Addis Ababa Science and Technology University

College of Architecture and Civil Engineering

CEng5204 Construction Management

Chapter VI
Health and Safety in Construction Industry

Instructor: Tewodros A. & Yordanos M.

June, 2020
Contents

➢ Introduction
➢ Problem of Safety and Health
➢ Health and Safety Practices
➢ Causes and Prevention of Accidents
➢ Wellbeing of Employee

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6.1. Introduction
6.1.1. General
❑ Health and safety are the responsibility of everyone at work.
❑ Construction industry, in general, is comparatively less organized and involves
participation of major percentage of unskilled labor as compared to other industrial
sectors.
❑ As a major employment generator in many parts of the world, construction is also a
sector associated with a proportionately high number of job-related accidents and
diseases.
❑ Despitemechanization, the industry is still largely labor- intensive, while working
environments are frequently changing and involve many different parties.

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6.1. Introduction
6.1.1. General
❑ It is of particular importance to the construction industry, where it is one of the
major employers of the work force in Ethiopia.
❑ Statistics indicate that injuries and death construction due to related
accidents are increasing.
❑ According to ILO estimates:
▪ Each year there are at least 60,000 fatal accidents on
construction sites around the world.
▪ In many industrialized countries, as many as 25% to 40% of work-related deaths
are occurred in on construction sites, even though the sector employees only 6% to
10% of the workforce.
▪ In some countries, it is estimated that 30% of construction workers suffer from
back pains or other muscular disorders.

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 6.1. Introduction
6.1.1 General
❑ Accidents are generally unavoidable in construction projects but the number and
gravity of accidents can be reduced considerably if proper safety measures are taken
beforehand.
❑ Health and safety in the context of construction industry are the discipline of
preserving the health of those who build, operate, maintain and demolish engineering
works, and others involved in those works.
❑ The term safety generally applies to the protection from
risk of injury and from avoidable accidents.
❑ The term health refers to the well-being from the immediate and long-term effects of
exposure to unhealthy working condition.

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6.1. Introduction

6.1.1 General
❑ Health and safety are not only confined to construction works on-site.
❑ Engineers, architects and surveyors are exposed to hazards during the investigatory
stage of a project and while carrying out inspection tasks during the construction
phase and on completed works.
❑ Designers, in particular, carry both a moral responsibility and a duty of care for the
safety of construction works, maintenance staff, demolition workers and the general
public.

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6.2. Problem of Safety and Health
❑ Construction industry accidents in Ethiopia have not been well recorded. Nevertheless, it is
reported that many people lost their lives on construction sites and many more seriously
injured.
❑ Not only are construction workers who suffer injuries and death but also people and children
who are not employed in the industry.
❑ Besides human tragedies, accidents could substantial economic cost to the industry due to
the fact it could also cause:
▪ Damage to plant and equipment;
▪ Damage to work already completed;
▪ Loss of productive work time while debris is cleared and damaged work rebuilt;
▪ Increased insurance premiums; and
▪ Loss of confidence and reputation.

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6.3. Health and Safety Practices
6.3.1 International Practices
❑ Considering the importance of health and Safety of construction workers in the
industry, different countries have designed their own norms, which fit their specific
objectives.
❑ The International Labor Organization (ILO) provides specific guidelines on health
and safety in construction activities.
❑ Thegeneral objectives of health and safety norms/codes in any country construction
industry can be summarized as:
▪ To help prevent accidents and harmful effects on the health of those employed
in construction industry.

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6.3. Health and Safety Practices
6.3.1 International Practices
❑ The general objectives of health and safety norms/codes …
▪ To provide guidelines in the appropriate design, selection, installation and safe
operation of equipment, and process related to civil engineering work.
▪ To provide guidance in establishing administrative, legal and educational
frameworks within which preventive and remedial measures can be
implemented
▪ To promote consultation and cooperation between concerned government
authority, employer’s organization and worker’s organization in the
improvement of safety and health in the construction industry.

