CHAPTER SIX: ENVIRONMENTAL

AND SOCIAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT

Charles B. Niwagaba (PhD)

Associate Professor
[email protected]; [email protected]
Telephone: +256 772 335477
Office: Room 1008 CEDAT New Building

Chapter Six, Lecture Two; 26/09/2024

Elements of Mitigation
 Step One: Impact avoidance
This step is most effective when applied at an early stage of
project planning.

Impact avoidance can be achieved by:

not undertaking certain projects or elements
that could result in adverse impacts;
avoiding areas that are environmentally
sensitive; and
putting in place preventative measures to
stop adverse impacts from occurring, for
example, release of water from a reservoir to
maintain a fisheries regime.
 Step Two: Impact minimisation
This step is usually taken during impact identification and
prediction to limit or reduce the degree, extent, magnitude, or
duration of adverse impacts.

Impact minimisation can be achieved by:

 scaling down or relocating the proposal;
 redesigning elements of the project; and
 taking supplementary measures to manage the
impacts.
 Minimization of impact, for instance,
during Construction Phase

Clearance for
construction
works – for
instance,
minimising
biodiversity
loss...
 Dust emitting activity
How can this be avoided or mitigated?
 Step Three: Impact compensation
This step is usually applied to remedy unavoidable residual adverse
impacts.
Impact compensation can be achieved by:
 rehabilitation of the affected site or environment, for
example, by habitat enhancement and restocking fish;
 restoration of the affected site or environment to its
previous state or better, as typically required for mine sites,
forestry roads, and seismic lines; and
 replacement of the same resource values at another
location, for example, by wetland engineering to provide an
equivalent area to that lost to drainage or infill.
 Establishing a new forest in another location, after cutting
down another for urban expansion.
How to get information for EIA Report
• Ch 7 ESMP
– Basically, a table of impacts and mitigation
measures; and a costing of the mitigation
measures; as well as the frequency of monitoring
– e.g. how frequently should the water quality be
sampled and analysed?
 Sample of an extract table of EMP
Environmental/ Activity for mitigating the Responsible Frequency Cost (Ugshs.)
S.N Main source of aspects
social aspect impacts party
Biophysical
impacts
1 Air quality degradation Land preparation for Water work areas using water bowsers Contractor Throughout 20,000,000
construction activity construc
tion
Emissions from vehicular Maintain vehicles in good working order Contractor Throughout 20,000,000
movement and service them on time construc
tion
Installation of plant Maintain equipment in good order and Contractor During 10,000,000
equipment service it, apply water using water construc
bowsers on work areas tion
Quarrying activity Reinstate the borrow pits and replant Contractor During and 30,000,000
indigenous species after
construc
tion
2 Water and land Labour camp and work area Good housekeeping and waste treatment Developer Construction 90,000,000
contamination phase

Operation of treatment facilities Developer Per year 5,000,000

3 Noise Land preparation and plant Keep and maintain vehicles in good Contractor Throughout 10,000,000
construction activity working conditions and service construc
them on time tion
During the implementation, one or more of the following
may be required from time to time……

• A waste management plan

• Quarry restoration plan
• Transport management plan
• Air emissions management
• Hazardous materials management plan
• Pollutant spill contingency management plan,
• Environmental noise management plan
• Contractor’s social and environmental action plan
• Environmental mitigation and monitoring plan
 What do the plans above include?? E.g.
Pollutant Spill Contingency plan may include….
• Purpose of the plan
• Spill Assessment
– Main chemical/fuel capacity and storage,
– Fuels (diesel, oils – lubricant and hydraulic oils, compressor oils)
– Chemicals – wastewater treatment chemicals, paints, varnishes, adhesives and
solvents), concrete additives, general detergents
• Possible spill scenarios and prevention measures
• Fuel leaks/Spillage from storage facilities and from connecting lines
• Spills during refuelling activities
• Oil and hydraulic fluid leaks from machinery/Storage facilities and
during servicing activities
• Chemicals leaks from storage facilities and from connecting lines
• Spills during transportation
• Spill reduction/mitigation including cleaning/treatment of
contaminated areas, e.g. soils.
• Training and reviewing
 EIA Act No. 5 of 2019
Schedule 4
Part 1: Projects for which Project briefs have to be submitted to the
Authority

