of Education (NCE)
The functions of these Agencies above include;
 Establish SIWES and accredit SIWES unit in the approved institutions.
 Formulate policies and guideline for participating bodies and institutions
as well as appointing SIWES coordinators and supporting staff.
 Supervise students at their places of attachment and sign their lob-book
and IT forms.
 Ensure payment of allowances for the students and supervisors.
 Ensure adequate funding of the scheme.

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 CHAPTER TWO
OVERVIEW ABOUT THE LOCATION OF ATTACHMENT
2.1 BACKGROUND OF ESTABLISHMENT
High profile architect engineering consult (HPAC) Limited was incorporated as a
limited liability company in March 2003, the company which was formerly known as
HPAC Ventures started business in April 2000 and with the needs of expansion and
bringing in more investors, the company became a limited liability company with the
name High profile architect engineering consult (HPAC) Limited.

The company was formed because of the realization that Nigerian construction
professionals should take the bull by the horn and dictate the pace for the complete
development of the construction and real estate sector of the economy. Because of the
competitive nature of the terrain of business, the Organization is aware that for
indigenous engineering companies to survive, a complete re-orientation of the
erstwhile Nigeria approach to business must be embraced.

To this end, the organisation’s subscription to Total Quality Management is

unsurpassed consequently therefore matters such as;

 Conducive business environment.

 Competitive pricing.
 Employees and Public safety.
 Commitment to ultimate quality.
 Staff welfare
 Commitment to project on-time delivery.
 Effective management techniques have become second nature to our
organization.

HPA Limited provides and deploys the best in class project management techniques
and procedures in executing all projects to the highest standard. Projects undertaken
include Construction, Engineering and Architectural Design, Interior Decoration,
Procurement and Consultancy to both private and corporate clients in Nigeria.

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4
 CHAPTER THREE

3.0 WORK EXPERIENCED DURING ATTACHMENT

I was introduced by my site supervisor to the construction site in general,
the contractor, project manager, and site engineers in charge of the on-going
project who further exposed me to proper site work. The on-going project was
the construction of a Terraced Triplex House.
A Terraced house is a type of building that has a row of dwellings joined
together by dividing walls, each having its own entrance at ground level while
the Triplex is a residential building of three floors all connected together owned
by a person.

3.1 INTRODUCTION TO SITE MATERIALS, EQUIPMENT AND

MACHINERIES
In the process of my work experience program I was introduced to various
materials, equipments and machineries used in the construction and
development of a building.

MATERIALS
Example of materials used in building construction is as follows;
Cement: This is a powdered substance that develops strong adhesive properties
when mixed with water. It is used in Block work, Plastering, Rendering and
Concreting. The establishment of Cement is achieved by burning a mixture of
clay and chalk or limestone in a kiln. A proportion of the raw materials in a
definite proportion are converted into liquid state by grinding, mixing and
watering, termed Slurry. The slurry is then conveyed through a set of pipes to
rotary kiln which dry and burn the constituent in a high temperature to form
hard lumps. This process changes the slurry to hard lumps called Clinker,
which afterwards pass on through a conveyor belt to the grinding mills for
grinding to a fine powder in its final process. During the final grinding, small
quantity of gypsum of between 2 and 5% of the whole materials is added to

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retard the setting time. Tests are usually carried out on the finished product
occasionally to ensure high quality.

This process is mainly on Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) used for general
purposes. There are other types of cement made for special purposes, including
Rapid Hardening Portland Cement (RHPC), Sulphate resisting Portland cement
and Low Heat Portland Cement.

Reinforcement: Reinforcement is provided in concrete structures to enhance

its tensile strength. Therefore in all structural elements, the reinforcement is
provided in the region of the element that will be subjected to tension. Standard
bar diameters ~ 6, 8, 10, 12, 16, 20, 25, 32 and 40 mm.

