Ministry of Higher Education & Erbil Technical College

Scientific Research Department of Building

&Construction
Erbil Polytechnic University

Subject/

safety in construction

student's lecture
Lara kosrat Adel Hussein.M.A.Karim

Date10/27/2020

1
Contents
introduction.............................................................................................................................................................3
Definition................................................................................................................................................................4
Why Safety?............................................................................................................................................................4
Safety Management System....................................................................................................................................4
Three Safety Management Systems for Construction..............................................................................................5
1. HS(G)65 – International Guidelines from the British Health and Safety Executive............................6
2. ILO-OSH 2001, the Standard from the International Labor Organization.........................................6
3. OSHA and its Safety & Health Management Systems tools...................................................................7
Software Applications for OHSAS 18001 Certification and HSE Auditing..................................................7
Do Spreadsheets or DIY Apps Make Sense for Implementing an SMS like ILO-OSH 2001?....................8
Which Safety Management System Should You Use?....................................................................................9
Construction Safety Plan................................................................................................................................10
Types of Construction Safety........................................................................................................................10
1. To protect the head........................................................................................................................................12
2. To protect the eyes........................................................................................................................................13
3. To protect the lungs.......................................................................................................................................14
4. To protect feet and toes.................................................................................................................................15
5. To protect hands............................................................................................................................................16
6. To protect the entire body.............................................................................................................................17
Conclusion............................................................................................................................................................18
Reference..............................................................................................................................................................18

2
introduction 
Safety means free from danger or risk and managing the workers/labors for ensuring safety is called
management. 'Therefore the construction site safety & management deals with safety of labors and
employees working at the site. In India the construction industry is the second largest employer next to
agriculture and about 31 million people are employed in construction sector. Indian construction
industry is labor intensive comprising of semi- skilled and unskilled workers; Therefore, the safety of
labor at the site should be kept in mind and appropriate measures should be take fa the same. The best
way to protect workers against hazards is to control problems at the source. The problem regarding
construction industry is not that the hazards and risks are unknown, but it is very difficult to accurately
identify in a constantly changing work environment. To prevent health hazards at work, all possible
hazards that may be encountered should be identified in advance. In the present study various types of
hazards present in construction areas were identified and appropriate PPE for hazard prevention were
suggested.

3
 Definition
ACCIDENT - The National Safety Council defines an
accident as an undesired event that results in personal
injury or property damage.

INCIDENT - An incident is an unplanned, undesired

event that adversely affects completion of a task.

NEAR MISS - Near misses describe incidents where no property was damaged and no personal injury
sustained, but where, given a slight shift in time or position, damage and/or injury easily could have
occurred.

Why Safety?
• To reduce cost as if any accident occurs the it will increase indirect cost of the project.
• It is a moral and legal obligation of employers to provide a safe working place and of employees to
work safely.
• Project runs on schedule as if any accident takes place it affects the work site and project may be
delayed, therefore safety also takes care of time.
• Productivity will increase.
• Studies have proved that there is an adverse effect on a contractor's reputation and unfavorable image
for the client when the project suffers high accident rates; Therefore, Company's reputation will be better.
• To fulfil the statutory requirements formulated by central movement against construction safety.

Safety Management System

Essentially, a safety management system for construction is a systematic way of identifying hazards and
managing risks relating to the construction workplace.

4
The SMS must include the construction company’s policies, procedures, systems, organizational
deployment, and accountabilities for making sure that the necessary precautions have been taken and
are being maintained for the safety of all concerned. More than this, the SMS must be embedded in the
culture of the company, so that it is applied by all.

A properly performing SMS will typically include:

 Identification of all safety hazards relating to the company’s activities and assessment of the risk
associated with each hazard.
 Risk management procedures to keep risk from hazards down to acceptable levels (which may
in some cases mean a level of zero).
 Continual monitoring with regular evaluation of safety performance.
 Continual improvement of the effectiveness of the safety management system.

These items are frequently managed in a “Plan-Do-Check-Act” cycle of continual improvement, or a

PDCA cycle for short.

