Workplace Evaluation and Control: Hazards in the Construction - Term Paper Example

Hazards in the Construction Industry By student’s name Course code+ name Professor’s name University name City, state Date of submission Hazards in the Construction Industry Introduction Health and safety is considered as a crucial part of all industries as a way to ensure that the wellbeing of workers is observed. Governments across the globe have enacted legislation and established institutions in every industry to ensure that the health and wellbeing of workers is guaranteed, particularly in the construction industry. The construction industry is regarded as one of the most dangerous industries to work not only in the Unite Kingdom but also all over the globe. The construction industry is often classified as a high-risk industry compared to other industries because it is plagued with higher injury rates. Although safety measures have improved in the last 20 years and incidents have also reduced drastically, there are still many serious injuries as well as cases of occupational illnesses that are reported (Construction Industry Advisory Committee 2015, 5). Due to the increase in the number of incidents in the industry, standards have been developed and published to guide industry players to adopt practices that promote the health and safety of the workers in the industry. However, despite these standards, there are still high rates of cases of occupational illnesses and injuries in the construction industry. This report provides a discussion on the safety and occupational health hazards in the construction industry in the UK, the current trends with regard to these hazards and the measures that can be used to protect workers from such hazards such as through legislation. Safety and Occupational Health Hazards in the Construction Industry Safety refers to the protection of a person or people from physical injury in the workplace while health is the protection of the body and the mind from an illness that may result from the materials as well as the processes used in the workplace (Alhajeri 2011, 18). Health and safety goes beyond workers wearing safety helmets at the construction site and includes the identification and elimination of construction site hazards through our the period of the construction project. Health and safety discourage work practices that put workers at risk of injury and involves integrating health and safety into the daily work operations during construction. Construction involves a range of activities which could also include hazardous operations such as contact with chemicals and roof work. The activities may involve work being carried out in confined spaces such as underground chambers hence increasing the risk of accidents and illnesses. There are various conditions or factors that contribute to the high rate of accidents and illnesses that arise in the construction industry. Such factors include poor safety awareness among the top management of construction firms, failure to provide safety equipment as well as cultural and behavioral factors. Culture becomes a crucial factor in the safety and wellbeing of workers in the construction industry where such workers are drawn from different cultural backgrounds. Culture dictates the way a person expresses themselves and their interaction with other people. Cross-cultural misunderstandings could lead to a breakdown in communication causing accidents at the construction site. Another factor that contributes to the incidents in the construction industry is the pressure of performance targets. Where the pressure to attain the targets is high, then the top management is less keen on safety and health measures hence exposing the workers to health and safety risks (Alhajeri 2011, 13). Construction works also involve different works being supervised by different subcontractors. This means that there are many activities that take place at the same time that could increase the risk of accidents happening or exposing the workers to chemicals and other hazardous materials such as asbestos. All these factors expose the workers to the risk of illnesses and injuries from the construction activities. Safety Hazards According to the Health and Safety Executive (2016, 2), 3% of workers in the construction industry in the UK sustain an injury which they attribute to their work. Statistics show that most of the fatal injuries that affect workers in the construction industry result from falling from heights followed by trappings by collapsing objects and also being struck by objects in the construction sites (Health and Safety Executive 2016, 2). Other causes of injuries in the construction industry include being struck by moving vehicles and having contact with electricity. According to a report by the Health and Safety Executive in 2010 on the causal factors of accidents in the construction industry, all accidents are multi-causal meaning that there are it takes a combination of factors for an accident to occur (Loughborough 2010, 58). These causal factors are influenced by actions and attitudes towards health and safety such as knowledge and skill of workers in the construction industry as well as their alertness to safety risks. According to the report by the Health and Safety Executive, problems associated with the workers such as their actions and behavior were considered to have contributed to more than two-thirds of the accidents. This means that most of these accidents arise from the lack of adequate supervision of the workers and also the lack of education and training for the workers. Poor communication is also a key factor in causing accidents and this could result from the physical distance from the