[Health and Safety in Construction (Design and Management)]

by

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible.

DECLARATION

I, [type your full first names and surname here], declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University.

Signed __________________ Date _________________

ABSTRACT

At sites with multiple employers, efficient safety management is essential to ensure safety for both workers and customers. However, implementing effective safety management is challenging, particularly for companies that provide construction services. Construction companies encounter difficulties managing the safety of projects for many reasons, including the variety of customers and changes in work environment. Proper preparation and integration of safety into the different project life cycle stages improves safety, but the topic has not received much attention to date. This research discusses the integration of safety considerations into construction projects. Material was collected from UK's construction companies via interviews and a questionnaire. The results show that systematic methods for developing and producing construction services have not been adopted in the provider companies, but these are often implemented as a result of practical experience. On the other hand, construction companies and customers both believed that safety is taken into account during different stages of a given construction projects —safety issues were to some extent taken into account during the tendering and contract stages of a project, and preventive safety measures were commonly implemented during the delivery of construction services. However, safety performance often was not evaluated after completion of work. For this reason, construction companies may not have an accurate estimation of each other's safety performance in these types of multi-employer situations. The results of this study can be used in provider organizations to help systematize safety considerations during construction projects s and to focus efforts on the most essential points of construction projects safety management.

TABLE OF CONTENT

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTII

DECLARATIONIII

ABSTRACTIV

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION6

Background of the Study7

Safety Management9

Key Terms12

Outsourcing12

Construction projects Life Cycle13

Research Problem and Objectives14

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW16

Government innovation16

Academic innovation18

Industry innovation19

Occupational Safety And Health in Other Parts of the World20

Government Regulations22

Occupational Injuries24

Occupational Diseases26

Occupational Cancers29

Organizations Involved In Occupational Safety And Health33

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY35

Interviews35

Questionnaire36

CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND ANALYSIS38

Safety Considerations: Interview Results38

Results of the Questionnaire39

Development and Production of Construction services42

Discussion44

Consideration of Safety in Construction Projects44

Service Development and Production47

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSIONS50

REFERENCES53

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Companies constantly strive for competitive advantages by outsourcing processes to external construction companies, which can offer enhancements in the areas of transaction cost, process improvement, and capability enhancement (Hätönen & Eriksson, 2009, 45; Raiborn, Butler, & Massoud, 2009, 132). The predominant reason for outsourcing to date has been the desire for cost savings (Hätönen & Eriksson, 2009, 52). Companies are using the competencies of external construction companies to cost-effectively respond to market changes. Outsourcing may also release internal resources for a company's core activities while supporting and facilitating functions are carried out by ...