From available statistics, the construction industry in the UK is the most dangerous sector with a number of fatal and injury accidents reported annually. This is despite the fact that various safety mechanisms have been put in place to ensure the safety of construction workers. Certain construction dangers and risks though identified and known, may be very difficult to effectively control because of the changes that occur within the construction work environment.
The common and leading construction work dangers that workers face include falls from heights, excavation accidents, motor vehicle and machinery related accidents and falling objects. To protect construction workers from these dangers and others not mentioned, various Construction Health And Safety Regulations have been enacted in the UK. Such legislations are in most cases European Union directives that are simply domesticated in the UK and other EU countries as well. Some of the prominent regulations include the 1999 regulations on the Management of Health and Safety at Work, 1998 regulations on the Provision and Use of Work Equipment, 1992 regulations on Manual Handling Operations, Workplace Health, Safety and Welfare regulations of 1992 and Personal Protective Equipment at Work regulations of 1992.
Although the Regulations are mainly meant to assist employers design and implement safety systems at their establishments, they also require employees to play their part in ensuring that they stay safe at their construction workplaces. There are severe penalties in breaching these regulations. Such penalties include summary conviction with a fine.
Generally, the Construction Health And Safety Regulations require employers to:
1. Properly maintain workplace buildings and working equipments.
2. Ensure proper lighting within their work buildings.
3. Provide safe drinking water to their employees.
4. Ensure suitable levels of temperature within their work buildings.
5. Provide their employees with rest facilities.
6. Provide their employees with toilet and sanitation facilities.
7. Make available first aid facilities to their employees.
The Construction Health And Safety Regulations also require employers to educate and provide safety information to their employees to enable them be conscious on the need to promote their own safety at their workplace.
It is a fact that public construction works are undertaken in areas used by members of the public. The public too needs to be protected from dangers and risks that they may be exposed to. A well-designed construction safety plan should have a mechanism through which the risks to members of the public are addressed.