workers and high levels of noise in the construction sites which make communication difficult. Poor housekeeping and problems associated with the site layout and the space available have also contributed to the high rates of accidents in the construction industry. Today, different measures have been embraced to deal with the safety issues in the construction industry. In the UK, employers in the industry, engineers and designers have integrated safety practices in their operations. Further, the industry players are insisting of hiring skilled personnel to ensure that the rate of accidents decreases. There is also an emphasis on workers wearing protective gear such as helmets at all times to protect them from harm more so in the case of falling objects. With the development in technology, engineers and other players in the construction industry are insisting of quality tools and equipment that promote safety during the entire duration of the construction (Health and Safety Executive 2011, 28). These equipment and tools help in the lifting and handling of materials to prevent injuries to workers. The research has shown that falls are the major causes of accidental death in the industry. As a result, different measures have been put in place such as using work equipment that is designed to prevent falls where work at height cannot be avoided. Some of the measures employed include the use of long poles to avoid climbing to heights to perform construction works, using general access scaffolds to prevent falls while working at heights and also using guard rails as barriers to prevent workers from falling. These barriers have to be strong to withstand the weight of the workers and the materials they may be using to perform the works. Tower scaffolds have also been largely adopted to provide a safe means of gaining access to heights (Health and Safety Executive 2011, 30). Occupational Health Hazards Research also shows that approximately 3% of workers in the construction industry suffer from an illness which is work related. These illnesses include musculoskeletal disorders, stress, anxiety, depression among other illnesses (Health and Safety Executive 2016, 2). Between the year 2011 and 2015, there was an annual average of 69,000 cases of workers suffering from illnesses attributed to their work on construction sites. Musculoskeletal disorders accounted for 64% of the cases reported with 45,000 cases, cases of depression, stress and anxiety were 14,000 while other illnesses such as skin and respiratory conditions accounted for 10,000 cases. There were other work-related illnesses such as respiratory disease, for example, breathing and lung problems, occupational asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, silicosis and asbestos, skin disease and occupational cancer. Asbestos related illnesses cause more deaths than any other work related illness. These illnesses arise when asbestos fiber become airborne and are inhaled causing major damage to the lungs and thereby causing cancer. The deaths arising from asbestos-related illnesses are due to the fact that these diseases are not curable. Repeated low exposures to asbestos can lead to cancer. Employers have a duty to protect the workers from exposure to asbestos or to significantly reduce such exposure to the lowest levels possible. There is a growing trend in the construction industry to insist on personal protective equipment where hazardous substances and processes are involved. More resources have been put to use to identify the risks that may affect workers and precautions implemented to protect the workers. Where there is evidence of hazardous substances workers are provided with protective gear to ensure they are protected. Such protective equipment is meant to protect the workers from breathing in fumes of the hazardous materials and also preventing direct contact of such chemicals with the skin (Health and Safety Executive 2011, 90). Workers are being trained today on the need for personal hygiene in order to prevent work-related illnesses. There are substances which when transferred from the workers’ hands to their food or cigarettes they become harmful. Such substances and risks associated can be avoided by washing hands and face before smoking, drinking or eating. Selected Hazards Safety Hazard: Falling Accidents Construction work exposes people to risks arising from working at height for activities such as erecting steel, erecting or taking down scaffolding, painters painting a lamp post among others. Most of these activities will require the use of access equipment such as a ladder and the workers may be so used to such equipment that they may become complacent. As a result, they are exposed to the risk of falling from height. Falling from height accounts for more than half of fatalities in the construction industry. Falling results in fatalities, multiple fractures and neck or spinal injury leading to paralysis or permanent disability. The risk factors involved in falls from heights include fall initiation, the distance of the fall, the landing area and falling objects. The fall initiation refers to the factors that contribute to the fall such as when workers try to overreach on ladders, workers overloading ladders and where a ladder is rested against weak upper surfaces such as plastic gutters (Health and Safety Executive 2014, 9). The fall initiation can also be where construction works occur on a shabby or weak roof. The distance of the fall refers to how high the worker is during the fall. The distance of the fall can be affected by the presence of safety equipment such as rope grabs (Kines 2015, 200). The landing area also affects the seriousness of a fall. Where there are