Aggregates: This consists of sand, ground crushed stone, pebbles, broken

blocks and similar such materials. Aggregates may either be light or heavy
weight and also All-in-Aggregates. Aggregates must be clean, structural sound,
well graded, weather resistance and inert in the presence of water.

Aggregates are of two types:

Fine Aggregate; this should be clean, sharp and passes through the sieve size of
4.5mm.

Coarse Aggregate; aggregate which consists largely of particles over 5mm in

diameter. This is usually gravel or crushed stones.

Water Bars: A strip of rubber or plastic embedded into a sill or threshold to

inhibit the passage of water. The water bars were fixed into the reinforcements
with the use of Binding wire at the four edges/corners of the septic tank to
avoid the passage of Moisture.

Bituminous Felt: A waterproofing membrane consisting of a thin fibrous mat

of polyester or glass fibres saturated with bitumen or a bitumen-polymer. The
Bituminous Felt was used for the tanking of the Tank Slab on the Building and
it was applied with the use of a Burner.

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EQUIPMENTS
The following are examples of various tools used in construction;
Trowel: This is a flat metal blade fixed to a short handle used for the
application, jointing, smoothing and shaping of mortar in masonry. It is also
used in the trimming of block/bricks. Trowel sizes ranges from 225-350mm
measuring from the blade.
Spirit Level: This is a Hand-tool used for indicating true horizontal and
vertical of a work, by means of an air bubble sealed in a marked, liquid-filled
glass tube mounted in a frame; the tube is horizontal when the bubble is
between two marks. Spirit levels are of various length ranging from about
225mm to 1.2m.

Straight Edge: The kind of straight edge that was used on the construction site
is an Aluminum frame of about 2m in length. The straight edge is used to check
the fairness of the newly laid piece of a wall and to ensure that all the blocks
are laid to the same level of each course.

Iron Square: This is a hand tool of angle 90 which measures 600mm by

450mm long. It is used for setting out walls at right angles to check for square
nature of a section of work.

MACHINERIES
The machineries that were used on site were brought into considerations so as
to promote high standards required particularly in the context of structural
engineering works. Machineries are used on site to eliminate heavy manual
work thus reducing fatigue and as a consequence increasing productivity. Such
machineries that were used include;
Tilting Drum Concrete Mixer: This is a type of concrete mixer with a
rotating hinged drum in which the constituent materials are mixed thoroughly
and can be tilted to enable emptying. Choice of Mixer ~ the factors to be taken
into consideration when selecting the type of concrete mixer required are …

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1. Maximum output required (m3/ hour).
2. Total output required (m3).
3. Type or method of transporting the mixed concrete.
4. Discharge height of mixer (compatibility with transporting method).

Figure 1: Tilting Drum Concrete Mixer

Jack Hammer: This is a percussive power tool that combines a hammer and
chisel used for the drilling, breaking, demolishing and the digging of stone.
During my attachment it was used in the demolition/ leveling of the extended
pile foundation for the septic tank in the process of its excavation.

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 Figure 2: Jack Hammer

Poker Vibrator: This consist of a hollow steel tube casing in which is a

rotating impellor which generates vibrations as its head comes into contact with
the casing.It is immersed in fresh concrete to provide compaction through
gentle agitation,
Roller Machine: This is a compacting machine that provides a rolling
compaction used for evening and flattening of a freshly laid surface. It was
used to even the surface of the car park/ yard after hardcore had been placed for
the construction of interlocking tiles.

