Safety at Construction work


Safety at Construction work



Construction is the process of constructing a building or infrastructure. Construction differs from manufacturing in that manufacturing typically involves mass production of similar items without a designated purchaser, while construction typically takes place on location for a known client. Construction as an industry comprises six to nine percent of the gross domestic product of developed countries. Construction starts with planning, design, and financing; and continues until the project is built and ready for use.

Large-scale construction requires collaboration across multiple disciplines. An architect normally manages the job, and a construction manager, design engineer, construction engineer or project manager supervises it. Those involved with the design and execution must consider zoning requirements, environmental impact of the job, scheduling, budgeting, construction-site safety, availability and transportation of building materials, logistics, inconvenience to the public caused by construction delays and bidding. Large construction projects are sometimes referred to as megaprojects.


 Construction work is a hazardous land-based job. Some construction site jobs include: building houses, roads, tree forts, workplaces and repair and maintain infrastructures. This work includes many hazardous task and conditions such as working with height, excavation, noise, dust, power tools and equipment. The most common fatalities are caused by the fatal four: falls, being struck by an object, electrocutions, and being caught in between two objects. Construction work has been increasing in developing and undeveloped countries over the past few years. With an increase in this type of work occupational fatalities have increased. Occupational fatalities are individuals who die while on the job or performing work related tasks. Within the field of construction it is important to have safe construction sites

Construction fatality rates


In 2014, the United States had 4,679 fatal occupational injuries, an incidence rate of 3.3 per 100,000 full-time employed workers. In the same year, fatal work injuries in construction and extraction occupations increased 5%. One in five deaths of workers in 2014 were construction related. Construction has about 6% of U.S. workers, but 17% of the fatalities - the largest number of fatalities reported for any industry sector. In the United Kingdom, the construction industry is responsible for 31% of fatalities at work and 10% of major workplace injuries. In South Africa there are 150 fatalities and approximately 400 injuries each year related to construction sites. In Brazil, the incidence rate for all occupational fatalities is 3.6 per 100,000. (Little to no information regarding construction fatalities could be found in Asia, South American, Africa, and the Antarctic.) The chart below contains more countries and the rate of construction site fatalities



Preventing accidents and improving safety


Site preparation aids in preventing injury and death on construction sites. Site preparation includes removing debris, leveling the ground, filling holes, cutting tree roots, and marking gas, water, and electric pipelines. Another prevention method on the construction site is to provide a scaffold that is rigid and sufficient to carry its own weight plus four times the maximum intended load without settling or displacement.
Ways to prevent injuries and improve safety include:

  • Management safety
  • Integrate safety as a part of the job
  • Create accountability at all levels
  • Take safety into account during the project planning process
  • Make sure the contractors are pre-qualified for safety
  • Make sure the workers are properly trained in appropriate areas
  • Have a fall protection system
  • Prevent and address substance abuse to employees
  • Make safety a part of everyday conversation
  • Review accidents and near misses, as well as regular inspections
  • Innovative safety training, e.g. adoption of virtual reality in training
  • Replace some of the works by robots (many workers may worry that this will decrease their employment rate)
  • Adoption of BIM with three dimensional printing to make the building model first before put into real practice



Planning permission or developmental approval refers to the approval needed for construction or expansion (including significant renovation) in some jurisdictions. It is usually given in the form of a building permit (or construction permit). Generally, the new construction must be inspected during construction and after completion to ensure compliance with national, regional, and local building codes. Planning is also dependent on the site's zone – for example, one cannot obtain permission to build a nightclub in an area where it is inappropriate, such as a high-density suburb. Failure to obtain a permit can result in fines, penalties, and demolition of unauthorized construction if it cannot be made to meet code. House building permits, for example, are subject to local housing statutes. The criteria for planning permission are a part of urban planning and construction law, and are usually managed by town planners employed by local governments. Since building permits usually precede outlays for construction, employment, financing and furnishings, they are often used as a leading indicator for developments in other areas of the economy


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