SayPro Demonstrate an understanding of Health and Safety on a construction site.

Construction Site Health and SafetyConstruction sites are dangerous places, with innumerable hazards and dangers present that can cause illness, injury or death to a site worker. The increasing level of health and safety legislation over the past two or three decades has placed a great level of responsibility on site managers and supervisors for ensuring that the construction site is as safe as reasonably possible for those who work on it.As well as the emotional side, accidents and illnesses can be extremely costly for a construction firm. A worker who becomes ill or injured as a result of unlawful negligence can sue for compensation, which could turn into a significant amount if it is a serious illness/injury. Even if a construction firm has complied with all legislation it is still in its interest to try and prevent accidents and illnesses, as having workers recovering at home rather than working will slow projects down, or lead to increased costs if temporary cover needs to be drafted in and paid for whilst the firm also has the burden of sick pay for the injured/ill worker. This can be achieved through additional health and safety training for workers and improved working practices.6 principles of safety for construction projectsPrinciple 1: Demonstrate Safety LeadershipEstablish a project safety management frameworkAt the outset of a project, the project manager should establish terms of reference for a project safety leadership team responsible for establishing a culture of safety across the project and overseeing the day-to-day management of safety throughout the life of the project.It is essential that the project safety leadership team is led by a senior member of the project management team, rather than delegating the role to a safety professional.Identify safety champions for appointment to the project safety leadership teamThe project manager should identify safety champions from the client and project management team to participate in the project safety leadership team to ensure that a culture of safety is instilled in the project.Appoint a project safety leadership teamA project safety leadership team comprising the champions enlisted should be established to be responsible for overseeing safety throughout the entire life of the project. The project safety leadership team should be formally appointed to operate within the project safety management framework established.Develop project safety charterA project safety charter should be developed. The charter should be a public document and displayed prominently in project offices to declare the client’s and project manager’s intentions in relation to project safety.Develop project safety master planA project safety master plan should be developed during the planning stage of the project. It is an overarching plan which will inform and guide the development of subordinate safety plans for design, construction and commissioning of the facility/structure.Principle 2: Promote design for safetySpecify safety requirements in project briefThe project manager should prepare a project brief that, among other things, sets out the safety requirements and objectives for the project. The project manager should collate and provide to the designer all available data relating to the site that may affect safety considerations in the design. The project brief should establish performance criteria for safety in the design stage.Include safe design requirements in design consultant contractsThe project manager should ensure that the contract for the engagement of the designers contains requirements for design for safety. In selecting a designer, the project manager should ensure that safety requirements are adequately considered in the tender or proposal for the appointment of the designers, that all proposals are considered on an equal footing, and that these considerations are commensurate to the risk profile of the project.Select qualified designersFollowing the preparation of the project brief the project manager should engage the designers. The selection of the designers should be made on the basis that the designers have demonstrated competence in and commitment to design for safety and the principles proposed in the project safety charter. In the selection criteria for the engagement of a designer, clear requirements for safety performance and competence should be included.Establish requirements for safety in designThe project manager should collaborate with the designers in order to establish and agree on the general design requirements to be considered during concept and final, detailed design. These requirements should be flexible to respond to any emerging safety issues that might arise as the project evolves.Principle 3: Communicate safety informationCommunicate safety commitments to prospective stakeholdersCommunication of safety policy to all stakeholders (and potential stakeholders) is essential. The project manager, in collaboration with other stakeholders, should develop a project communication plan and strategy to inform all stakeholders of its commitment (and their obligations as partners in safety) to a safety culture for the project.Communicate project safety risk information to relevant stakeholdersFollowing the creation of the project risk register, all project safety risk information should be conveyed by the project manager and the designers to relevant stakeholders.Project safety risk information should be communicated to relevant (prospective) contractors and other relevant stakeholders to provide advance information on safety risks. This early notice will enable them to plan their work to either eliminate or minimise project safety risks.Principle 4: Manage safety risksConduct risk analysis of project optionsThe project manager, with the assistance of the designers, should undertake a safety risk analysis for each project option. A safety risk analysis should be prepared by assessing the relationship between the project stakeholders, the public, the eventual users of the facility/structure and the environment. It should concentrate on what can happen, and how and why it can happen in the implementation of the project.Undertake technical feasibility studies of viable optionsThe project manager, with the assistance of the designers, should undertake preliminary feasibility studies of design options proposed to meet the facility/structure’s need. Safety risks should be identified for each option and ranked for degree of severity. Options where risks are identified as extreme may be declared not feasible, and other alternatives may need to be considered. Other considerations may include safer alternative construction processes and the levels of skills and resources required by the contractor to build the facility/structure using safe construction processes.Select preferred project option based on robust risk assessmentTaking into account the feasibility studies conducted, the preferred option should be selected. The selection of the preferred option should be based on all considerations, i.e. quality, cost, time, aesthetics, amenity, environment and safety. The preferred option should be accompanied by the project risk register.Record safety information in a project risk registerA project risk register should be compiled by the project manager with the designer’s assistance following the selection of the preferred project option. This will be a ‘living document’. It should be updated throughout the project lifecycle as new risks are identified. When risks are eliminated, they should be recorded as such, but still remain on the risk register.Principle 5: Continuously improve safety performanceEstablish key performance indicators (KPIs) for safetyAppropriate KPIs for measuring project safety performance against project and organisational objectives and industry standards should be established. These should be developed initially by the project manager, but they may be modified as other stakeholders engage with the project. KPIs should include both leading and lagging indicators.Principle 6: Entrench safety practicesContinuously develop safety capabilitiesAll project stakeholders should implement programs for induction and on-the-job performance of staff to ensure they are familiar with the aims and objectives of the project safety charter and that their safety capabilities are continuously enhanced.Develop long-term relationships within supply chainAs early as possible in the project lifecycle, the client should develop relationships with consultants, contractors, subcontractors and other key project stakeholders to engage them in project safety management processes. In addition to providing their knowledge and lessons learned from other projects, other project stakeholders should be able to contribute productively to project safety strategies.

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