1. Plan. From the hazard and risk assessment, the safety policy and procedures are defined and the
resources allocated for putting them into action.
2. Do. The policy and procedures are applied.
3. Check. Safety performance is measured, in order to check on the relevance, completeness,
effectiveness, and efficiency of the implementation.
4. Act. Any appropriate remedial measures or improvements are defined, leading back into the
planning step (1) above, to restart the cycle.

An SMS is a method, rather than a product. The implementation of an SMS may be paper-based or
software-based, for instance. However, the implementation must be documented and auditable,
meaning that an safety inspector (among others) can check it.

Three Safety Management Systems for Construction

To make this list, we looked for certain characteristics in each SMS. Applicability to the construction
industry was one criterion, naturally enough. A relatively high level of adoption by enterprises and

5
organizations was a good sign. Backing by a large or even international organization willing to maintain
and enhance the SMS scored points as well. The final selection was:

1. HS(G)65. Guidelines from the British Health and Safety Executive

2. ILO-OSH 2001. The International Labor Office “Guidelines on Occupational Safety and Health
Management systems.”
3. OSHA. The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration guidelines.

Each option in the list above offers a basis on which a construction company can build its own SMS or
acquire products or services (a software application, for instance) aligned with the option concerned..

1. HS(G)65 – International Guidelines from the British Health and Safety Executive

The British Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the UK government entity that conducts workplace
safety inspections. The reference for the HSE guidelines, entitled “Successful Health and Safety
Management,” is HS(G)65. They also apply the PDCA (plan-do-check-act, see above) model. Like
OHSAS 18001, HS(G)65 can be audited for compliance and has achieved a certain level of
international adoption.

2. ILO-OSH 2001, the Standard from the International Labor Organization

In 2000, the International Labour Organization (ILO) suggested ISO (the International Organization for
Standardization) might create an international standard for an SMS, like ISO 9000 (quality). However,
ISO rejected the idea. As a result, the ILO (and not ISO) reviewed a score of occupational health and
safety management systems from different countries, in order to produce its own “Guidelines on
occupational safety and health management systems – ILO-OSH 2001.”

The ILO guidelines are not certifiable, but like the other major SMS standards, they seek to ensure
safety, while preserving productivity and efficiency. The guidelines are also tailored to different
industry sectors, one of which is construction, referenced by Article 2.3. ILO-OSH 2001 is referenced
by Japan in particular, which has produced its own ILO-compatible construction SMS guidelines under
the direction of JCOSHA (The Japan Construction Occupational Safety and Health Association.)

6
At the end of 2013, the ISO approved a proposal to develop an SMS standard analogous to the OHSAS
18000 standards. The new ISO standard will be ISO 45001. One of the goals of ISO is to
increase international recognition and implementation of ISO 45001, compared to current levels
achieved by the OHSAS standards.

3. OSHA and its Safety & Health Management Systems tools

In the US, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is the federal government
agency working to improve safety and health at work. OSHA applies federal laws for the US in general,
although some states also have their own mandatory safety and health programs. Instead of prescribing
an SMS, OSHA takes a different approach. As part of its guidelines, OSHA offers its eTools, which are
“electronic compliance assistance tools to provide guidance for creating a comprehensive safety and
health program.”

eTools are not part of the separate enforcement activities of OSHA. They can go beyond regulatory
requirements by offering recommendations for good industry practices, but they do not create new
requirements simply because a company uses them. eTools offer practical assistance via their different
modules for:

 Best practices for consistently achieving the right levels of safety and health
 Measuring the return on investment that safety and health programs can provide
 Creating a change management system
 Monitoring indicators to see if a company’s safety and health performance trends are positive or
negative
 Successfully embedding safety and health into the way a company is run

Software Applications for OHSAS 18001 Certification and HSE Auditing

Why reinvents the wheel? The more popular a standard is, the greater the chance that construction
management software applications exist to help you follow that standard.

The OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety Management Software System from Intelex is one
example.

7
The solution is a set of software applications that address each part of OHSAS 18001. Using the whole
set, a construction company can stay compliant with the OHSAS 18001 standard. Alternatively,
individual modules of the Intelex solution can be implemented for specific compliance needs.

