Health & Safety: How to mitigate minor and near miss accidents on construction sites

RESEARCH
DISSERTATION
(Health & Safety: How to mitigate
minor and near miss accidents on
construction sites)

Table of Contents
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION....................................................................................................1
1.1 Overview of the Research................................................................................................1
1.2 Background of the Research.............................................................................................2
1.3 Research significance.......................................................................................................2
1.4 Focus and Purpose of the Research .................................................................................3
1.5 Research Aim ..................................................................................................................3
1.6 Research Objectives ........................................................................................................4
1.7 Research Question ...........................................................................................................4
1.8 Framework and Analyses ................................................................................................4
1.9 Structure of the Research .................................................................................................5
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................6
Introduction ...........................................................................................................................6
2.1 The minor accidents that happened at construction site. .................................................6
2.2 The role of induction function at construction site...........................................................8
2.3 The impact of induction function on reducing rate of accidents at construction site.....10
2.4 The recommendation of different approaches in order to minimise the rate of minor
accidents at construction sites..............................................................................................12
CHAPTER 3: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ..........................................................................14
3.1Introduction.....................................................................................................................14
3.2 Research Philosophy......................................................................................................14
3.3 Research Design.............................................................................................................14
3.4 Research Approach:........................................................................................................14
3.5 Research Type:...............................................................................................................15
3.6 Data collection:...............................................................................................................15
3.7 Data Sampling:...............................................................................................................15
3.8 Validity and Reliability:.................................................................................................15
3.9 Research Limitation: .....................................................................................................16
3.10 Ethical consideration:...................................................................................................16
3.11 Data analyses ...............................................................................................................16

3.12 Questionnaire ...............................................................................................................16
CHAPTER 4: DATA ANALYSIS ...............................................................................................16
Discussion.............................................................................................................................29
CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION ....................................................30
5.1 Conclusion .....................................................................................................................30
5.2 Recommendation ...........................................................................................................30
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................34

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 Overview of the Research
Health and safety can be consisting as a most essential element of human’s life as each
individual is concern towards safety of their heath. In this modern world people are very much
concern about their safety and security at work place. Small as well as large business enterprises
ensure their employees about safety and security at work place. Construction can be considered
as the most developing sector which helps in increasing the income level of economy. The level
of risk is so high in the department of construction as it is essential for organisation or its
authority to provide surety about the safety of employees and workers at work place. In this
sector organisations are taking responsibility of employee’s life and provide various safety
measures to them as to protect them from any kind of issue or conflict. Therefore, every
construction corporation required to use best practices in order to maintain health and safety
standards which helps to minimise potential accidents at site. Construction seek as a one of the
riskiest sector which need various and specific requirements for the contractors to meet all
standards which was designed and developed by the government bodies. On the other hand,
employees also need to follow these all guidelines and use different types of safety equipment
which prevent potential injuries in an appropriate manner. It is required for each business
organisation to provide induction program to their significant employees as to developing their
skills and ability to work and also reduce the risk factor. Construction can be consisting as the
most crucial business in which risk is so high and organisation and its authorities are focused on
providing proper induction or training session to their new and existing employees as to ensure
their employees about their safety and security. Therefore, the study of role of induction at site is
also essential. Site induction is a part of training which is related to the providing all information
about the work, risk management, rules and regulations, common hazards, roles and
responsibilities of management which increase productivity and reducing accidents rate.
Morgan Sindall Group is one of the popular British based construction business and the
companies headquartered is in London. The major purpose of the firm is to constructing high
quality building through applying various constrictive equipment’s.
1

1.2 Background of the Research
The research into consideration is based on Health and Safety: How to mitigate minor
and near miss accidents on construction sites and assessing the role of site inductions used to aid
this. A case study on Morgan Sindall Group Plc. It is one of the leading construction and civil
engineering company in United Kingdom. The cited firm is listed in London Stock exchange
and their annual revenue is approximate 2500 million which is quite good as compared to their
competitors. In the context of given study, according to the higher authorities the rate of group
accidents is increased by 27 percent in 2015 which is quite higher as compare to the statement of
past few years. The health and safety standards of Morgan Sindall Group Plc meet the corporate
standards and they also provide training and development program before start any construction
at site. The cited firm believes that employee protection is the first priority therefore, they use
different range of tools and equipment, giving presentation, graphics, posters and other fact sheet
talk and ensure regarding 100 percent safety to their significant employees and workers.
Therefore, Morgan Sindall Group Plc required to identify key personal and their responsibilities,
redesign policies and risk management system, implement all international standards to
overcome group hazards, established site visit, monitoring system, effective training which are
too essential for every business organization. The current research concerned about reviewing
the initial phase of construction to the final phase and communicating with workers and other
responsible personal regrading improvement which helps to meet its short and long term goals
and target in an effective manner. Work related injuries causes for a business organization and
for the staff as well. Because, it creates a negative image of the company in public, adverse
impact on their revenue due to compensate to injured employees. legal cost, loss of production
time and other issues.
1.3 Research significance
The present study helps to identify appropriate and suitable solution for reducing the rate
of accidents and group injuries at workplace. Morgan Sindall Group conduct their business
operation in the UK and there are having various public and private sectors projects. But in the
recent year the rate of near miss accidents is growing which is not good for the cited firm.
Therefore, the business entity needs to design and develop new policies and guidelines and
identify different types of potential risk. On the other hand, there are various factors which pays
and prominent role in order to overcome such incidents such as government rules and
2

