Assignment about Safety on Construction

1

Table of Contents
1 Executive Summary......................................................................................................................................3
2 Objective Statement......................................................................................................................................4
3 Specific Objectives.........................................................................................................................................5
4 Background....................................................................................................................................................6
5 Possible solutions to major causes of accidents in construction sites (Explicit Knowledge)..................7
5.1 Advantages.............................................................................................................................................9
5.2 Disadvantage..........................................................................................................................................9
5.3 Implication on Industry..........................................................................................................................9
6 Findings (Tacit Knowledge).......................................................................................................................10
6.1 Advantages...........................................................................................................................................10
6.2 Disadvantage........................................................................................................................................10
6.3 Implication on Industry........................................................................................................................10
7 Conclusion....................................................................................................................................................11
8 References....................................................................................................................................................12

1 Executive Summary
Safety on construction sites is a critical and a headache on most cases. Solutions to the major
causes of the safety hazards are available. Some of the major causes of accidents on site
include poor induction of workers, lack of proper use of protective gears and poor signage.
All these issues can be addressed in different ways and ensure that safety is enhanced.
Enhancing the induction methods, change ion signage methodologies and proper use of safety
gears can help a lot in helping prevent some of the accidents which are recorded on site.
These measures may be expensive but in the long run the companies will save lives and costs
associated with the accidents.

2 Objective Statement
The objective of the study is to analyse the possible solutions to the major causes of safety
hazards in construction sites.

3 Specific Objectives
Safety on site is caused by several factors and the study will analyse the possible solutions
which can be done to enhance the safety and health of workers on site. The study will help to
come up with proper induction method to help in educating the workers on safety hazards.
The study will also aim to analyse the possible ways of proper use of personal protective
equipment to enhance safety. Lastly, the study will focus on the use of signage as a way to
enhance the safety within the sites.

4 Background
Preventable accidents do happen each day on constructions sites. The construction team and
majorly the health and safety officers have a critical role to play to ensure that these accidents
are prevented. The proper safety measures can be taken to ensure that zero accidents are
achieved in a project. Poor and lack of induction of workers to safety rules, failure and
improper use proper personal prospective equipment and lack of proper signage are some of
greater causes of accidents in construction sites (Manu, 2019). Nevertheless, all the accidents
caused through these key areas can be prevented. The employers have the main roles to
mitigate the safety hazards for constructions workers. In addition, the workers have the
responsibility to mind the available precautions when working on sites.

5 Possible solutions to major causes of accidents in construction sites (Explicit
Knowledge)
Construction sites can be most dangerous places to work on. Nevertheless, safety measures
on site can be enhanced and these accidents be prevented (CCPS & American Institute of
Chemical Engineers, 2019). In order to reduce the accidents at work places, the construction
sites can take several measures to ensure the sites are secure.
i. Induction of workers
Creating awareness about safety hazards is one of the major way of preventing accidents
in construction sites. Before any worker accesses a site, it is possible to ensure that they are
well made aware of the risks available on site (Rogers & Lynda.com 2018). The induction
process ensures that the workers are educated on available risks and the possible ways to
ensures they keep safe against them. Knowing the risks is one way to ensure that the workers
are able to follow the safety precautions. The workers through the induction process are
taught to avoid the accidents by keeping safe. Educating is the only better way to ensure that
the safety on site is enhanced.
Figure 1: Induction topic

ii. Proper use of Proper Protective Equipment
The use of protective equipment is one of the main sure of safety on site is achieved. The
site manager has to create a culture on construction sites for employee to use helmets, safety
boots, safety harnesses when working on site and reflective jackets on all times (Schmitt,
Cohen, Day, Nichols, Schexnayder, & Access Engineering - York University 2019). These
are some of the key gears which the workers can embrace to enhance safety measures. In
addition, the safety managers have to analyse the type of work each employee is allocated to
and issue the proper protective gear which suits such jobs. The protective equipment ensures
that the employees are protected against the risks and dangers associated with the jobs they
undertake.
Figure 2: Sample of useful Protective Gears
iii. Use of signage
Proper signage on construction sites ensures that the workers are able to identify area
which are risks and the risks associated. This make the workers to be more aware on the
risks on those areas. Through the signage, the workers will have reduced risks of