The applications, 17 in total, are grouped into the categories of Incidents & Risk Management, Audits
& Inspections, Documents & Training, and Compliance & Operations. The user interfaces (including
mobile and offline) in each case offer reports, dashboards, email notifications, and task management, as
well as access to a client community and a portal for support and learning.

Another vendor’s software, MyOSH, offers functionality for HSE auditing, as well as for compliance
with other occupational health and safety guidelines, standards, and regulations. MyOSH is available as
a cloud-based application and as a mobile app at four levels: small, medium, large, and enterprise. Core
functionality includes risk identification, incident investigations, job safety analysis, inspections, audits,
and training management.

Do Spreadsheets or DIY Apps Make Sense for Implementing an SMS like ILO-
OSH 2001?

When slide rules turned into calculators, and calculators became PCs, the floodgates opened up for the
use of spreadsheet software, the classic example being Microsoft Excel.

There may be a temptation in construction safety management to turn to spreadsheets to track safety
resources, training, and controls. While spreadsheets can be powerful tools, they lack many of the
functions necessary to make an SMS a living, collaborative project with the right bilateral
communications between a construction company and its workers. Above a certain size or level of
complexity, an approach based on spreadsheets quickly shows its limits.

On the other hand, there may be few commercial software applications available to support certain SMS
standards or guidelines. ILO-OSH 2001 is a case in point. Free applications, shareware, and open-
source construction software may exist, but software support and updates are not always available.

Some construction companies have opted to make their own SMS software application. The PCL
construction company, for instance, has produced its own Safety Management Center (SMC) to reduce

8
time spent on reports, improve statistical accuracy, and display safety trends and analysis in real time.
Enterprises like PCL, with access to the right IT resources, may find that an in-house solution is
justified. On the other hand, smaller and start-up contractors may find it more feasible to use a
commercially available platform, and this may affect their choice of the SMS standard or guidelines to
be followed.

Which Safety Management System Should You Use?

The circumstances and needs of your own construction company are unique, but some pointers may
help decide which systems are suitable.

 Your choice may depend on where your construction company is located. In the US for
example, OSHA and any state-specific requirements must be met. In Japan, ILO-OSH 2001 may
be the obvious choice – or the Japanese equivalent, which is the JCOSHA Construction
Occupational Health and Safety Management System Guidelines.
 Your customers may be more prepared to do business with you if you can demonstrate
compliance with an SMS that they favor. Alternatively, they may be willing to approve the SMS
you want to use. Do a little market research – ask them!
 The process for certification to this popular standard can start today.
 If you require a software-based solution to set up your SMS and demonstrate compliance for
international certification, OHSAS 18001 may again be a good compromise.
 If ISO certification is your goal, rather than OHSAS or ILO, and your schedule is flexible,
consider waiting until the ISO 45001 standard is published.
 As a small construction company, look at flexible cloud-based SMS solutions that allow you to
start today, then upgrade your SMS capabilities as your construction company grows.

Nevertheless, the golden rule is to have a safety management system that works for your company.
While certification and compliance to a given SMS standard can make your construction company look
more attractive to your market, the immediate priority is for a properly performing safety management
system that helps keep your employees, customers, partners, and the public safe

9
Construction Safety Plan

There are many benefits of implementing safety plans on any worksite. However, three important
benefits are:

1. Meeting Requirements of Local Regulations

Depending on which country you reside in, you may require certain safety procedures by law. If you
don’t know what applies in your State, you need to find out. Usually, a Construction Safety Plan is one
of these requirements.

2. Peace of Mind

Safety should always be a priority in any workplace. Sleep easier and have peace of mind knowing that
you are covering as many bases as possible regarding safety.

3. Protection of Employees, Workers and Visitors

The last thing you want to deal with are accidents. Prevention is better than a cure. Prevent accidents at
all costs and keep people safe. Having to deal with trauma after any event is a very unpleasant
experience for anyone. It will cost your business significantly and the community as well.

