Health and Safety Management in Construction Projects - Essay Example

HEALTH and SAFETY MANAGEMENT in CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS Name Institution Date Introduction Application of signs and symbols as health and safety management tool in construction projects has emerged as a complex and proactive point of argument and critic among occupation law activist, workers, scholars and higher hierarchy management concerns in the building industry. Thus, the problem of health and safety symbols and their solutions have served as a turning point or a point of focus in development projects management plans and implementations. Thus, construction projects industry identifies the problem and consequence of the safety signs and symbols in order to reduce the risks, accidents and hazards to their workers (Rojas, 2009). However, the health and security management applies corrective measures of the signs and symbols in management systems as a primary guideline, warnings and protective policies at which all workers should adhere in order to maintain the health and safety reputation of the organization itself. Analysis provided in this paper is helpful in understanding how the construction projects formulate, maintains and implement health and safety management requirements within and outside the organization. Further analysis explores across all possible signs and symbols problems that are present in construction projects as means of managing and controlling health and safety measures (Chichester, 2010). On a broad front, the paper exposes out the meaning, interpretations and the problems of the signs and symbols as an essential tool and guideline for in construction projects management. Lastly, the paper provides a recommendation as well as a conclusion after exploring all the problem, challenges and solutions of the health and safety signs and symbols problems in the construction industry (Russell, 2010). Construction industry or projects as a whole apply scientific management model in ensuring the health and safety measures are maintained through all the programs and activity that the organization is involved. For instance, not only does the organization ensure that its policies, planning, organizing and monitoring activities are directed specifically toward maintaining a healthy working environment according to Russell (2010). In simple terms, the organization ensures that there are clear understanding and interpretation of all signs and symbols problems and challenges provided by the institution as a requirement of all workers. From a different point of view, the organization policies ensure all the signs and symbols problems are correctly identified and eliminated by clear statements that are committed to maintaining health and safety as a responsibility of all workers. In addition, the management policies incorporate the interpretation of the signs and symbols in a regular review of the workers signs and symbols adherence and use based on the effectiveness and implementation (Sadar, 2007). Conversely, organization manages the contractors on the sites based on the health and safety according to Schaufelberger and Lin (2013) in order to eliminate signs and symbols problems. In simple terms, all the operational contractors are required to have enough knowledge of the potential risks, issues and challenges that faces all the available signs and symbols related issues and problems. In addition, the construction organization must understand that, the responsibility of checking and monitoring all contractors working in a safe environment and taking actions if any problem arises remains a vital element within the organization (summerhayes, 2010). For this regard, the construction project organization ensures that there is equal and enough distribution of health and safety signs and symbols through the organization in order to eliminate signs and symbols scarcity problems (Poulin, 2012). For example, though understanding of signs and symbols problems (Reading and interpretation) for contractors can be used by the organization as selection criterion, the steps to ensure that all the organization contractors are competent in maintaining health and safety creates a primary concern. However, the contractors as well as the workers are made aware and understanding of the working procedures and sites rules before taking any activity that does not promote health and safety (Michael & Andrew, n.d.). Further analysis of the signs and symbols problems identification and understanding the organization structure indicates how the whole construction industry has been shaped by the help of the availability of the health and safety signs and symbols interpreters. For example, through planning and job implementation, signs and symbols may fail to directs and indicate to the contractors as well as worker to places where they are need or position of the site where they are going to take part (Loosemore & Lingard, 2003). In this regard, the organization plan together with the contractors by ensuring there is a clear adherence directive arrow to the health and safety methods usage. For instance, the contractors and workers can be easy being followed and understood where they are located or carrying out their responsibility (Lingard, h., & Rowlinson, 2005). Conversely, it is worth understanding that signs and symbols are placed at the entry and exit of the construction projects sites in order to solve out the scarcity problems. Contractors should all be required to sign in at these positions before exceeding to the next level of working. At this point of entry and exit, signs and symbols are clear and visually comprehended to provide contractors with relevant information before taking part in any site activities. For instance, the contractors and all other workers should be provided with health and safety information manuals on what to expect or go through while taking their tasks and responsibilities (Lambeck, & Eschemuller, 2009). For example, they are warned about the potential encounter with accidents, falling things and fires before the entry to those places of work. However, these signs are placed at