4. Utilisation of water resources and water supply (Page 147)

(a) Abstraction or utilisation of surface water for agricultural,
industrial or urban use of more than 400 m3/day but less than 1000
m3/day.
(b) Abstraction or utilisation of ground water of less than 1000 m3/
day.
(c) Construction of gravitational water scheme of between 400
m3/day and 1000 m3/day, except where the water source is too
small to sustain the gravity water scheme or the ecosystem is
fragile and sensitive.
(d) Diversion of water from a river or stream, where the water
discharged is less than 400m3/day.
 EIA Act No. 5 of 2019
Schedule 4
Part 2: Projects for which project briefs are to be
submitted to the lead agency

3. Utilisation of water resources and water

supply (Page 151)
(a) Construction of community water points.
(b) Construction of small scale gravitational flow
schemes.
(c) Extension of piped water in town councils.
(d) Support facilities to (a) to (c).
 EIA Act No. 5 of 2019
Schedule 5
Projects for which ESIAs are mandatory
4. Utilisation of water resources and water supply (Page 155)
(a) Abstraction or utilisation of surface water for agricultural, industrial or
urban use of more than 1000 m3/day.
(b) Abstraction or utilisation of ground water of more than 1000 m3/day.
(c) Diversion of water from a river or stream, where the water discharged is
more than 400 m3/day or 30% of Internal Renewable Water Resources over
the river catchment.
(d) Dredging of a river or lake.
(e) Underground storage of water of 10,000 m3 or more.
(f) Bulk water transfer from one catchment or water body to another.
(g) Flood control schemes.
(h) Construction of valley dams and valley tanks where the threshold is
1,000,000 m3 or more.
(i) Construction of water pipelines of more than 20 kilometers in length or
with a capacity of more than 500,000 m3 per day of water.
(j) Construction of large scale gravitational water schemes of more than
1000 m3/day or where the ecosystem is fragile and sensitive.
(k) Support facilities to (a) to (j).
 A3: Environmental Legislation in Uganda
• The Constitution of the Republic of Uganda 1995, and as
amended, 2005 and 2018.
• The Land Act, Cap 227
• The Mining Act, 9/2003
• The National Forestry and Tree Planting Act, 8/2003
• The National Environment Act, Act No. 5 of 2019
• The Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations, S.I.
No. 13/1998
• The National Environment (Standards for discharge of
effluent into Water or on land) regulations, S. I. No.
5/1999
 Environmental Legislation in Uganda A3 CONT’D
• NEMA (2003). The National Environment (Noise
Standards and Control) Regulations, Government of
Uganda.
• The Public Health Act 1964 (Government of Uganda)
Revised in 2000.
• The Water Statute 1995 (Government of Uganda)
• National Development Plan, 2010. National
Development Plan for Uganda 2010/11-2014/5, April
2010.
• The Workers' Compensation Act (Act 8), 2000
• The National Environment (Conduct and Certification of
Environmental Practitioners) Regulations, S.I. No.
85/2001
Environmental Legislation in Uganda A3 CONT’D
• The Water Act, Cap 152
• The Water Resources Regulations, S.I. No.33(1998
• The Water (waste discharge) Regulations, 2020
• The Uganda Wildlife act Cap 200
• The Plant Protection Act Cap 31
• The Animal Breeding Act, 2001
• The Control of Agricultural Chemicals Act Cap 28
• The Agricultural Seeds and Plant Act Cap, 29
• The prohibition of Burning Grass Act, Cap 33
• The Fish Act, Cap 197
Applicable fees to NEMA! Advise your client; Not all Clients know this!
EIA Rate e.g. if project Fees payable
# Description of project categories
(%) cost is to NEMA is

Where the total value of the project does not exceed

1 0.5 50,000,000 250,000
50,000,000/=
Where the total value of the project is more than
2 UGX 50,000,000/= but does not exceed UGX 0.475 80,000,000 380,000
100,000,000/=
Where the total value of the project is more than
3 UGX 100,000,000/= but does not exceed UGX 0.375 175,000,000 656,250
250,000,000/=
Where the total value of the project is more than
4 UGX 250,000,000/= but does not exceed UGX 0.28 480,000,000 1,344,000
500,000,000/=
Where the total value of the project is more than
5 UGX 500,000,000/= but does not exceed UGX 0.2 900,000,000 1,800,000
1,000,000,000/=
Where the total value of the project is more than
6 UGX 1,000,000,000/= but does not exceed UGX 0.09 2,450,000,000 2,205,000
2,500,000,000/=
Where the total value of the project is more than
7 UGX 2,500,000,000/= but does not exceed UGX 0.075 4,500,000,000 3,375,000
5,000,000,000/=
Where the total value of the project is more than
8 UGX 5,000,000,000/= but does not exceed UGX 0.07 65,000,000,000 45,500,000
70,000,000,000/=.
Where the total value of the project is more than
9 0.05 450,000,000,000 225,000,000
UGX 70,000,000,000/=.
 With examples, pictures and
visualisations, pose questions e.g.
• What risks do you
envisage that this
bridge caused to the
users?
• What are the potential
risks to construction
staff involved in
upgrading that
bridge?

