Workplace Safety and Risk Management

This assignment focuses on workplace safety and risk management within construction environments. It highlights the responsibilities of both management and employees in ensuring a safe working environment. The document emphasizes legal requirements, risk assessment procedures, hazard identification, and mitigation strategies. It also stresses the importance of clear communication, employee training, and continuous improvement in safety practices.

Running Head: SAFETY AND RISK MANAGEMENT
Analysis of Safety and Risk Management
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SAFETY AND RISK MANAGEMENT 2
Abstract
Safety and Risk Management is a process of understanding, analyzing, and taking proper
actions in case of an accident in any organization. The uncertainty of the accidents calls for
proper procedures and implementation of the laid down policies in many organization. Many
organizations either fail to take proper responsibilities on accidents that happen to employees
during the working hours or don’t put proper measures to eliminate any chance of accident in the
premise. The article, therefore, looks at the safety and risk management policies and the common
types of accidents that occur in building and construction companies with Canberra Construction
Company as a case study. The article goes further to look at a case study of an accident to an
employee of Barpuk Investments and Building Company and analysis of the actions that were
taken by the safety management team to address the safety breach.
Introduction
In our everyday’s life, accidents do happen and they are always uncertain, however, in a
working area, proper procedures should always be put in place to avoid and address accidents in
case of their occurrences (Grote, 2012). The process is known as Safety and Risk Management.
Safety and risk management entails proper understanding, analyzing and discussing such
accidents in a company to ensure that their avoidance as much as possible. The commonly used
standards in safety and risk management are; International Standard Organization (ISO 31000),
is a codified risk management that requires observation on the principles and procedures during
management of risks. Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) is a general view on the
hazards related to chemicals in a workplace. China Ocean Shipping Company (COSO 2004) and
Oregon Government Ethics Commission (OGEC 2009) are commissions tasked by the China

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government to oversee the accountability of organizations on management of any of the
possibility of risk occurrence. In the globe there are a large number of building and construction
firms that fail to demonstrate the high level of safety and risk management in accordance to
placed policies (Lathrop, 2017).
There are many types of accidents in the construction industry (Fonsec, 2014). These
include tripping accidents, accounting for about 38.8% of the total accidents in the Construction
Company. Workers being stuck between objects accounting to 9.6% of all deaths while electric
shock accounts to about 8.6% of the total deaths, faulty machinery and automotive accidents
account for 7.8%, noise hazards caused by harmful and corrosive chemicals. The death rate in
the Construction Company is higher than the average of all industries making it essential for the
employers to take control of safety and risk management procedures. These procedures of
protecting employees from risks in a construction sites are provided by Construction Health Risk
Working Group, CONIAC.
Construction Health Risk Working Group has laid down policies and regulations that
provide guidance in eliminating and addressing accidental issues in building and construction
sites. Research shows that more than 100 people are likely to die when exposed to work health
hazards for example using chemicals when unprotected. It is the responsibility of every person
involved in the construction site to observe at the safety and risk measures so as accidental
possibility is reduced to minimum. Therefore, it is mandatory for the employer to check and
control the health of the workers and advising them accordingly and encouraging the employees
to adopt team since it aids to hazards reduction.

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Case Study
In April 2014, Barpuk Investments and Building Company had to be in court to defend
themselves against a plaintiff who had his brother killed. Mr. Jackson filed a case in the High
Court to see that Barpuk Investments and Building Company charged with a murder of the
brother, Mr. Wilson. Until death, Mr. Wilson was an employee in the Barpuk Investments and
Building Company as a casual worker. On that fateful day, Mr. Wilson was pushing a
wheelbarrow of sand to the site. Unfortunately, Mr. Wilson tripped and fell into a pit that was
dug to enable in disposing of sewage. It is sad that was the end of Mr. Wilson. Though the
company took care of all the funeral bills, they declined to compensate the loss to the family. Mr.
Wilson’s death left the family in a devastating situation. Their breadwinner was dead.
The court found the company guilty of the breach of the safety and risk management law.
The post accident analysis showed that the corporation neglected to take some keen issues that
would have prevented Mr. Wilson’s death. After the hole was dug and used, it was not covered
in a proper manner; instead, the contractor used an iron sheet to block the hole. With time the
metal layer was covered with dust, therefore, it was very difficult for anyone to realize that there
was such a hole in that area. There were no charts or warning posted to alert anyone of such a
thing. According to the report, the company further breached the law by not providing better
protective equipment to the workers. Most of them were exposable to sharp objects on the floor
since they were working with non-safety foot wares and bare hands. They were also using old
and poorly maintained machines exposing the workers to muscular constraints that later and poor
working posture led to problems such as in spinal code.

