Hot Topic #3
Construction safety
Here is our list of examples dealing with construction safety:
Please note that this is only a random selection of examples of good practice and this list is not supposed to and cannot be complete.
To learn more, you can go to our TOOLBOX and search for the title of the example (please note that the database search takes some time), go to the GOOD PRACTICE area (if the example is presented there) or follow the link to the project or partner web site.
ICE Manual of Health and Safety in Construction (UK)
Written and edited by experienced construction industry professionals, ICE Manual of Health and Safety in Construction provides invaluable practical guidance on how hazards can be removed, controlled or managed, from the initial design and planning stages, through construction, to asset maintenance and eventual demolition, to help maintain the safety and health of workers and others involved in or affected by construction projects.
Website
Håndbogen (Denmark)
This manual is a work of reference for the working environment in the building and construction industry. The manual provides guidelines on good working environment practice and on how the rules of the Working Environment Act can be followed within enterprises and on building sites.
The manual has been published by Branchearbejdsmiljørådet for Bygge & Anlæg, with specialist assistance from Working Environment Authority experts in the field of building and construction.
Website
Construction Professionnel Card (TPC Project) (Spain)
The Spanish Fundación Laboral de la Construcción (Labour Foundation for the Construction Industry) has launched the project "Construction Professionnel Card" to improve standardization in OSH for the construction sector.
This example can be found in detail in our GOOD PRACTICE area
Website
Non-binding guide to good practice for understanding and implementing Directive 92/5 (Europe)
This non-binding guide gives practical information for understanding and implementing Directive 92/57/EEC on the minimum safety and health requirements at temporary or mobile construction sites. This publication will be available in printed format in English, French and German and in electronic format in all other EU official languages. A CD containing 22 language versions (Catalogue number: KE-31-11-011-1X-Z, ISBN 978-92-79-19096-4) will also be available.
Website
Youth programme for the construction industry (Germany)
Since the 1980s, the BG BAU is supporting the interplant training centres in imparting of different issues of occupational safety and health by a complete training programme. Trainers and trainees know it by the slogan “Youth programme”.
This example can be found in detail in our GOOD PRACTICE area
E- Mail contact
BYGGESIKKERHED (Construction Safety) (Denmark)
BYGGESIKKERHED.DK is a multimedia website dealing with construction safety. The website is available in four languages: Danish, English, Polish and German. It contains 15 different areas, each of them covering one profession at the construction site: bricklayer, scaffold builder, glazier, floor fitter, construction builder, mason paviour, building builder, electrician, painter, demolition worker, roofer, carpenter, plumber, asphalt worker and safety representative.
For every profession, a humorous video clip starring "Bent E" puts a focus on the special safety requirements. In addition, a collection of facts is available, as well as "Tasks", a kind of quiz to show what the user has learned so far.
This example can be found in detail in our GOOD PRACTICE area
Website
Nail Gun Safety: A Guide for Construction Contractors (USA)
Nail guns are widely used on many construction jobs, especially in residential construction. While they boost productivity they may also cause tens of thousands of painful injuries each year. This publication is intended to provide a resource for residential home builders and construction contractors, subcontractors, and supervisors to prevent these kinds of injuries.
PDF file
The Construction Safety Training System (CSTS) (Canada)
The Construction Safety Training System (CSTS) is a CD-ROM-based course developed by the Alberta Construction Safety Association (ACSA) that uses interactive multimedia including full-motion video and sound. CSTS training is a requirement on most job sites in Alberta and a growing number of jobsites in BC. Participants receive instruction on various health and safety topics and are then tested for 100% mastery. Training is completed in about 5 hours, after which a CSTS certificate is issued.
Website
Safe Work in Construction 2005 (Poland)
This program was organised by The National Labour Inspectorate (PIP) in the years 2004 – 2005. The campaign included seminars, competitions, meetings, open days, and presentations. Open days organised all over the country – presentations of safe constructions, personal protective equipment, meetings, and seminars for representatives of trade unions and employers of construction sector, competitions for the young and programs in schools for construction sector.
This example can be found in detail in our GOOD PRACTICE area
Website
The Construction Safety Toolkit (Canada)
This toolkit, as well available as an interactive internet "web-flip" version, is part of the Construction Safety Training System (CSTS), a CD-ROM-based course developed by the Alberta Construction Safety Association (ACSA)
Website
Occupational safety and health in the construction business (Austria)
For the first time, labour inspectors were given the opportunity to lecture four graduating classes of HTL Mödling, Austria's largest secondary engineering college, on occupational safety and health in the construction industry, coordination of construction works and labour inspection.