• In which phase of the project development,

are the risks identified above highest?
 A teaser regarding Budgeting for conducting ESIA
• Suppose a developer asked you to do for them an ESIA. They tell
you…..Well, I do not want to interface with NEMA. I want you to give me a
budget, I finance it and all I need is a certificate. I can write all letters you
want but for me I just want the ESIA certificate. My project is estimated at
UGX 480,000,000,000. And I am offering you UGX 200,000,000 and all I
need is a ESIA certificate from you. Well, business has not been good for
you in the year and you think this is a great offer. You actually chest-thump
and say let me swing into action and do the job. What problems are you
likely to experience?

• You have not thought through the required expertise, the time input of each,
and their daily rates. You have not even thought of the fieldwork
requirements. If you break down the cost, you may actually find out that the
offer of UGX 200,000,000 by the Client is a peanut!

• Well, the 480 Bn was the Client’s estimate; but the BoQ certified by the
registered valuer puts the project cost at UGX 550 Bn. Fees payable to NEMA
will be UGX 275m. But remember, you developer offered you UGX 200m up to
the certificate (including fees payable to NEMA). Do you see the Dilemma?
INTERDISCIPLINALITY IN ESIA STUDIES (1)
• Interdisciplinary team selection
• Depends on the project
• For instance:
– ESIA for a hydropower project – Specialties e.g.
electromechanical engineers/mechatronic engineers.
– ESIA for Road Project – Specialties, e.g.
Road/Highways engineer, highway safety specialist.
– ESIA for water and sanitation project – water
engineer, sanitation engineer.
– Establishing a medical facility – Medical doctor (at
least as key informants).
• A lot of specialists cut across
INTERDISCIPLINALITY IN ESIA STUDIES (2)

• In an ESIA, an expert
dug a pit and uncovered
the items shown.

• What kind of expert was

that?
(a) A historian
(b) Below ground biodiversity expert
(c) Witch doctor
(d) Archaeologist
INTERDISCIPLINALITY IN ESIA STUDIES (3)

• In an ESIA, an expert was

leading this study this
study.

• This expert was:

a) Biodiversity expert
b) Sociologist
c) Chemical engineer
d) Geotechnical expert
e) Natural resources expert
INTERDISCIPLINALITY IN ESIA STUDIES (4)

• In an ESIA, an expert was

leading this study this study.

• This expert was:

a) Geotechnical expert
b) Fisheries resources expert
c) Sociologist
d) Biodiversity expert
INTERDISCIPLINALITY IN ESIA STUDIES (5)

• In an ESIA, an expert was

leading this study this
study.

• This expert was:

a) Sociologist
b) Chemical engineer
c) Geotechnical expert
d) Biodiversity expert
e) Amphibians expert
INTERDISCIPLINALITY IN ESIA STUDIES (6)

• In an ESIA, an expert developed

this conceptual approach for
dredging and landfill works

• This expert was:

a) Sociologist
b) Chemical engineer
c) Mining expert
d) Water resources expert
e) Natural resources expert
 OCCUPATIONAL
SAFETY AND HEALTH
 Occupational safety and health issues
• Construction workers are exposed to a wide range
of hazards that could jeopardize their health and
safety at work.

• A hazard is a work place condition or practice

(danger), which can cause injury or illness (harm)
to a worker/an employee/even a visitor at the site.

• The hazard to causes injury through exposure

• Hence, Hazard + Exposure = Possible Accident

 OSH issues Cont’d
• A hazard may be an object (tools, equipment,
machinery, materials) or a person (when
distracted, mentally/physically incapable) or under
drugs/alcohol.
– e.g. a roofer might appear at the site while drunk,
– a machine operator sick and dizzy operating a machine,
– etc etc

• Since, Hazard + Exposure = Possible Accident

• We aim at eliminating hazards or exposures or the

combination of hazard and exposure happening at
the same time
 OSH issues Cont’d
• Workplaces have hazards in five general areas. We
refer to these as MEEPS;
– Materials, e.g. solids, liquids, gases
– Equipment, e.g. machinery, tools, devices
– Environment, e.g. noise, radiation (non-ionizing and
ionizing), humidity, temperature, atmospheres,
workstation design etc;
– People, e.g. any one in the workplace (employees, guests,
customers or contractors)
– System, e.g. flawed policies, plans, processes,
procedures and practices

• Lets look at the four major hazards in the work places,

majorly construction sites.
 OSH issues Cont’d
• There are four major hazards
in the construction work place:
– Fall hazards - Scaffold safety,
body harness;
– Caught-in or between hazards -
tapes, hoarding, reverse gear
warnings/alarm etc;
– Struck-by hazards - warnings,
tapes, reverse warnings, alarm;
– Electrocution hazards - LOTO!