appropriate catch systems then the impact of the fall is reduced while where there are no catch systems the impact is greater causing serious injuries including death. In situations where there are objects that fall with the victim such as the equipment used by the worker or construction materials, the fall may be fatal even where the falling distance is less. The falling objects increase the impact of the fall (Occupational Safety and Health Council 2014, 10). Controls One of the risk factors for falling from heights accidents is fall initiation which arises when workers overreach while on ladders, when they overload the ladders or when they work without safety or protective equipment. Workers competent to work at heights can detect some of the risks associated with working at heights and hence avoid such behavior. This means that such workers must have the right skills such as to know the right tools and equipment to use to access the high areas as well as knowledge on ensuring their safety (BOMEL Limited 2017, 9). Other controls include installing guardrails and fences to protect the workers from falling. The use of scaffolds is also important to prevent the falls. Another risk factor is the distance of the fall. Workers working at great heights such as above two meters should have safety equipment, for example, rope grabs to reduce the distance of the fall. Fall restraints or fall arrest systems should also be placed below the working area of the workers to reduce the distance of the fall. The landing area should also be designed in a way that minimizes the impact of the fall. This can be done by providing soft landing systems such as air bags and safety nets. Other measures include providing catch platforms and safety nets placed below the working area not more than two meters below the working area (Safe Work Australia 2011, 29). Workers working at heights must also be provided with protective equipment that guarantees their safety while working at heights. The risk of serious injuries increases where there are objects that fall with the victim. There are several measures that can be used to reduce the risk that arises from the falling objects such as ensuring that workers have safety helmets to protect against the impact caused by falling objects (Kines 2015, 205). Legislation The Work at Height Regulations 2005 provides for the law governing working at height with the aim of preventing deaths and injuries caused by falling from heights. Employers and those controlling work at height such as building owners or facilities managers are required to comply with the Regulations. One of the control factors identified above is to ensure that the workers working at heights are competent or trained to perform such works. Regulation 5 of the Work at Height Regulations mandates the employer to ensure that only competent workers perform works at height including planning and organizing for such works. This is in line with the controls meant to protect against the risk of initiation of a fall. The Regulations also require the employer to provide the right equipment to ensure the safety of workers working at height. Regulation 7 requires the employer to choose equipment depending on the nature of the work being done. The Regulation stipulates that an employer should choose equipment taking into consideration the distance and consequence of a potential fall. Regulation 8 provides for the provision of equipment such as a net, airbag, fall arrest system and rope access which supports the controls needed to address the distance of a fall and the landing area. For falling objects, the Regulations require the employer to put in place all measures to prevent the fall of any material or object. However, where such measures are not reasonably practicable, the employer has a duty to provide the employees with the right equipment for their safety. The Regulations provide for the controls that are meant to protect workers against the risk factors. The successful implementation of these Regulations will ensure the safety of construction workers. Health Hazard: Musculoskeletal Disorders Research has shown that musculoskeletal disorders are the major causes of ill health among workers in the construction industry. Approximately 64% of all the cases reported of construction-related illnesses relate to musculoskeletal disorders (Health and Safety Executive 2016, 2). Musculoskeletal disorders arise from heavy lifting, exerting too much force, uncomfortable working positions, working for long durations without breaks, bending and twisting and adverse working conditions such as extremely hot or cold working environment. These disorders affect the muscles, tendons, joints and nerves causing strains, raptures, fractures and the early degeneration of bones and cartilages (Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians 2017, 1). The disorders range from light and transitory conditions to irreversible injuries. The two types of injuries that cause musculoskeletal disorders are acute and painful injuries and the chronic and lingering injuries. The acute and painful injuries are caused by a short-term lifting of a heavy load which causes a sudden failure of the structure such as a bone fracture. The second type of injuries that is the chronic and lingering injuries are caused by a permanent overload of the muscles leading to increasing dysfunction of the structure such as wear and tear of ligaments. Such injuries may be fatal especially when ignored (Luttman et al. 2005, 11). Controls One of the major causes of musculoskeletal disorders is the carrying of heavy loads. Due to the risks involved the employer has an obligation to avoid manual handling of heavy loads such