Chapter 5 The different phases in construction – design in health and safety to the project life cycle

This chapter will discuss the integration of health and safety into the design life cycle of a construction project and explore the difficulties in establishing a baseline for acceptable risks or tolerable risks – what are suitable and sufficient safeguard measures.

The discussions will underpin the principle that the effort expended in planning and managing the health and safety aspects of the project should be proportionate to the risk and complexity of the project. The chapter will consider the issues to be tackled to eliminate hazards and to control the risks inherent in the design of the works to be constructed. It will consider the importance of identifying hazards early on in the project process to enable them to be properly managed. The discussions will promote the added value to be gained by embedding health and safety management into the procurement strategy and investment decisions from the project inception. Practical examples will be used to illustrate the matters being discussed and legal cases, when appropriate, to provide an understanding of what is an acceptable standard. When discussing these matters consideration will be given to the factors that will influence the construction risk management process to allow informed judgements to be made with a degree of confidence to miminise threats and maximise opportunities in a cost effective way.