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How the safe work resolved the case
Barpuk Investments and Building Company, though the court order paid a fine of $
38,888 to compensate Mr. Wilson’s family and a punishment to them for the breach of the
safety law. Though the compensation would not entirely replace Mr. Wilson from the heart of
the family, it showed some remorseless and served as an example to other companies. Their
license was later revoked and the company deregistered by CONIAC.
How this safety breach was avoidable
The accident was much preventable had the contractor took proper measures. The pit hole
could have been filled up with stones instead of using the iron sheet that was weak. Filing the
hole would have made the ground to be at a uniform level. Sticking a poster of warning near the
hole would have helped in reminding any worker. It is very regrettable with the high level of the
fatality rate resulting from the construction company, and some contractors still cannot
emphasize and follow the procedures of the safety and risk management information. For
instance, it is recommended that an employee in the Barpuk Investments and Building Company
ensure that all the workers are in the safe mood before starting their daily duties. They will have
to report to the assigned personnel to check on their health, their protective measures like
wearing safety boots and gloves. These will protect them from any sharp objects
It is hence recommended that the company ensure that all deep holes are well filled or
covered with posters of warning near them. The signs will help in reminding even the individuals
who feel that they know. In a case of an accident, I will analyze it and take the proper

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responsibility without fear or favor. If the problem caused by the negligence of the worker, then,
it should be punishable in a proper way, and if it is due to the negligence of the contractor, the
same should apply to the contractor.
Responsibilities of the Employer and the Employees on Safety and Risk Management
For security and risk management to be successful in every construction company, the
measures adopted should be a responsibility of both the contractor and the workers (Grote,
2012).The following are some of the responsibilities taken by the company; every contractor
should come up with an effective safety and risk management program. The contractor should
develop a systematic process for identifying, evaluating and controlling both the existing and
potential hazards in a site. The contractor achieves this by reviewing both the routine and non-
routine activities undertaken by the staffs. The employer should be able to pass to all employees
on the hazards prone to the workplace. It is hence a responsibility of the contractors to promote
the safety practices of the construction site. The contractor should be able to appoint a particular
individual who is responsible for the security of all workers. Through this program, every person
acquires a safety-mind by adopting specific site practices. The methods show how the workers
understand the importance of the safety and risk management program increasing their capability
of facing any unexpected challenge posed by any new site.
The contractor should also adopt an effective training program for all workers before
commencing any construction and whenever need arises. Training should always be done
periodically and with authorized personnel though many of the contractors always feel that they
have given enough training to their workers forgetting that many new machines are under
innovation, and workplace also differs from place to another. Every contractor should provide

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proper protective equipment such as gloves, safety boots and nose protectors for those working
with chemicals like the painters. Every contractor should provide resting rooms for employees,
in a case they feel fatigue during the working hours. In most of those rooms, there should be
availability of first aid boxes. (Ha et al., 2015)Every contractor should create a harmonized team
within the construction site responsible for the emergency. Every employer should ensure that
proper construction and maintenance of all working places and service done to all the machines.
The following are the responsibilities of every worker in the construction site; every
employee should read and follow instructions on safety measures provided (Ha, et al 2015).
Every employee should be available in all security and risk management training. The training
provides the workers with knowledge and skills on how to work safely and ways how to attend
to any accident that may arise. Every employee should always inform the authority of any
accident experienced in the workplace. Every employee should always give opinions on ways
the safety and risk procedures can be improved. Every employee has sole responsibility to try
and avoid risk as much as possible.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is the duty of the management to ensure that every employee is safe
from hazards in the working place. The management should ensure that the business premise
conforms to the requirement of the Building and Construction Authority. In a case of any
negligence of the safety and risk awareness to the employees and any other person within the
premise, then the contractor should be brought to the book of law and penalized in accordance to
the degree of the accident occurred. According to the Employer’s Liability Act, all policies and
procedures must be put down in writing and communicated to the staffs as frequent as possible.

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All layouts of a building should reduce any possibility of risk, with proper construction and
maintenance. Workers are also required to take responsibility by avoiding risks as much as
possible. All the safety and risk measures are achievable when proper assessment with the
qualified personnel is carried out and appropriate channels observed every time in the work
place.

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References
Grote, G. (2012). Safety management in different high-risk domains – All the same?. Safety
Science, 50(10), 1983-1992. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2011.07.017
Lathrop, J., & Ezell, B. (2017). A systems approach to risk analysis validation for risk
management. Safety Science. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2017.04.006
Smith, S. (2015). Workplace hazards of truck drivers. Monthly Labor Review.
http://dx.doi.org/10.21916/mlr.2015.8
Fonseca, E., Lima, F., & Duarte, F. (2014). From construction site to design: The different
accident prevention levels in the building industry. Safety Science, 70, 406-418.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2014.07.006
Ha, H., & Kang, K. (2015). Rapid on-site support for research measures to improve the
prevention of serious accidents -Focusing on domestic construction site-. Journal Of The
Korea Safety Management And Science, 17(4), 47-56.
http://dx.doi.org/10.12812/ksms.2015.17.4.47
Yang, H., Chew, D., Wu, W., Zhou, Z., & Li, Q. (2012). Design and implementation of an
identification system in construction site safety for proactive accident prevention.
Accident Analysis & Prevention, 48, 193-203.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2011.06.017

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Zhao, X. (2014). Research of Hazards Management Model in Construction Site. Applied
Mechanics And Materials, 501-504, 2419-2423.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.501-504.2419