OHS: Putting the ‘Pro’ into Process

A new study by the RMIT University’s Centre for Construction Work Health and Safety calls for ‘upstream’ intervention to improve OSH (Occupational Safety and Health) on construction projects. The study also identifies the key challenges when integrating OSH and says some construction accidents can be “attributed to failures arising before work commences on site”.

Proper integration of OSH on construction sites requires “active engagement” and input from government, constructors and any stakeholders in the particular project. In the U.S. in 2013 one in five workplace fatalities were related to construction while in Australia a staggering 211 died on construction sites from 2009-2013 according to Safe Work Australia. This detailed study, amongst other things, outlines five key principles for improving the integration and organization of OSH on construction sites.

1) Address OHS from the Start

According to the study, any decisions taken during the planning and design stages of a project can have a “significant impact on the OSH of construction workers”. What this comes down to is the total organizational make-up of a particular project, from the “cycle of the construction project” to other logistics such as the work schedule, delivery method for the project and the budget. “Opportunities to influence OSH are highest at the beginning of a project and become less and less as the project progresses.”

2) Identify the Key Players

For the appropriate implementation of OSH on site, it is important that the key stakeholders are identified with a proper consultation and communication process “to ensure the highest standards of construction OSH,” according to the study.

The study asserts that construction projects can be difficult to manage from a logistical perspective. With a number of different teams all with separate priorities many “contributors to construction projects either make or influence decisions that have the potential to impact construction workers’ OSH. Sometimes, these stakeholders may be external to the project, for example, regulatory authorities or community advocacy groups”, the study says.

“The key to worker safety is knowing the hierarchy of the safety management tactics,” says Phil La Duke, a partner in the Performance and Assurance for Environmental Resources Management (ERM), an environmental, safety and services company in an article about approaching safety ‘holistically’, in the industry website Fabricating and Metalworking.

“The first step toward a safer workplace is ensuring compliance with local, regional (state or provincial), and federal laws and regulation,” said Mr. La Duke. “After the organization can be reasonably certain that its process is stable and compliant, it should focus on worker and process capability.”

3) Construction Process Knowledge Should Be Available to Decision-Makers

The study has a tremendous amount of insight concerning the construction sector, an example of this is its identification of a “fragmented” supply chain and the lack of “communication between persons responsible” for the particular construction project. Having a lack of information in regards to the ongoing project can “impede” the “development of shared goals” and have a negative impact on OSH. The study expands on this, by suggesting a “separation” between design and construction on a project may be a factor in “fatalities and a barrier to the effective implementation of Construction Hazards Prevention through Design.”

4) Implement a Hierarchy

There should be a hierarchy of controls (HOC) during the decision-making process in OSH, according to the study. According to the study, construction managers should implement risk management protocols such as: identifying risks, assessing the risk, controlling the risk and reviewing and monitoring the said risk. It will be during this process that any risks are identified and dealt with swiftly. It is after this process that the HOC should kick into place, “the HOC classifies ways of dealing with OSH hazards/risks according to the level of effectiveness of the control.” They include:

Elimination

The removal of the risk this, according to the study, is the “most effective form of control”.

Substitution

This is about the replacement of something dangerous, with something less so.

Administrative controls

The implementation of “safe work practices”.

Personal Protective equipment

This, according to the study, is the “lowest form of control” and should only be used as a “last resort”. It is, still however, an essential element in risk management on construction sites and should always be given consideration and budget to ensure all workers on site have the correct and necessary PPE at all times.

5) Monitor and Improve

Finally, the study suggests a continuous review of the OSH process. Companies should seek “feedback from project stakeholders, and use the lessons learned to improve performance and to share and promote best practices in the construction industry,” it says.

If you would like any help with managing your OHS process why not speak to us about solutions for your projects.

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