Chapter 7 Establishing operational control processes

The core message, that designs are to be capable of being built, used, maintained and demolished in a manner that will not cause harm to the worker, includes the harm related to the workers’ health just as much as it relates to their safety. However, the link between construction site accidents and the designer is not always so obvious at the point and place of the accident. Recent analyses of accidents, however, have shown the connection to be greater than would first be apparent to most investigators. Consequently, in the drive to reduce construction site accidents, the role of the designer must be very much to the fore. Construction workers have a right to a working environment that protects and promotes their health. As professional engineers and designers, we must fully support the need to improve the health of workers within the construction industry. In recent times, there has been the recognition that more needs to be done with regard to the health and well-being of construction workers. We should all be very familiar with safety breaches, but we probably spend less time considering the main health issues facing construction workers. Workers in this industry have high rates of work-related ill health; including musculoskeletal ill health, noise and vibration damage, exposure to respirable silica and asbestos-related diseases. Addressing the health issues facing workers needs be on a par with their safety. A manager’s objective has to be ‘a safe outcome to a successful work operation’ and in that there is a need to start to look at anything that will thwart the achievement of that aim. Then deal with it.