Website
Safe work at building sites (Austria)
Introduction to the Austrian legal basis in occupational safety and health. Detailed description (with graphs) of safe work processes with the most important work equipments at building sites.
AUVA web site
Rock 101 contest: I’m the bro’, but you’re the pro (Canada)
WorkSafeBC (the Workers’ Compensation Board of B.C) launched this campaign, in cooperation with the Classic Rock Radio 101 station and B.C. Construction safety alliance.
Listeners of the classic rock radio station are being asked to nominate their co-workers who are helping to make their job sites safer. (Or they can nominate themselves.) There are weekly prize draws, and one grand prize package: pizza lunch with the radio dj Bro Jake and the Rock 101 girls.
In addition, the radio station promotes construction site safety by broadcasting radio spots dealing with falls, digging underground, airborne dust or power tools.
Website
Safe working at the carpentry (Austria)
Introduction to the Austrian legal basis of work protection. Detailed description of safe work processes at wood working machines.
AUVA website
What's wrong with this photo? (Canada)
„What's wrong with this photo?“ is a page on the WorkSafe BC website. Photos from different professions showing dangerous work habits can be diplayed and analysed.
Website
Safety award (construction) 2006 (Austria)
Award to increase awareness of safety matters at building sites. Competition for bricklayer- and carpenter trainees.
AUVA website
Building Site Orientation
According to the programme every worker has to participate in the site orientation training before being allowed access to the site. After training every participant has to wear their specific colour-coded tag during their work. Thanks to colour-coded system it is possible to denote and distinguish each contractor and group of trade persons.
Project website
Construction Safety Partnership (UK)
The programme started in 2001 and was continued in following years. The Construction Safety Partnership consists of training programmes: Safety Training (for construction workers), Safety Representative Training (for safety officers and safety representatives), Safety Training for Managers.
HSA web site | PDF file
Dealing safely with asbestos (Greece)
Greek Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
Materials containing asbestos are a risk factor for those who come into contact with them, especially employees carrying out dismantling and demolition work. The hazards attached to asbestos will have not disappeared with the adoption of the proposed Community directive (amending Directive No 83/477/EEC) prohibiting the production and use of asbestos.
Development of strategies for preservation of ability of employees in heating and sanitarian sector (Germany)
Preservation of ability of the employees by optimising the company organisation and by improving the development potentialities of the ageing staff. Different arrangements, for example:
- assistance for lifting and carrying
- individual career design
- creating teams of heterogeneous ages
Project website
From roof down to bureau (Germany)
Project to allow roofers of higher age to do more work in planning and customer care in the office until pension.
Project website
Knee problems in the floor laying trade (Denmark)
For obvious reasons floor laying has traditionally been done in a kneeling position. This is an unnatural position in which to spend the working day, and even with protective equipment it places a strain on the knees (and on other parts of the body) and frequently leads to injury and long-term problems. But studies have shown that with recently developed tools much of the work could be carried out standing up. So the team in Denmark set out to reduce knee problems by showing how floor layers could cut down the time spent putting undue strain on the knees.
E-mail contact
Occupational safety and health coordinator in building design and construction (Lithuania)
Training course for workers to be able to coordinate health and safety management during construction project and construction process. The course is composed of 7 sittings embracing lectures, practical work at the enterprise and written paper.
Project website
Promotion of health and safety in construction by a partnership process (Denmark)
Coordinating health and safety management during a major construction project based on a partnership between the client and contractors. This is a project on the building site of the new central of Denmarks radio concerning safety and health.
Danish Radio website
Protocol for a safe building renovation (Italy)
Renovation of a historic 14th century country house and its buildings in its grounds (lemon-house, cellar, storerooms) in order to create a large, luxury hotel complex and the creation of a business centre for the farm’s production activities. There is generally a high accident rate in building work. This particular project was difficult because of the need to preserve the historic features of the building and renovate to modern standards. The age of the buildings meant that there could be additional and unknown safety and health risks to the building workers present, for example due to weaknesses in the building structure.
E-mail contact
Safety at Roadworks (Poland)
This program was partly initiated because of intensive roadworks on the roads in Malopolska, Poland. The program began in July 2006 with the seminar during which the results of 424 controls of 117 construction sites were presented. Controls were conducted by PIP (The National Labour Inspectorate) in years 2003-04 and 2006 and aimed at estimation of safety and hygiene at roadworks and elimination of recognized hazards.
Project website
‘This building site is safe!’ (Italy)
Project to achieve a reduction in the number of work-related accidents within the construction industry through the dissemination of examples of good practice and the creation of a portal on the Internet for wider access.