as by introducing lifters and cranes to protect the workers from carrying such loads. Where the lifting or carrying of the heavy loads is still necessary, employers have to introduce ergonomic measures to reduce the risk of musculoskeletal disorders (Luttman et al. 2005, 17). There are two controls that are widely accepted for preventing musculoskeletal disorders. These are the engineering controls and the administrative controls (Infrastructure Health and Safety Association 2016, 1). Engineering controls are those measures that are taken to address risk factors such as the vibration levels of a job, the use of force such as in lifting or pulling things or repetitiveness. Engineering controls include the use of tools and equipment to help in the carrying of heavy loads and performing other works that require a lot of effort. Engineering controls also include modifying the layout of the workstation to eliminate risk factors. Administrative controls, on the other hand, are directed towards the management part of construction work which includes having work practices and policies that are aimed at reducing or preventing exposures to risk factors. These policies or practices could, for example, relate to ensuring that the work environment does not have extreme temperatures which could expose the workers to certain illnesses. The administrative controls could also include changing the rules of doing work by promoting job rotation, training as well as introducing more rest breaks (Infrastructure Health and Safety Association 2016, 1). These controls are meant to provide good working conditions for the workers to prevent the risk of musculoskeletal disorders. Workers also have the responsibility to protect themselves such as by carrying heavy loads with two persons, lifting such loads with both hands and also using cranes and lifters where such equipment is available (Health and Safety Executive 2017, 4). Legislation There are several legislations that relate to musculoskeletal disorders whose effect is to provide for the duties and responsibilities of employers and workers towards promoting safety and health. Regulation 3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, for example, creates a requirement for all employers to assess the risks to the safety and health of workers. There is also the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992 which require and employer assess the risks that arise from all manual handling tasks. The aim is to identify the injury risks that arise from the tasks. The Regulations further create an obligation on the employer to avoid any manual handling tasks where there is a risk of injury (Health and Safety Executive 2015, 1). Where the employer cannot avoid the tasks, he must take measures to reduce the risk of injury. Such measures would include providing the right tools and equipment to the workers. This supports the use of engineering controls. There are also Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 which requires employers to put in place measures meant to protect workers against the risk arising from exposure to vibration. These measures could include creating regular breaks as well as ensuring job rotation to make sure that no workers are exposed to regular long-term vibrations (Health and Safety Executive 2015, 1). The Regulations support the use of both engineering and administrative controls to protect workers against the risk of injury. Comparison with Workers from other Industries The construction industry, as discussed in the introduction section, is the most dangerous industry due to the high rate of accidents that are reported. This means that workers in the construction industry are at a greater risk musculoskeletal disorders and falling than their counterparts in the manufacturing, processing or the agricultural industry. One of the reasons for the high risks involved in the construction industry is the constant change of the construction sites or the location of the works (Health and Safety Executive 2016b, 14). For the manufacturing industry, for example, the manufacturing plant remains the same for a long time meaning that the employer has time to install the right equipment and technology to make the work environment safe for the workers. The manufacturing industry has incorporated the use of lifters and recent technology due to the permanence of the location of the works or the plant. Due to the permanence of other industries such as the manufacturing and the agricultural industries, employers have invested in engineering controls such as providing equipment and tools meant to make physical work less and easier for the workers. Further, they have time to enact policies and work practices that promote the safety and health of the workers. This is because the nature of the work in these industries and the employment contracts of the workers has a level of permanence. These work practices may include the requirement that workers wear protective equipment whenever they are at work. In the construction industry, on the other hand, the degree of permanence is less since the construction sites change whenever work is completed. Further, the workers could be employed for the duration of a certain project (Luttman et al. 2005, 24). This lack of permanence means that there are fewer measures implemented by the employers to ensure the health of workers like in other industries. The lack of proper work practices and policies expose the workers to risks of musculoskeletal disorders. The mobile nature of construction sites makes it difficult to install all the safety measures required for the safety and health of the workers. Construction may take one or two years and then the contractor