3.2 CONTROL OF INTERNATIONAL WORKPLACE HAZARD

This information was provided by the Health and Safety Environment (HSE)
Officer to acquire the knowledge of safe use of equipments and machineries

Category Type Hazards Injuries Safe use/ Control

measures
Hand-held Tools that are Injuries often due Mostly contact Use of tools

9
tools entirely to misuse or injuries, where suitable for task and
powered operator a part of the environment.
manually, incompetence. body strikes, or Appropriate
including axes is hit by the training of
to wenches, tool itself. operatives and use
hammers of PPE. Regular
chisels and pre-use checks and
saws. maintenance.
Portable Hand-held with Operator error, Injuries due to Appropriate for the
power tools an external misuse and puncture task and
power source improper wounds, environment.
(i.e. electricity, maintenance. splintering, Proper training in
compressed air, Risk of fire due entanglement the correct use of
fuel) include to fuel spillages, in moving tools and use of
electric flammable machinery and PPE. Use of guards,
screwdrivers, vapors, dust abrasions. clamps and safety
pneumatic or emissions, trip switches. Routine
disc cutters. hazards due to and thorough
cables. inspections and
maintenance.
Proper storage of
cutting equipments.

3.3 CONSTRUCTION OF THE SECOND FLOOR

The construction of the second floor involved the establishment of the
Formwork; Temporary structure erected to contain concrete during placing
and initial hardening. It is used to give temporary support for in-situ concrete
while it hardens.

After the Establishment of formwork, the arrangement of reinforcement rods

proceeded. The reinforcements of 12mm in diameter were arranged in a Grid

10
manner at150mm centres. The reinforcements are then tied with Binding
Wire; soft iron wire for tying reinforcing bars together before the casting of
concrete. The insertion of Spacers; a small piece of concrete fixed under the
reinforcing bars to provide the appropriate amount of concrete cover between
the bar and the formwork surface.

Figure 3: Construction of the Second Floor

CONCRETING; This is generally referred to as Casting. It is a process of

working with freshly mixed concrete especially the placing of concrete. Before
the establishment of the second floor some procedures where undertaken. Such
procedures include;

1. Material Supply and Storage: This is the receiving on site of the basic
materials namely cement, fine aggregate and coarse aggregate and storing
them under satisfactory conditions.

Cement is supplied in bags form and was stored on racks to prevent

moisture penetration from the ground in a dry store free from draughts
which can introduce moist air and cause air set of the material. Cement
should not be stored on the site for long period of time on site; therefore

11
 provision should be made for rotational use so that the material being used
comes from older stock.

Aggregates were stored in Bays on a clean firm base to ensure that foreign
matter is not included when extracting materials from the base of the stock
pile.

2. Batching: Before mixing was carried out, the ingredients have to be

measured in their correct proportion to enhance the quality of the concrete.
Volume batching was used in this process with the aid of a head pan with a
ratio of 1:2:4 and this was supervised by the site engineer.
3. Mixing: The purpose of mixing is to coat the surfaces of Aggregate
particles with cement paste and to make it a uniform mass. The quality of
mixture depends on the accuracy of proportioning of the materials and the
method of mixing. The method of mixing was carried out mechanically
through the use of a Tilting Drum concrete mixer.
4. Transportation: This involves the means of conveying concrete from the
point of mixing to the point of placement. The choice of transportation
depends on the size and complexity of the site, weather condition and the
height of the placement of the concrete. The mode of transportation used
was the manual method with the use of head pans and labour. A mason’s
ladder made of both bamboo and timber was constructed to enhance
vertical/inclined movements.
5. Placing: Before the concrete was placed in the formwork, the inside of the
formwork is thoroughly cleaned and a release agent (lubricant) was applied
after the formwork was blown off of dust. The concrete was placed at a
reasonable height of not more than 1m so as to avoid the segregation of its
component materials.
6. Compacting: The Compacting of freshly placed concrete is to make it a
unit mass by eliminating voids within it. The method and the type of
compaction given to concrete depend on the nature of work. Poker Vibrator

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 was used for the compacting of concrete during the construction of the
second floor.
7. Curing: After the placing and compacting of the concrete it is allowed to
sufficiently harden for a day then the curing process comes in which
involves the prevention of the evaporation of moisture in the concrete. The
concrete was watered for 7days with use of a hose pipe connected to a tank.
This was done to avoid shrinkage of the concrete and cause a more
permanent and durable material produced.

