Construction Health & Safety
Improving the safety, health and working conditions ultimately depends on the co-operation of people working together, whether employers or workers. The safety management includes the functions of planning, identifying problem areas, coordination, control and management of security activities on site, all with the aim of preventing accidents and diseases.
The prevention of accidents is often misunderstood, as most
people mistakenly believe that "accident" is "injury",
which presupposes that an accident is irrelevant unless it involves an injury.
A construction manager should obviously be concerned about injuries to workers,
but their main concern should be the dangerous conditions that cause them: the
"incident" rather than "injury" itself.
On a construction site, there are many more
"incidents" than injury. A dangerous action can be performed hundreds
of times before it causes an injury and so efforts should focus on eliminating
these potential hazards. Therefore security management means taking safety
measures before accidents occur. Effective security management has four main
objectives:
·
A secure environment;
·
Make work safe;
·
Make the equipment, vehicles and machinery safe.
Telescopic Handlers and MEWPs
Construction site machinery and vehicles are major
components in the area of health and safety. Without proper supervision,
training and maintenance, these machines can be fatal.
Where telescopic handlers are concerned, the machine should
be carefully chosen, maintained and operated by qualified drivers. Most
injuries and other accidents with telescopic handlers happen when the machinery
is moving and hits a person, especially whilst reversing. The other main cause
is when the vehicle is lifting and overturns. These types of hazard must be
identified through a thorough risk assessment where specific measures can be
implemented.
The right telehandler should be picked for the job. However,
in general, the telehandler must have good all round visibility around the
driver, both in rear and forward positions. The vehicle should not be
overloaded as this can cause the telehandler to overturn. Using the vehicle on
unstable ground is another hazard worth avoiding as this will affect their
operation to varying degrees. Lastly, the telehandler should adhere to the site
speed limit, especially when turning round corners.
In terms of health and safety, the use of an MEWP (multi
elevating work platform) shares many of the same aspects as a telehandler. The
main cause of accident and injuries is through entrapment in the basket,
falling, collision with people or vehicles or if the MEWP overturns.
A careful risk assessment should be in place to identify all
the potential hazards for the event of an accident. All operators should be
trained and the vehicles must be regularly maintained. Any overhead structures
and cables need to be identified, alongside ground conditions. The weather can
affect the operation of MEWPs, so this is also a factor to consider. Making
sure outriggers are extended, guard rails are in place and if necessary, the
securing of a harness and work restraint lanyard are all other aspects of
health and safety with MEWPs.
Safety Policies
The conditions of safe and healthy working do not happen by
chance: it is necessary that employers have a written safety policy in the
company to establish the health and safety that aims to achieve this. This
policy shall appoint the head manager that standards are applied and authorised
to delegate responsibilities for management and supervisors at all levels to
fulfil them. The security policy should cover the following aspects:
·
Devices for training at all levels. You need to
pay special attention to key areas such as putting up scaffolding and crane
handling, and where errors can be especially dangerous.
·
Methods or safe systems of work for risky
operations; workers performing these operations must be involved in its
preparation;
·
The duties and responsibilities of supervisors
in key positions;
·
Devices to disseminate information on health and
safety;
·
Measures to establish safety committees;
·
Selection and control of subcontractors.
The organisation of safety on a construction site depends on
the size of the area, the employment system and the way the project is
organised. You must keep records of health and safety that facilitate the
identification and resolution of such problems.
In construction projects where subcontractors are used, the
contract shall include the responsibilities, duties and security measures
expected in the workforce of the subcontractor. Such measures may include the
provision and use of certain safety equipment, methods for specific tasks
safely, and inspection and proper handling of tools. The charge of the work
must also verify that materials, equipment and tools brought to the same
project meet minimum safety standards.
Training should be provided at all levels: management,
supervisors and workers. You may also need training to subcontractors and their
employees in safety procedures of the work, as different teams of specialised
workers can affect their mutual security.
A system should also exist for the management to receive
information quickly about unsafe practices and faulty equipment. The tasks of
health and safety should be specifically allocated to certain persons. The
following are examples of some of the duties that must be included:
·
The supply, construction and maintenance of
security installations such as access roads, footpaths and barricades;
·
Construction and installation of safety signs;
·
Testing of lifting equipment such as cranes and
cargo cranes and lifting accessories such as ropes and rings;
·
Inspection and correction of access facilities
such as scaffolding and ladders;
·
Inspection and cleaning of the common welfare
facilities such as toilets, changing rooms and dining rooms;
·
Emergency and evacuation plans.
No plan or security policy will be feasible unless each
specific task is assigned to a specific person or is completed within a
specified period. The safety plan or policy should be transmitted to the level
of workers whose health and safety it is, after all, seeking to safeguard.
Safety managers and supervisors
Construction companies of any size must appoint one or more
qualified individuals whose primary and special responsibility will be to
promote health and safety. Whoever is appointed should have direct access to
the head of the company, and their duties are:
·
The organisation of information to be
transmitted from the direction of the workers, including those working for
subcontractors;
·
Organising and conducting safety training
programs, including basic training for construction workers;
·
Research and study of the circumstances and
causes of accidents and occupational diseases, and to advise on preventive
measures;
·
Providing consulting services and technical
support to the safety committee;
·
Participate in pre-planning of the work.
To fulfil these functions, the safety officer should have
experience in the industry and have adequate training and also belong to a professional
association recognised in health and safety. You can find out much more on all
aspects of health and safety on constructions sites at http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/
Contract Lifting
If you don’t have a particular expertise in construction or
lack the qualified experience of heavy lifting on such a site, then there are
other options. Hiring in a specialist lifting company is often the best way to
go, as the teams of trained experts handle the whole operation for you from
planning to completion. This eliminates any worry and stress you may have over
a project.
GT Lifting provide such a service and are the leading
specialists in their field. With a team of highly skilled telehandler and MEWP
operators, you can rest at ease, knowing that your project will get off the
ground without a hitch.