or employer has to move to another site. As a result, there is no time to invest in permanent structures in one construction site. Temporary structures may mean poor designs which expose the workers to the risk of falling (Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians 2017, 1). Further, the employers may also invest less in machinery hence exposing the workers to a lot of physical works that increases their risk for musculoskeletal disorders. The lack of permanency of the construction sites also makes it difficult for inspectors to regularly check whether these sites provide good working conditions for the workers. This may also mean that the standards used by the inspectors may not be as strict as those enforced in other sectors or industries. It is also worth noting that workers in other industries such as the manufacturing or the agriculture sectors are not as exposed to working at heights as the workers in the construction sector (Health and Safety Executive 2016b, 16). As a result, the construction workers are at a higher risk of falling than other workers. Such falls may also lead to musculoskeletal disorders. References Alhajeri, M 2011, Health and safety in the construction industry: Challenges and solutions in the UAE. Coventry University. Bomel Limited 2017, Falls from height- Prevention and risk control effectiveness. Health and Safety Executive. Construction Industry Advisory Committee 2015, Industry guidance for workers, Construction Industry Training Board. Health and Safety Executive 2011, Health and safety in construction, Health and Safety Executive. Health and Safety Executive 2014, Slips and trips and falls from height in Great Britain, 2014, Health and Safety Executive. Health and Safety Executive 2015, Legislation covering MSDs, Available at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/legislation.htm [Accessed 13 April 2017] Health and Safety Executive 2016a, Health and safety in construction sector in Great Britain, 2014/2015, Health and Safety Executive. Health and Safety Executive 2016b, Work-related musculoskeletal disorder statistics, Great Britain 2016, Health and Safety Executive. Health and Safety Executive 2017, Health and safety regulation: A short guide, Health and Safety Executive. Infrastructure Health and Safety Association 2016, Musculoskeletal disorders- Risk factors. Infrastructure Health and Safety Association. Kines, P 2015, Construction workers’ falls through roofs: Fatal versus serious injuries, Journal of Safety Research, 33(2), 195-208. Loughborough University 2010, Causal factors in construction accidents, Health and Safety Executive. Luttmann, A, Jager, M and Griefahn, B 2005, Preventing musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace, World Health Organization. Occupational Safety and Health Council 2014, A casebook of fatal accidents related to work at height, Occupational Safety and Health Council. Safe Work Australia 2011, Managing the risks of falls at workplaces, Safe Work Australia. Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians 2017, Musculoskeletal disorders, Available at: https://www.ucatt.org.uk/musculoskeletal-disorders [Accessed 10 April 2017] Summary of the Changes Made Safety Hazard: Falling Accidents In this section I have introduced the ways in which falling accidents can arise such as overloading ladders, overreaching while on a ladder or a scaffold, working on a shabby roof without the necessary equipment to ensure the safety of the workers among others. Falling accidents can also arise when scaffolds used to access heights are prepared or made by workers who do not have the right training. Controls Based on the factors that increase the risk of falling, I have introduced training of workers as a necessary control since when workers are competent to work on heights they will avoid overloading ladders and will also have the right skills to access heights while ensuring their safety. Employers also have a responsibility to provide the right equipment and tools especially when workers are working in risky areas such as weak roofs. Legislation The relevant legislation is the Work at Height Regulations 2005 which provides for the duties and responsibilities of workers and employers in ensuring the safety while working at height. I find that the legislation adequately provides for the controls listed above to ensure the safety of the workers. Health Hazard: Musculoskeletal Disorders In this section I have introduced two major controls meant to deal with the musculoskeletal disorders risk factors. These are the engineering controls and the administrative controls. The engineering controls require employer to provide the right equipment and tools to protect workers from performing strenuous physical work such as heavy lifting and pushing. Administrative controls are meant to introduce policies and work practices that ensure the safety of the workers such as introducing job rotations, creating breaks where workers can rest as well as training the workers on safety measures. Legislation I found several pieces of legislation that deal with musculoskeletal disorders such as the Management of Health and Safety Regulations 1999, the Manula Hnadling Operations Regulations 1992 and the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005. These Regulations support the use of administrative and engineering controls to protect workers against the risk of injury. Comparison with Workers from other Industries I have added a section to cover the measures taken by other industries to protect workers from musculoskeletal disorders. This shows that workers in the construction sector are less protected compared to their counterparts in other industries. Read More