Institution website
Please note that this is only a random selection of examples of good practice and this list is not supposed to and cannot be complete.
To learn more, you can go to our TOOLBOX and search for the title of the example (please note that the database search takes some time), go to the GOOD PRACTICE area (if the example is presented there) or follow the link to the project or partner web site.
ICE Manual of Health and Safety in Construction (UK)
Written and edited by experienced construction industry professionals, ICE Manual of Health and Safety in Construction provides invaluable practical guidance on how hazards can be removed, controlled or managed, from the initial design and planning stages, through construction, to asset maintenance and eventual demolition, to help maintain the safety and health of workers and others involved in or affected by construction projects.
Website
Håndbogen (Denmark)
This manual is a work of reference for the working environment in the building and construction industry. The manual provides guidelines on good working environment practice and on how the rules of the Working Environment Act can be followed within enterprises and on building sites.
The manual has been published by Branchearbejdsmiljørådet for Bygge & Anlæg, with specialist assistance from Working Environment Authority experts in the field of building and construction.
Website
Construction Professionnel Card (TPC Project) (Spain)
The Spanish Fundación Laboral de la Construcción (Labour Foundation for the Construction Industry) has launched the project "Construction Professionnel Card" to improve standardization in OSH for the construction sector.
This example can be found in detail in our GOOD PRACTICE area
Website
Non-binding guide to good practice for understanding and implementing Directive 92/5 (Europe)
This non-binding guide gives practical information for understanding and implementing Directive 92/57/EEC on the minimum safety and health requirements at temporary or mobile construction sites. This publication will be available in printed format in English, French and German and in electronic format in all other EU official languages. A CD containing 22 language versions (Catalogue number: KE-31-11-011-1X-Z, ISBN 978-92-79-19096-4) will also be available.
Website
Youth programme for the construction industry (Germany)
Since the 1980s, the BG BAU is supporting the interplant training centres in imparting of different issues of occupational safety and health by a complete training programme. Trainers and trainees know it by the slogan “Youth programme”.
This example can be found in detail in our GOOD PRACTICE area
E- Mail contact
BYGGESIKKERHED (Construction Safety) (Denmark)
BYGGESIKKERHED.DK is a multimedia website dealing with construction safety. The website is available in four languages: Danish, English, Polish and German. It contains 15 different areas, each of them covering one profession at the construction site: bricklayer, scaffold builder, glazier, floor fitter, construction builder, mason paviour, building builder, electrician, painter, demolition worker, roofer, carpenter, plumber, asphalt worker and safety representative.
For every profession, a humorous video clip starring "Bent E" puts a focus on the special safety requirements. In addition, a collection of facts is available, as well as "Tasks", a kind of quiz to show what the user has learned so far.
This example can be found in detail in our GOOD PRACTICE area
Website
Nail Gun Safety: A Guide for Construction Contractors (USA)
Nail guns are widely used on many construction jobs, especially in residential construction. While they boost productivity they may also cause tens of thousands of painful injuries each year. This publication is intended to provide a resource for residential home builders and construction contractors, subcontractors, and supervisors to prevent these kinds of injuries.
PDF file
The Construction Safety Training System (CSTS) (Canada)
The Construction Safety Training System (CSTS) is a CD-ROM-based course developed by the Alberta Construction Safety Association (ACSA) that uses interactive multimedia including full-motion video and sound. CSTS training is a requirement on most job sites in Alberta and a growing number of jobsites in BC. Participants receive instruction on various health and safety topics and are then tested for 100% mastery. Training is completed in about 5 hours, after which a CSTS certificate is issued.
Website
Safe Work in Construction 2005 (Poland)
This program was organised by The National Labour Inspectorate (PIP) in the years 2004 – 2005. The campaign included seminars, competitions, meetings, open days, and presentations. Open days organised all over the country – presentations of safe constructions, personal protective equipment, meetings, and seminars for representatives of trade unions and employers of construction sector, competitions for the young and programs in schools for construction sector.
This example can be found in detail in our GOOD PRACTICE area
Website
The Construction Safety Toolkit (Canada)
This toolkit, as well available as an interactive internet "web-flip" version, is part of the Construction Safety Training System (CSTS), a CD-ROM-based course developed by the Alberta Construction Safety Association (ACSA)
Website
Occupational safety and health in the construction business (Austria)
For the first time, labour inspectors were given the opportunity to lecture four graduating classes of HTL Mödling, Austria's largest secondary engineering college, on occupational safety and health in the construction industry, coordination of construction works and labour inspection.
