Chapter 16 Assessing safety issues in construction

It has been said that the million-pound mistake can be traced back to the early stages in the design process and to the decisions made at the first scribbling of the design.

What the client wants and what he provides to achieve it and how the designers, engineers and architects respond to his requirements will determine whether the project outcomes will be achieved in a manner that is non-injurious to the workers (who will construct it), those who will use and maintain it and, at some future point, those who will be charged with the decommissioning and demolition of the structure. It is at this critical stage when the feasibility of the project is being considered, when the design and engineering solutions are being sketched out, and land, budgets, resources and schedule to completion are being discussed that the impact of the project on the environment, and on the safety and health of those who will be affected by it throughout its whole life, must be given equal consideration and the prevention of harm prioritised within the solutions agreed upon.