accidents at those areas (Chew 2018). For instance, with a deep excavation signage, most
of workers will evade such areas and therefore reduce the risk of accidents on such areas.
Figure 3: Common Signages on sites
5.1 Advantages
The major advantages of implanting the safety measures include reduced level of accidents.
In a further extend, this leads to a reduced cost expenses which are related to the medical
expenses. In addition, improved safety lowers the absenteeism for workers and therefore
increases their productivity.
5.2 Disadvantage
Keeping safety on sites is costly and time consuming. This is a key disadvantage wich is
experienced when the safety measures are implemented on site.
5.3 Implication on Industry
To the industry, proper safety measures ensures that the accidents on sides are reduced. In
turn, the employees are able to put a lot of input to their workers and therefore increasing the
production (In Emuze, & In Smallwood 2018,). In addition, the safety on sites ensures that

the costs related to medical issues are reduces and therefore improving the economics of the
companies.
6 Findings (Tacit Knowledge)
Further additional measures to enhance the safety on construction sites is needed. First, for
signage, use of LEDs can be beneficial with video clips sows possible causes of accidents.
For instance, having a video of falling object on a person without a helmet will be more
educative that just putting an image only (WorkSafe New Zealand 2018). In addition, most of
the construction site just take the workers through oral explanations of inductions without
even knowledge of whether they have understood or not. Offering short exams before
admitting the workers to work will ensure that the chance of accidents are reduced since more
knowledge will be impacted. Putting in place a measure to detection measures on site will
ensure that all the equipment are of right quality. Construction sites have quality controls for
construction materials and not for the protective gears.
6.1 Advantages
The use of video LEDs will enhance awareness and therefore reduce aby chances for
accidents. Counterfeit protective gear has caused more injuries on sites than before. In
addition, this ensures that the financial savings are made due to reduced costs of medication.
Time saving by making the worker more productive will be made.
6.2 Disadvantage
The additional methods may increase the bills for the companies. This is a negative impact of
some of the methods. In addition, the worker may at first take a lot of time looking at the
LED videos which may waste time.
6.3 Implication on Industry

The additional measures will ensure that the safety is enhanced and therefore less accidents
can be experienced. This can lead to cost savings for the companies.
7 Conclusion
In conclusion, proper measures on inducting workers to safety measures, using of proper
PPEs and proper signage can play a big role to achieving zero accidents on sites. This is
likely to have positive impacts on cost saving and increased productivity.

8 References
CCPS (Center for Chemical Process Safety), & American Institute of Chemical Engineers,
2019, Guidelines for investigating process safety incidents. New York: American Institute of
Chemical Engineers.
Chew, M. Y. L, 2018, Construction technology for tall buildings. New Jersey: World
Scientific.
In Emuze, F., & In Smallwood, J. J, 2018, Valuing people in construction. Abingdon, Oxon;
New York, NY: Routledge, an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group,
http://public.eblib.com/choice/publicfullrecord.aspx?p=4941850
Manu, P. 2019, Construction health and safety in developing countries. Abingdon, Oxon;
New York, NY: Routledge. https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?
direct=true&scope=site&db=nlebk&db=nlabk&AN=2235547.
Rogers, J., & Lynda.com (Firm), 2018, On the Job Site: Construction. Carpenteria, CA:
Lynda.com.
Schmitt, R. L., Cohen, A. B., Day, D. A., Nichols, H. L., Schexnayder, C. J., & Access
Engineering - York University, 2019, Moving the Earth: Excavation Equipment, Methods,
Safety, and Cost, Seventh Edition. New York, N.Y.: McGraw-Hill Education.
WorkSafe New Zealand (Government agency), 2018, Small construction sites: The
absolutely essential health and safety toolkit. Wellington, New Zealand: WorkSafe New
Zealand.