Chapter 9 Assessing safety issues in construction

Safety in construction is an integral aspect of the whole process from the time that the initial thoughts are being scribbled down and the concept developed through to the final stages of a structure's life when the demolition company is taking down and removing the debris to suitable recycling and waste sites. Responsibility for safety begins with the client and continues through the design team who are responsible for ensuring that their designs present no unnecessary hazards to personnel and users at any stage of the life of their structure, through to the contractor who must ensure that any hazards associated with the construction are controlled by all appropriate means and that any residual risks associated with use of the structure are notified to the client at the end of the construction phase.

The core strategic objective must be to achieve inherently safe designs that are, as far as is practicable, hazard free. Focusing on safety at the beginning of the process will contribute substantially to the quality of the structure and the safety of those who will build and use it. The goal is to achieve a structure that stands acknowledged by all as a symbol of excellence in the built environment.