Types of Construction Safety 

10
Safety in the work places is important. Particularly on construction sites, where many risks are present.
Construction sites present many potential dangers: there are heavy machines moving around, heavy
items being moved, pollutants, loud noises, potentially hazardous substances.
For this reason, it is important to wear personal protective equipment (PPE). Here is a quick guide to
some of the important construction safety gear and what they protect:

11
1. To protect the head

The head is one of the most sensitive areas of the body. As such, a hard hat is one of the most essential
construction safety gear across you will need. A hard hat will protect your head from any falling debris.
It will also protect you from the elements, such as sun and rain, as well as from electric shock.

Hard hats are so effective because they are made out of tough materials such as HDPE (High density
polyethylene) or resins such as Ultem. But when choosing one it is also important to make sure that it is
a good and comfortable fit. A poorly fit hard hat may result in headaches or fail to fully protect you
from injury.

12
2. To protect the eyes

Eyes are very sensitive and it is important to protect them. They are vulnerable to foreign particles and
debris as well as to smoke and chemicals. These may enter the eyes during a variety of activities such as
cutting, nailing, welding, working with concrete, working in windy areas, working with dangerous
chemicals, etc…
You will need to adapt the type of eyewear that you choose to the risks involved in the task that you are
carrying out. Special attention should be paid if you are going to be welding or working with highly
acidic substances. To protect yourself use safety goggles or a face shield. They will be made from
shatter resistant plastic in order to protect your eyes from flying debris. If there is going to be any dust
then choose goggle over a face shield as these will keep particles as well as larger objects out of your
eyes.

13
3. To protect the lungs

There can be many unhealthy gases and particles at construction sites. If you breathe these in, they can
damage your lungs and lead to severe disease further down the road. For example, the silica dust
produced by bricks can cause emphysema and bronchitis as well as increase cancer risks.

In order to protect yourself choose a good dust mask. The construction safety gear sold at your typical
hardware store are called “nuisance dust masks” and only protect against common large particles,
making them unsuitable for this type of work. Instead opt for one that has a filter and that indicates that
it will protect against fine particles. It is also important to choose one that is a good fit, as large gaps
between the face and the mask mean that particles are getting through in those areas.

14
4. To protect feet and toes

It is important to wear work boots. These types of construction safety gear can protect your feet and
toes from the outside world. They also help to prevent falling accidents that are the result of tripping or
slipping. To prevent these accidents, make sure that your work boots have slip proof soles.

Accidents can also occur if sharp elements such as nails pierce through the shoe, so make sure that the
soles are puncture resistant as well. Some may even protect against electric shock, which can be
important if you are working on a site where this might be an issue. Finally, all work boots should have
steel toes in order to protect those sensitive digits from any falling materials or debris.

15
5. To protect hands

A good pair of gloves is needed when you are working as a commercial builder or general contractor.
The type may depend on the tasks that you intend to complete and the weather in which you are
working. Some gloves are designed for better grip, to resist vibrations or the heat. Whichever you
choose, a glove will also protect your hands from potential cuts, burns or chemicals.

16
6. To protect the entire body

This may mean wearing a reflective safety vest, a harness, carrying a good flashlight or equipment to
detect particulates and gas in the air. A high visibility safety vest is essential when around vehicles,
whether these be from general traffic or machinery on a closed construction site.

17
Conclusion
• This presentation summarizes the current state of construction safety.

• It also explored introductory principles and methods associated with lean construction.

• We reviewed four main lean construction approaches to construction safety:

1) production planning and control,

2) performance measures to improve safety,

3) forecasting risk levels as a function of time and 4) developing new approaches to construction safety.
• Considering the stage of plateau, that safety in construction industry has reached using the OSHA
compliance in and of itself, best practices, which one or all of these lean construction safety approaches
will you try implementing?

Reference

https://www.slideserve.com/dior/lean-construction-as-it-relates-to-construction-safety

https://ontarioconstructionreport.com/construction-health-and-safety-action-plan-16-recommendations-to-
reduce-workplace-injuries-illnesses-and-fatalities/

https://www.slideshare.net/anchalgupta51/construction-site-safety-and-management

https://www.oshatrain.org/courses/mods/800e.html#:~:text=Construction%20workers%20engage%20in
%20many,Construction%20Safety%20and%20Health%20Management.

18