Construction injury rates remain high worldwide, and numbers of serious injuries are increasing. The cost is great, not only in human but also in financial terms, and measures are being undertaken to correct the industry's shameful track record. The issue of health of construction workers is an area which has been overlooked by many organisations but is becoming recognized as just as serious as physical injury. Hence, an increasing number of professional institutions are demanding their members possess the knowledge to competently manage occupational health and safety (OHS) and more construction clients now expect safety management systems to be implemented in the construction projects they sponsor. Many of the issues addressed in this book are peculiar to construction projects and should be of interest to all participants engaged in the process. Topics covered include the nature and causes of occupational injury/illness, project organisation and OHS, OHS risk management, OHS legislation, the psychology of OHS, behavioural safety management, using IT to manage OHS, and OHS training.
Case studies are used extensively to illustrate important points and refer to current successful safety management techniques, giving practical guidance to the practitioner and putting the issues into context for the student. This book will be of specific interest to clients, project managers, specialist consultants, designers, contractors, sub-contractors and suppliers.