regulations, technological, legal and so on. The significance of the current research report to
understand the health and safety in construction site at Morgan Sindall and contribute in order to
develop solution for such problem. The current study will not have a regulatory and management
burden but provide the future benefits and opportunities in an effective manner. These
advantages involving minimising risk at the construction place, reducing absenteeism of workers
which leads to increase efficiency and productivity, overcoming legal; and regulatory threats,
reducing cost of operation and increase the satisfaction level of stakeholders which is a common
goal for every business organization.
1.4 Focus and Purpose of the Research
The main focus of this study is to identify minor and near miss accidents at construction
site which is too significant for a business organization to maintain its profit and revenue in an
effective manner. Health and safety is one of the critical and complex aspects in construction
which needs to be covered. Hence, the focus has been related to the different types of hazards
and its relation to business performance. additional, the area of focus will be covered the role of
cite induction and other aspects. Health and safety at workplace is always one of the major issue
for construction industry which creates a negative impact on its overall performance. Various
researchers have been completed their research on the health and safety issue at construction site.
On the other hand, other researchers have conducted their study about the determination of these
accidents rate and its direct and indirect impact on current and future performance. With the help
of the major causes and comparison of different companies’ safety standards such types of
injuries will be overcome in an effective manner. The main issue for every contractor are non-
fatal accidents and poor health accounted more than 25 percent injuries at workplace. This study
will examine the different types of risk and hazards faced by an individual and its influences on
other business activities which is not good for a company. further, the research will explore the
various tools and techniques to minimise such accidents in the near future which helps to attain
their long term targets in an effective manner.
1.5 Research Aim
The study ‘Health & Safety; How to mitigate minor and near miss accidents on
construction sites and assessing the role of site inductions used to aid this’. A case study on
Morgan Sindall Group.
3

1.6 Research Objectives
 To identify minor accidents which could be happened at construction site.
 To determine the role of induction function at construction site.
 To determine the impact of induction function on reducing rate of accidents at
construction site.
 To recommend different approaches in order to minimise the rate of minor accidents at
construction site.
1.7 Research Question
 What are the minor accidents that happened at construction site?
 What is the major role of induction function at construction site?
 What is the impact of induction function on reducing rate of accidents at construction
site?
 What is the recommendation of different approaches in order to minimise the rate of
minor accidents at construction sites?
1.8 Framework and Analyses
This section of the research report initially provides the details about the different stages
should be used. This part of the research related with the giving information regarding research
methodologies will be used. Apart from that, researchers required that to use a different types of
strategies, data collection methods, tools and techniques, sampling approaches and so on. This
part of research provides the authenticity and validity of the report which is crucial for any
research.
Research Designs- This is one of the significant part of any research which is related to the
strategy that can be used by the researcher in the proposed study in a logical way and ensuring
the research carried out in an effective manner. In the current study descriptive research will be
used in order to addressing the issue.
Research Philosophy- This is related with the different type of approaches will be used in order
to collected data in an effective manner. Research philosophy can be categorised in to positivism
and interpretivism. In the current report Intrepretivism approach will be used by the researchers.
Research Approach- There are two types of research approach which can be used in a study. In
the present study inductive approach carried out to make an appropriate solution.
4

Research Type- There are two types of research types one is qualitative which is related with an
understanding the attitude and behaviours of an individual. on the other hand, quantitative types
report related with the facts and analyse the numerical term for a given problem.
Data collection Method- This is essential for the researchers to select an appropriate and suitable
collection methods in order to collecting information. In the present report primary and
secondary both types of data will be used in an effective manner.
Sampling Technique- This is another significant tool where researchers have to select a suitable
sampling techniques to provide the best possible solution to the company, in the present report
random sampling will be used.
Data Analyses Technique- It is essential for a researcher to analyse and evaluate the collected
data. In this study, qualitative methods will be used in order to make an appropriate conclusion
of a given report.
1.9 Structure of the Research
This is another section of the report which is related with the structure of the study carried
out. There is various part of the report which has been discussed in an effective manner. it
provides appropriate brief of the research which is too significant for the researchers. These are
given below:
Chapter 1: Introduction: This is the another and the first part of the researcher which is related
with the background of the proposed study and its aims and objectives. In the context of current
report, the aim of the report is about health and safety issues at construction site and the role of
site induction which is too significant for the cited firm.
Chapter 2: Literature Review: It is an evaluation paper which founded the view and thoughts of
different authors and academic experts in order to make an appropriate examination regarding a
specific topic. The literature review is a theoretical framework of research which helps to
described the critically analyses of their views on aim in an effective manner. The purpose of this
part of the report will provide the knowledge and information about the topic which is carried out
by the researchers. There are various academic journals, newspaper articles, books and other
materials in order to understand the viewpoint of authors which help to minimise the gap of
research.
Chapter 3: Research Methodology: This is another essential part of research which is related
with the methodologies used in the proposed report. In the context of given report, there are
5