Website
Safe work at building sites (Austria)
Introduction to the Austrian legal basis in occupational safety and health. Detailed description (with graphs) of safe work processes with the most important work equipments at building sites.
AUVA web site
Rock 101 contest: I’m the bro’, but you’re the pro (Canada)
WorkSafeBC (the Workers’ Compensation Board of B.C) launched this campaign, in cooperation with the Classic Rock Radio 101 station and B.C. Construction safety alliance.
Listeners of the classic rock radio station are being asked to nominate their co-workers who are helping to make their job sites safer. (Or they can nominate themselves.) There are weekly prize draws, and one grand prize package: pizza lunch with the radio dj Bro Jake and the Rock 101 girls.
In addition, the radio station promotes construction site safety by broadcasting radio spots dealing with falls, digging underground, airborne dust or power tools.
Website
Safe working at the carpentry (Austria)
Introduction to the Austrian legal basis of work protection. Detailed description of safe work processes at wood working machines.
AUVA website
What's wrong with this photo? (Canada)
„What's wrong with this photo?“ is a page on the WorkSafe BC website. Photos from different professions showing dangerous work habits can be diplayed and analysed.
Website
Safety award (construction) 2006 (Austria)
Award to increase awareness of safety matters at building sites. Competition for bricklayer- and carpenter trainees.
AUVA website
Building Site Orientation
According to the programme every worker has to participate in the site orientation training before being allowed access to the site. After training every participant has to wear their specific colour-coded tag during their work. Thanks to colour-coded system it is possible to denote and distinguish each contractor and group of trade persons.
Project website
Construction Safety Partnership (UK)
The programme started in 2001 and was continued in following years. The Construction Safety Partnership consists of training programmes: Safety Training (for construction workers), Safety Representative Training (for safety officers and safety representatives), Safety Training for Managers.
HSA web site | PDF file
Dealing safely with asbestos (Greece)
Greek Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
Materials containing asbestos are a risk factor for those who come into contact with them, especially employees carrying out dismantling and demolition work. The hazards attached to asbestos will have not disappeared with the adoption of the proposed Community directive (amending Directive No 83/477/EEC) prohibiting the production and use of asbestos.
Development of strategies for preservation of ability of employees in heating and sanitarian sector (Germany)
Preservation of ability of the employees by optimising the company organisation and by improving the development potentialities of the ageing staff. Different arrangements, for example:
- assistance for lifting and carrying
- individual career design
- creating teams of heterogeneous ages
Project website
From roof down to bureau (Germany)
Project to allow roofers of higher age to do more work in planning and customer care in the office until pension.
Project website
Knee problems in the floor laying trade (Denmark)
For obvious reasons floor laying has traditionally been done in a kneeling position. This is an unnatural position in which to spend the working day, and even with protective equipment it places a strain on the knees (and on other parts of the body) and frequently leads to injury and long-term problems. But studies have shown that with recently developed tools much of the work could be carried out standing up. So the team in Denmark set out to reduce knee problems by showing how floor layers could cut down the time spent putting undue strain on the knees.
E-mail contact
Occupational safety and health coordinator in building design and construction (Lithuania)
Training course for workers to be able to coordinate health and safety management during construction project and construction process. The course is composed of 7 sittings embracing lectures, practical work at the enterprise and written paper.
Project website
Promotion of health and safety in construction by a partnership process (Denmark)
Coordinating health and safety management during a major construction project based on a partnership between the client and contractors. This is a project on the building site of the new central of Denmarks radio concerning safety and health.
Danish Radio website
Protocol for a safe building renovation (Italy)
Renovation of a historic 14th century country house and its buildings in its grounds (lemon-house, cellar, storerooms) in order to create a large, luxury hotel complex and the creation of a business centre for the farm’s production activities. There is generally a high accident rate in building work. This particular project was difficult because of the need to preserve the historic features of the building and renovate to modern standards. The age of the buildings meant that there could be additional and unknown safety and health risks to the building workers present, for example due to weaknesses in the building structure.
E-mail contact
Safety at Roadworks (Poland)
This program was partly initiated because of intensive roadworks on the roads in Malopolska, Poland. The program began in July 2006 with the seminar during which the results of 424 controls of 117 construction sites were presented. Controls were conducted by PIP (The National Labour Inspectorate) in years 2003-04 and 2006 and aimed at estimation of safety and hygiene at roadworks and elimination of recognized hazards.
Project website
‘This building site is safe!’ (Italy)
Project to achieve a reduction in the number of work-related accidents within the construction industry through the dissemination of examples of good practice and the creation of a portal on the Internet for wider access.
Institution website