After 21 days the formwork and Arcos used in supporting the second floor are
removed completely to enhance the full setting of the reinforced concrete floor.

3.4 BLOCKWORK

The walling system was mostly carried out using sandcrete hollow blocks. The
sizes of blocks were used in respect to their functions. The 6 inches blocks
were used mostly for internal walls like the toilets and the store partitioning
while the 9inches blocks were used in load bearing areas and external walling.
The bonding process used in the union of these block is Stretcher Bond; which
is when the stretcher faces of the blocks appear on the front or rear elevation of
the wall.

3.5 LINTELS
Lintel is referred to as the beam above an opening in a building, which supports
the weight above it and transmits such weight of the imposed materials to the
vertical sides of the wall opening. The lintels used on the site were Precast
Reinforced Concrete Lintels that were constructed on site by using a wooden
mould. The precast lintels were transported and placed manually with use of
labor. One of the advantages of precast lintel is that it quickens production.

3.6 PLASTERING
Plaster is referred to as the type of aggregate when mixed with cement and
water it is used to spread over irregular and coarse textured walls and ceiling
surfaces to provide a smooth level finishes. The purpose of plastering is to

13
 provide a smooth, hard, level finish which can be painted for the sake of
appearance and as a light colored finish to gain the reflection of daylight.
Plastering is considered only on the internal part of building. A gauge is
established on the wall to determine the thickness of the plaster. The average
thickness of plaster on site is 1.5inches.

3.7 RENDERING

This is a type of Plastering done on the external or outer part of a building. It

mixing ratio defers from plastering due to their differences in functional
requirement. Rendering serves as a protection against weather conditions. A
gauge is established on the wall to determine the thickness of the rendering.
The average thickness of plaster on site is 2inches.

3.8 CONSTRUCTION OF THE SEPTIC TANK

Septic Tank is referred to as a small-scale watertight treatment plant for
domestic sewage from a building or complex in which the drainage flow is
slowed to allow sedimentation and sludge digestion by bacteria to take place
and the remaining effluent is purified and released. The Septic Tank is 15*13*7
feet in measurement used in the construction of the septic tank. Excavation of
the trench for the septic tank was procured by the means of manual labor. After
which earthwork support was established due to nature of the soil as it is a
water lodge area. The construction of the earthwork support was to keep the
excavation open by acting as a retaining wall to the sides of the trench and to
protect the operatives while working in excavation. Later on the Formwork
construction took place for the purpose of housing and providing support for
the wet concrete. The arrangement of reinforcement bars was carried out after
the formwork process to give tensile and retaining strength to concrete. Water
bars were later inserted and were attached to the reinforcements with the use of
binding wire at each corner of the septic tank both vertical and horizontal to
prevent the penetration of moisture and to support tanking. Casting commenced
soon after the application of a release agent was achieved and a ratio 1:2:4 was

14
 used as the batching ratio. The method of curing by watering was used so after
the sufficient hardening of the concrete had taken place to prevent the
evaporation of moisture. Water was poured on the concrete for 5 days through
the use of a hose pipe connected to a water tank.

Figure 4: Construction of the Septic Tank

3.9 CONSTRUCTION OF THE ROOF

The roof is the top-most part of a building. It sheds off water without leaking,
it beeps out grits and dusts, it also provides shades and sometimes light and
insulate against heat and wind. Roofs are of different types depending on its
physical or functional factor.
The type of roof used on the construction was a Gable roof; a type of roof that
has a ridge at the center and slopes in two directions. The process of its
construction is as follows;
Construction of the Roof beam: The roof beam is referred to a series of
horizontal structural members for supporting roof construction either on the top
of a wall or top of columns to another. The construction of the roof beam

