Tips for Managing Health and Safety in Construction Effectively
There are more workplace accidents in the construction industry than across any other UK sector, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). It’s unsurprising considering the nature of most construction jobs and the working environment. Effectively managing health and safety in construction is vital to reduce incidents.
Accidents and incidents on construction sites can lead to serious injuries and even fatalities. Therefore, strong preventative action is required to minimise the chance of harm and loss of life across any construction activities. Injuries and deaths can also result in financial, legal, and reputational damage to your business.
There are various actions you can take to reduce risks in construction, protect workers, and ensure strong management. Consider the following information and tips for managing health and safety in construction effectively.
What is health and safety in construction?
Health and safety in construction is all about protecting workers and visitors to construction sites from the risk of accidents, incidents, and injuries. There are all sorts of hazards on construction sites, demolition jobs, and building projects. Putting in place effective measures to minimise the chance of harm is what health and safety in construction is about.
Good health and safety in the construction industry involves:
- Creating a construction phase health and safety plan
- Carrying out and regularly reviewing risk assessments
- Analysing hazards and taking steps to eliminate them
- Recording and analysing accident and incident information
- Providing appropriate protective clothing and equipment
Who manages health and safety at a construction site?
The employer and/or main contractor on a construction site are responsible for managing health and safety. It’s for the employer to ensure that all relevant risk assessments are conducted, a construction phase health and safety plan is completed, and measures are put in place to reduce the risk of accidents and incidents.
During day-to-day work, it may be the main contractor or site manager who oversees health and safety. Construction workers should also be aware of their own responsibilities and uphold these to ensure good health and safety on site. This may involve being familiar with the health and safety policy and steps and wearing appropriate protective clothing.
Why is health and safety important in construction?
Good health and safety are important in construction as it’s one of the most dangerous industries. Every week in the UK there are around a thousand construction-related injuries. Effective health and safety policies and measures are vital to protect workers against the risks of accidents, incidents, injuries, and fatalities.
There’s also the financial cost of health and safety for the construction sector. It costs the UK’s construction sector around £1 billion every year to deal with health and safety incidents. Discover more construction health and safety statistics to understand why it’s so important for the industry.
What are the health and safety risks in the construction industry?
There are many risks in the construction industry that can vary across sites depending on their location, size, and the nature of work. Risks of accidents and injuries increase due to the use of large machinery, equipment, and materials. Knowing potential hazards helps protect against them.
These are some common health and safety risks in the construction industry:
- Slips, trips, and falls – construction workers falling over materials, tools, and uneven ground is a common hazard.
- Falls from height – lots of construction jobs involve ladders, cranes, scaffolding, and working at height where the risk of an injury or fatality from a fall is greater.
- Electrocution – loose wires, fuse boxes, and installing electricity supplies increase the risk of electrocution.
- Manual handling – moving heavy and bulky materials and equipment around construction sites is a common cause of injuries such as bruises, broken bones, sprains, pulled muscles, and back pain.
- Vehicle accidents – construction sites where moving vehicles such as forklift trucks, cranes, and diggers are present increase the risk of workers being knocked down.
- Airborne fibres and asbestos – for demolition and renovation projects there’s a greater chance of airborne fibres being released and exposure to asbestos, which can cause serious health problems.
- External risks – theft and vandalism can disrupt construction sites and introduce hidden risks due to structural damage.
- Environmental hazards – weather such as rain and lightning increases the chance of slips and falls, as well as electrocution for those working outside.
How to manage health and safety in construction
Managing health and safety in construction companies is the responsibility of the employer. There are various legal requirements as well as best practices to follow to protect workers from the risk of injuries. Spending time to develop an effective health and safety plan and being proactive rather than reactive is essential.
Use these tips to manage health and safety in your construction company effectively:
- Conduct risk assessments – risk assessments are a legal requirement. Employers must assess the health and safety risks of construction sites that workers and others could be exposed to.
- Create risk assessment method statement (RAMS) in construction – RAMS aren’t legally required but they should be carried out for construction sites and jobs. They go a step further than risk assessments by introducing measures to control, reduce, and eliminate the hazards.
- Train workers and raise awareness – ensure everyone on a construction site has the knowledge to carry out their roles safely. Provide regular training and awareness sessions about potential risks, what to do in an emergency, and who to contact.
- Record and report incidents – if there are more than 10 employees then it’s a legal requirement to have an accident book and record incidents. It’s also best practice in the construction industry so you can learn from any incidents and review the progress of your health and safety plan and goals.
- Tidy away tools – reduce the risk of trips and falls with a strict policy for ensuring tools, machinery, and materials are kept tidied away when not in use and at the end of the day.
- Review and monitor health and safety – daily, weekly, and monthly reporting can help identify any ongoing risks and put in place control measures. It can also highlight developing risks and show where measures have been effective.
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