wrong locations and place. Emergency procedures signs and symbols have inadequate concepts and principles for dealing with possible risks such as fire. Signs and symbols may necessary steps or influence to follow when encountered with health and safety potential hazards. For example, the sign and symbols problems limit contractors plan efficient and effective emergency procedures during a particular occurrence of the contingency risk. Thus, when working with flooding, tunnel, waterworks or toxic gasses areas, and too much description or foreign languages on the signs and symbols can misdirect workers to evacuation areas or the possible rescue points to run to for help (Gonzalez & Castro, 2009). In addition, signs and symbols may fade away failing to take part in emergency planning mechanisms by taking into accounts of all exits and routes, alerts and training of the possible emergency risks to be encountered at a particular working area (Kovacs, 2006). From a different point of view, signs and symbols placed at one central point may lose meaning in health and safety precautions, education and procedures against fire and other risks their interpretations may be missed out. Hence, signs and symbols location problems have impacted negatively the means of escape or providing warnings and means of fighting fire at the construction sites (Chudley & Greeno, 2006). For instance, inadequate signs and symbols to incorporate a universal visual image of someone escaping from the fire at the door point may misguide the contractors to where to flee to in case of fire outbreak. In addition, painting may not be placed at a working site that include the risk of fall that requires contractors to wear protective devices such as gumboots, gowns and goggles Similarly, First aid points and position as well as notices on where to find the First aids lack and unsuccessfully used by the help of the scarce health and safety symbols and signs (Canada, 2003). Signs and symbols problems have further impacted the mechanism and procedures in which health and safety risks are being managed with the construction work. For example, the signs and symbols problems corrective measures have helped in identifying, assessing, controlling and reviewing the control measures of the possible and potential risks and hazards (Gernsheimer, 2010). For instance, it is worth understanding that, the signs and symbols availability and provision ensure general workplace management arrangements and implementations are achieved. For this reason, the signs and symbols development in construction provide the working environment; construction facilities at the workplace, emergency planning, falling objects and personal protective equipments are followed and adhered to at the working sites (Asfahl & Rieske, 2010). From a similar perspective, the signs and symbols problem solutions serve as a guidance and management tool in protecting the contractors’ health and safety. However, there are multiple challenges that face the problem and influences of the signs and symbols application in construction projects. It is worth understanding that, policies and rules that govern the use and the adherence to the signs and symbols are not adhered as expected. In this regard, most institutions value worker's output and productivity in workplaces without considering the contractor’s health and safety (Badenoch & Fickers, 2010). In addition, most organization thinks about the cost of initiating and implementing signs and symbols in construction management project. The problem of signs and symbol in development projects in relation to health and safety have additional disadvantages in most working area as most organization lacks a suitable risk communication programs. For instance, most construction project lack clears signs and symbols assessment and evaluation guidelines that follow their contractors at the places of work (Bourek, 2011). In addition, most construction organization never record minor injuries or potential risks that affect individual workers rather than those that affects the entire organization. In simple terms, the presence of signs and symbols in construction projects in relation to health and safety are not clearly understood or interpreted in the most organization than they are expected (Asfahl & Rieske, 2010). Recommendation Signs and symbols problems and their solutions in the construction project as a health and safety management tool ought to be taken with seriousness and effectiveness. For instance, there should be clear guidelines and policies that monitor and assess the use and adherence of the signs and symbols in the work of the place. In addition, construction systems and management techniques should contain a clear statement of management that emphasizes commitments and responsibility to health and safety. However, there should be regular reviews that monitor the organization plans and implementation through all activities. It is also recommended that, all construction projects should identify hazards, assess risk and discuss with their contractors on ways and mechanisms of maintaining health and safety signs and symbols at workplaces. Conclusion Signs and symbols problems and their solution in construction projects in relation to health and safety management can only be achieved through collective bargains. The problem, meaning and the solutions attributed to the sanitation and safety signs and symbols problems has changed the scope of construction project organization by both active and negative influences. However, the advantage of signs and symbols in construction projects in relation to health and safety management overweighs the disadvantage making it have a possible implication to contracts as well as the organization. Further analysis and evaluation of the problem of signs and symbols problems and solutions in the construction project in relation to health and safety in order to improve its application and adherence. References ASFAHL, C. R., & RIESKE, D. W. (2010). Industrial safety and health management. Upper Saddle River, N.J., Prentice Hall. BADENOCH, A., & FICKERS, A. (2010). 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