• How do you identify the

presence of these hazards?
 Major hazards to deal with
• The major FOUR hazards in construction are:

 Fall hazards - Scaffold safety, body

harness;
 Caught-in or between hazards -
tapes, hoarding, reverse gear
warnings/alarm etc;
 Struck-by hazards - warnings,
tapes, reverse warnings, alarm;
 Electrocution hazards - LOTO!

• Let me give a few highlights from the above.

Why ESHS?
• Hierarchy of controls to deal with the
hazards:
– Hazard controls
• Elimination - remove the hazard;
• Substitution - replace the hazard;
• Engineering controls - Isolate (design-out) the hazard.
• Administrative controls - manage behaviours;
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) - wear protection.

• Remember; No hazard ........ No

exposure......No Accident!
 1. Fall hazards
• Top and middle rails
• Toe board
• Body harness when
working at heights
1. Fall hazards….Body harness protection
2. Caught-in/between

Shoring may be necessary

Soil protection by shoring
Not only shoring,
but also other
means, e.g.
sloping,
benching.

But when the

excavation is
beyond 2 m, you
need a
geotechnical
engineer to
evaluate the
protection.
Not only shoring to protect soil collapse
but sloping embankments and benching
Not only shoring to protect soil collapse but
sloping embankments and benching
Not only benching to protect soil collapse
but also benching and other measures
Lack of erosion protection measures causes
siltation downstream – reduces water availability

Fencing for site security – and avoid

children swimming and drowning

41
3. Struck-by hazards
 4. Electrocution hazards
The LOTO procedure for control of electrocution hazards
 Under electrocution hazards

Working under energized electrical conductors.

Can potential cause electrocution hazards
Although there were efforts to guard the equipment, it has
faulty electrical chords. REPLACE, Don’t improvise
 OSH issues Cont’d
• We identify these hazards through:
– Informal and formal observation program;
– Comprehensive company-wide surveys;
– Individual or group interviews, e.g. at start-ups etc
or at any point during work implementation;
– Walk-around inspections;
– Document reviews.

• How do you control those hazards?

 OSH issues Cont’d
• We use the hierarchy of controls to control the
hazards:
– Hazard controls
• Elimination - remove the hazard
• Substitution - replace the hazard
• Engineering - Isolate (design-out) the hazard
– Exposure controls
• Warnings - promote awareness - signage
• Administrative controls - manage behaviours
• Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) - wear protection

• Remember; No hazard ........ No exposure......No

Accident!
Youtube Video Links
• Confined space entry: https://youtu.be/k2XGMJKkD3U,
https://youtu.be/YppP4MJ7uq0
• Electrical safety: https://youtu.be/ggJo6m8NZtA
• Fall protection: https://youtu.be/N59eJoYEW54,
https://youtu.be/z62qFhfT3a4
• Food safety: https://youtu.be/KBvU4Bmu5O0
• Hand and power tools safety: https://youtu.be/6D072psjtwQ
• Hazard identification, communication and control:
https://youtu.be/wpiSpt7YyPU
• Lock-out/Tag-out: https://youtu.be/smOwQtcgdWA
• Risk Assessment: https://youtu.be/TiSJ8kJmHnc
• Safe lifting: https://youtu.be/901uQgfiuVk
• Working at height: https://youtu.be/IClw3tgioVI
 More info if you need
• To register as an ESIA practitioner, you will need to take a
professional course at the Department of Environmental
Management (DEM). The contact person is Dr. Kenneth
Balikoowa ([email protected], or
[email protected]) and his telephone number is +256-
773-384343. The course runs each year, from around July
to September, mainly on weekends.

• If you would like to enhance your knowledge in

occupational safety and health, you can take professional
courses from the American OSHA, for free by registering
at: https://www.oshatrain.org/dashboard/mytraining.php.
You pay only when you want to get the certificates for the
courses you will have taken.