15
include the construction of formwork after which a 1m level must have been
established on the columns or walls using a builder’s level and the arrangement
of reinforcement for tensile support after which the U-bars and L-bars are tied
to the beam reinforcement with the aid of binding wire to hold the wall plate
and also hang the roof mould respectively before it is casted with concrete.
Poker vibrator is also used for the compacting of the wet concrete and curing
method of watering is used to prevent the rapid evaporation of water.
Establishment of wall plates: Wall plate is a longitudinal member
incorporated into or placed on a wall floor joists or rafter. It transmits the load
of the roof to wall of the building.
The construction of the tie beams and the kingpost proceeded and then the
establishment of rafters and purlins. Afterwards the attachments of roofing
sheets took place. Bituminous felt was applied to puncture places on the
roofing sheets to avoid leakages.
Terms Used in Roof Construction
Knowing the basic vocabulary is a necessary part of Roof construction. The
following are terms used in roof construction;
King Post is a central vertical strut rising from a tie beam and carrying a ridge
purlin.
Span is the horizontal distance between the outside top plates, or the base of
two abutting right triangles.
Unit of run is a fixed unit of measure, always 12 inches for the common rafter.
Any measurement in a horizontal direction is expressed as run and is always
measured on a level plane. Unit of span is also fixed, twice the unit of run, or
24 inches. Unit of rise is the distance the rafter rises per foot of run (unit of
run).
Total run is equal to half the span, or the base of one of the right triangles.
Total rise is the vertical distance from the top plate to the top of the ridge, or
the altitude of the triangle.
Pitch is the ratio of unit of rise to the unit of span. It describes the slope of a
roof. Pitch is expressed as a fraction, such as 1/4 or 1/2 pitch. The term “pitch”

16
is gradually being replaced by the term “cut.” Cut is the angle that the roof
surface makes with a horizontal plane. This angle is usually expressed as a
fraction in which the numerator equals the unit of rise and the denominator
equals the unit of run (12 inches)
Rafters are the members making up the main body of the Framework of all
roofs. They do for the roof what the joists do for the floor and what the studs do
for the wall. Rafters are inclined members spaced from 16 to 48 inches apart.
They vary in size, depending on their length and spacing. The tops of the
inclined rafters are fastened in one of several ways determined by the type of
roof. The bottoms of the rafters rest on the plate member, providing a
connecting link between the wall and the roof.

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 CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED DURING ATTACHMENT

1. Access Road: The access road to the site is extremely poor due to the lack of
drainages and constant passage of heavy vehicles such as trailer and Lorries.

2. Land Pollution: The soil and water of the land is polluted as a result of oil
spillage from trailers and lorries that where formerly abandoned on the land. The
borehole that was sunk by the company was producing water of brownish color.

3. Nature of Soil: The area of the site appears to be water logged thereby providing
ponds of water in excavated trenches.

4. Site Accommodations: The site accommodation is quite poor. The lack of

provision of sleeping materials like beds and mosquito treated nets. Laborers
sleep on plywood and use only bed covers to protect themselves against
mosquitoes and other harmful insects.

4.1 RECOMMENDATION
The following Recommendation is referred to the Establishment I undertook
my SIWES program, my college, Industrial Training Fund and the
Government; in order to improved and enhance the expected results of the
Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme;

1. The Federal Government should establish and promote laws and agencies that
regulate land use to prevent pollution.

2. The Federal Government should provide and construct adequate roads in less
developed areas.

3. The Federal Government should provide industries and organizations with

incentives to encourage and solicit for their cooperation and contribution to the
programme

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4. The management of High profile architect engineering consult Ltd can create
and organise a special forum for students on attachment, this will help in
discovering students’ potentials and to appropriately use them effectively.

5. The management of High profile architect engineering consult Ltd should

provide adequate social amenities for their workers and enhance the welfare of
their workers.

6. The management of High profile architect engineering consult Ltd should try to
encourage workers initiatives and contributions to projects so at to enhance
their esteem and contributions to such projects.

7. The Industrial Training Fund should provide a network in which

Establishments and Students could communicate better so promotes easier
means of finding placements.

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