It is estimated that the construction industry in the UK employs over two million people who face a lot of health and safety risks associated with construction works. Effects of such risks are not restricted to employees; such risks are long-term and impact on their families as well. Impacts of the risks do not only threaten employees and their family financial security but also affect quality of their lives. It is for these risks that specific legislations have been enacted to address various Construction Health and Safety risks.
Although UK construction legislations address varied health risks, there are specific health issues that all principle contractors are obligated to pay attention to. Contractors are for instance required identify asbestos risk and obtain the necessary licensing to work with asbestos. The same also need to be disposed off safely. Other health issues contractors need to pay attention to include carbon monoxide, manual handling and musculoskeletal disorders, dermatitis, respiratory disease, noise, work stress and hand-arm vibration.
Construction sites have varied safety risks that are adequately captured in the UK Construction Health and Safety legislations. Contractors are required to ensure proper site organization to minimize injury incidents. They are also required to eliminate or employ control measures to curb incidents of slipping, tripping and falling. Contractors also need to ensure that employees working at heights, working with cranes and other machinery are adequately protected. Additionally, contractors are obligated to ensure that structures put up are stable.
The UK’s Construction design and Management (CDM) Regulation of 2007 is a very useful legislation when it comes to addressing Construction Health and Safety issues. It provides for various ways contractors can improve health and safety at their construction sites. Additionally, it emphasizes on the need for contractors to engage the right employees for the right jobs at the right time as one way of minimizing health and safety risks. It places the responsibility of addressing all issues to principle contractors through proper planning and risk management.
The fact that UK construction regulations place a lot of responsibilities on contractors does not mean that employees do not have a role to play in enhancing their own health and safety at construction sites. Employees are obligated under the various legislations to ensure that they perform work in the right clothing including wearing of safety gadgets. They are also obligated to receive proper training regarding any type of construction work in addition to following all health and safety instructions provided by employers.
Effective management of Construction Health and Safety issues is not limited to looking at employee welfare and provision of health checks. It extends to providing construction employees with the necessary training on health and safety issues before they undertake any construction works. At times managing the risks involves incurring expenses in implementing various programs whose long-term benefits override any expenses incurred.
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