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Preface
Whilst every care has been taken to ensure accuracy within this work, no liability whatsoever is accepted by “Construction Health and Safety”, its sponsoring organisations or their advisers in respect of the information given.
No material from this book may be reproduced in any shape or form without permission from the publishers.
From its inception in November 1969, ”Construction Health and Safety” rapidly became accepted by the Industry as its standard reference work and training manual. Every effort will be made by the publishers to ensure that this work continues to render the greatest possible service and, to that end, any suggestions for new subject matter or any ideas for improvement will always be welcomed.
All other correspondence should be directed to the Construction Confederation, 55 Tufton Street, London SW1P 3QL
Published by:
Construction Industry Publications Ltd. for The Construction Confederation
ISBN 1 85263 002 7
A personal message from H.R.H. the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh
A man may be good at his job but, if he disregards safety rules and precautions, he is a potential menace to himself as well as to those who work with him or for him.
It is so easy to wave aside all the measures designed to prevent accidents as so much useless twaddle. It is so easy to go through life firmly convinced that “nothing can happen to me” – until it does.
Statistics make it quite apparent that the Construction Industry, which employs 11/2 million people, has a poor safety record. This means that the industry is inefficient but it also means that too many people are losing their earnings and an unfair burden is placed upon the National Health System.
It is therefore most encouraging that the whole industry has united to produce this Construction Health and Safety Manual. It sets out a code of personal responsibility and sensible working practice. If every individual working in the Construction Industry sets out to make it a safe industry to work in, all the tragedy, injury and damage which result from unnecessary accidents could be prevented.
It is the man who has an accident who is the mug, not the people who take sensible precautions.
Buckingham Palace,
November 1969
A personal message from Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector
The Construction Health & Safety Manual was launched and first published by the Construction Confederation in 1969. Its objective was to prevent accidents in the industry by presenting the sometimes confusing and difficult-to-understand legislation and regulations governing safety, in a practical, easily understood manner.
The original editorial panel comprised working safety professionals from many disciplines across the industry and deliberately included a senior inspector from the construction division of the Health & Safety Executive. This format prevails today. The work of the manual continues to be fully supported by the HSE and its content continues to be channelled through the HSE for approval to ensure that it accords fully with the Executive’s policies and intentions.
Although standards of health and safety have improved dramatically since 1969 the construction industry still remains a dangerous industry in which to work. The manual has a key role to play in working to achieve a cultural change in attitudes in the industry. The pragmatic guidance given by the manual on health and safety is inestimable and it is a key publication in helping industry to drive down the number of incidents of death, serious injury and ill health. Technology has moved a considerable distance since the manual’s inception and the manual has moved with it. Already available in hard copy and CD ROM, both of which are regularly updated, the Construction Confederation has now published the Construction Health & Safety Manual on the web.
The Health & Safety Executive welcomes and supports this innovation. It broadens the potential audience and improves the accessibility of the latest health and safety information for the construction industry. This helps the industry to manage risk and maintains the downward pressure on accident and ill health incident rates which is the objective of the manual. The Health and Safety Executive welcome the opportunity to fully endorse this publication.
STEPHEN WILLIAMS
Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector
Health & Safety Executive, Construction Division.
Introduction
No matter what size a job may be – replacing guttering on a suburban house, building a city office block, or erecting a nuclear power station – all employers in the construction industry have legal, personal and economic reasons for reducing risks of injury to men, damage to expensive plant or equipment and wastage of materials.Injury and damage disrupt production processes, cause human suffering (often with family side-effects) and frustrate those trying to complete work efficiently and economically. Skilled operatives, who can ill be spared and who are difficult to replace, need replacing. Plant, usually when needed most, is out of action. Productivity suffers. No industry, however progressive, can properly be called efficient when its methods of operation result in losses such as these. It is for this reason that Prince Philip, in his own message to this manual, calls the construction industry inefficient.
Employers, site management and safety professionals have been pressing for a comprehensive, readable, illustrated manual which would explain statutory requirements in simple terms and which would outline working methods conforming with the law and incorporating safeguards proved advisable in practice.
“Construction Health and Safety” has therefore been produced in answer to that demand. Its contents, which are based on UK legislation, relevant standards and good practice, have been calculated to cover a wide field of practical use by employers, management, site management, safety professionals and training establishments.
“Construction Health and Safety” is produced by the industry for the industry. Grateful acknowledgement must be made of the considerable assistance received from the Health and Safety Executive, Technicians, professional associations and prominent members of many of the leading firms in the various specialised fields.
“Construction Health and Safety” therefore represents the suggestions and recommendations of a very broad cross-section of the industry itself and forms a code of practice. If these suggestions and recommendations are properly adapted to suit individual requirements, the prevention of injury and the control of damage will become an integral part of working practice at every phase of every job and lead to greater all-round efficiency and greater productivity.
Acknowledgements
“Construction Health and Safety” is continuously reviewed by a panel of working, safety professionals from many disciplines across the industry, to ensure that the manual is as up-to-date as possible and reflects the latest changes in legislation, and current best practice.
Acknowledgement is made to the individuals on the panel and to their companies for their unstinting effort and professional expertise without which publishing "Construction Health and Safety" would not be possible. The following companies represent the current establishment of the panel. Where specific expert help has been obtained from outside of the panel, acknowledgement is gratefully made in the section concerned.
· ASDA*Walmart
· BAA plc
· Callsafe Services Ltd
· Carillion plc
· Construction Confederation
· Health and Safety Executive
· Laing O’Rourke Ltd
· Morgan Sindall plc
· National Specialist Contractors Council Ltd
· Redrow plc
· The Fire Strategy Company Ltd
· Vinci PLC
· Wates Group Services Ltd