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6.3. Health and Safety Practices
6.3.2 Domestic/Local Practices
❑ In the case of Ethiopia, the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs is authorized by
law for the full responsibility of consulting, monitoring and other works related to
occupational health and safety topics.
❑ Even though it is difficult to obtain accurate statistics since many accidents go
undetected and unreported, the number of construction accidents occurring in
Ethiopia, is increasing from time to time.
❑ In constructions under-taken in Ethiopia, the construction contract agreement (i.e.)
General Conditions of Contract (clause 21 - 25) and FIDIC (clause 19 - 25) states the
responsibilities of the involved parties. These are like provisions of insurance, taking
other safety measures, etc.

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6.4. Causes and Prevention of Accidents
6.4.1 Causes of Accidents
❑ Human Factors:

▪ Error,
▪ Day dreaming,
▪ Intoxication, and
▪ Carelessness.
❑ Environmental factors:

▪ Tools,
▪ Physical plant, and
▪ General work environment.

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6.4. Causes and Prevention of Accidents
6.4.2 Prevention of Accidents
A. Education
❑ Create safety awareness by creating highly visible signs that proclaim safety slogans
❑ Placing accident prevention articles in organization news letters
B. Skills training
❑ Incorporate accident prevention measures into the learning process.
C. Engineering
❑ Preventing accidents through both job and equipment design.
❑ This may include factors that eliminate fatigue, boredom and daydreaming.

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6.4. Causes and Prevention of Accidents
6.4.2 Prevention of Accidents
D. Protection
❑ Provide protective equipment (Personal Protective Devices) where necessary.
❑ It also includes performing preventive maintenance on machineries etc.
E. Regulation Enforcement
❑ The best safety rules and regulations will be ineffective if they are not enforced.
❑ If they are not enforced, the employer will be liable for any injuries that occur.

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6.4. Causes and Prevention of Accidents
6.4.3 Causes of Construction Site Accidents
❑ The key to control safety and health is to predict the hazards and thus be in a
position to eliminate them.
❑ The main causes of accident could be basically categorized based on type into:
▪ Falls,
▪ Stepping on or striking against objects,
▪ Lifting and carrying-over exertion,
▪ Machinery,
▪ Electricity,
▪ Transport, and
▪ Fires and explosions.
❑ Causes of accident at construction sites are broadly classified as:
▪ Processes related; and
▪ Root cause

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6.4. Causes and Prevention of Accidents
6.4.3 Causes of Construction Site Accidents
❑ Some of the processes prone to accidents are:
▪ Excavation,
▪ Scaffolding/Working at Height,
▪ Shaft work,
▪ False work,
▪ Erection of Structural Framework,
▪ Tunneling,
▪ Use of Cranes,
▪ Transportation and Mobile Plants,
▪ Sewer Works,
▪ Demolition, and
▪ Road works in hilly terrain.

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6.4. Causes and Prevention of Accidents
6.4.3 Causes of Construction Site Accidents

Drowning Fires &

3% Explosions Misc
2% 1%

Electricity
5%

Transport
18%

People Falling
52%

Material Falling
19%

Distribution of Major Causes of Accidents in

Construction Industry
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6.5. Wellbeing of Employees
❑ It involves maintaining a safe and healthy working environment.
❑ The following points must be given attention to keep the wellbeing of employees.
A. Sick Buildings
❑ Office environments that contain harmful airborne chemicals, asbestos, or indoor
pollution.
B. Smoke-free environment
❑ Not permitting smoking in company/work place premises.
❑ Limiting where smoking in company’s premises can occur.

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6.5. Wellbeing of Employees
C. Wellness Programs
❑ Enables to keep employees healthy by the following activities:
▪ Smoking cessation;
▪ Weight control;
▪ Stress control;
▪ Physical fitness;
▪ Nutrition education; and
▪ Violence protection.

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