How is health and safety culture an important How is health and safety culture an important consideration when managing a construction consideration when managing a construction

project?project?

Room for ImprovementRoom for Improvement

Widely recognised within the UK of being one of the Widely recognised within the UK of being one of the most dangerous industrial sectors, , although it accounts most dangerous industrial sectors, , although it accounts for only about 5% of the employees in Britain it still for only about 5% of the employees in Britain it still accounts for 27% of fatal injuries to employees accounts for 27% of fatal injuries to employees and 9% of reported major injuries.and 9% of reported major injuries.

In the past 25 years, 2800 people had been fatally In the past 25 years, 2800 people had been fatally injured and many more left seriously injured or ill. injured and many more left seriously injured or ill.

Room for Improvement con’dRoom for Improvement con’d Reductions in recent years have exceeded the targets Reductions in recent years have exceeded the targets

outlined in the HSE report ‘Revitalising Health and outlined in the HSE report ‘Revitalising Health and Safety.’ Safety.’

On projects where the client and the contractor makes On projects where the client and the contractor makes targeted and visible efforts to manage health and safety, targeted and visible efforts to manage health and safety, accident frequency rates can be reduced. accident frequency rates can be reduced.

Twenty year trend in worker fatalities (HSE)

Clarifying the Cultural ConceptClarifying the Cultural Concept

Culture is not something we own of have constructed Culture is not something we own of have constructed once and for all. It finds expression through the things once and for all. It finds expression through the things we do together, and is in constant development.we do together, and is in constant development.

Culture is seldom a unified and collective quantity. It is Culture is seldom a unified and collective quantity. It is usually fragmented, diversified and split into different usually fragmented, diversified and split into different sub-cultures.sub-cultures.

Culture is not an individual quality. It develops through Culture is not an individual quality. It develops through the interaction between people and specified frame the interaction between people and specified frame conditions.conditions.

Why Implement a H & S Culture?Why Implement a H & S Culture?‘‘Culture is not only a matter of knowledge, values andCulture is not only a matter of knowledge, values andattitudes. It is also about technology, economics, law andattitudes. It is also about technology, economics, law andregulations, and other conditions which influence daily life.’regulations, and other conditions which influence daily life.’

For a organisational culture to be effective it needs to beFor a organisational culture to be effective it needs to beemploy several characteristicsemploy several characteristics.. Be fair, flexible and adaptable.Be fair, flexible and adaptable. Have good reporting systems. Have good reporting systems. Learn from experience.Learn from experience. Constantly question their own practice and patterns of Constantly question their own practice and patterns of

interaction.interaction.

A Reporting CultureA Reporting Culture

Report major incidents and near-misses.Report major incidents and near-misses. Trust between workers and senior management Trust between workers and senior management

so they wont be afraid of the consequence of so they wont be afraid of the consequence of reporting an incident.reporting an incident.

The more incidents reported, then the The more incidents reported, then the organisation and its members can learn from the organisation and its members can learn from the experience and ensure they do not happen experience and ensure they do not happen again.again.

A Flexible CultureA Flexible Culture

Several workers doing the same task will Several workers doing the same task will increase reliability because they have been increase reliability because they have been trained to the same level and are more likely to trained to the same level and are more likely to notice mistakes made by others.notice mistakes made by others.

A group of people with the same background A group of people with the same background and mindset can risk becoming short of ideas and mindset can risk becoming short of ideas and less enthusiastic. and less enthusiastic.

A Learning CultureA Learning Culture

All workers on site should be able to All workers on site should be able to recognise when there is a potential hazard recognise when there is a potential hazard and act on it.and act on it.

It should be acceptable for a worker to It should be acceptable for a worker to question a management decision if they question a management decision if they believe it could be hazardous.believe it could be hazardous.

Health and Safety seminars to educate Health and Safety seminars to educate workers.workers.