Safety Strategies on Construction Sites to avoid Human injuries and Fatalities
Project Definition Document
for Dissertation in partial fulfilment of Bachelor of XXXX Honours Degree in Civil Engineering
in the School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment
Nottingham Trent University
2014-2015
Registration Number:
Project Title: Safety Strategies on Construction Sites to avoid Human injuries and Fatalities due to Moving Vehicles and Equipment
Rationale: The purpose of the research is to investigate the old and new strategies for protecting workers from vehicles on construction sites in the UK, in order to evaluate the best strategy for safety. Civil engineering projects such as building bridges, tunnels and transportation networks are very dangerous, in fact the high rate of accidents and accidents resulting in fatalities are larger in the construction sector than in other sectors (User 2014). About “27 percent of total fatal injuries to employees” are in the construction sector, while at the same time only five percent of total workers are employed in construction (User 2014). Cutting edge techniques that are very sophisticated are investigated in the research.
According to Philip White, former Chief Inspector of Construction the construction sector “retains an unwanted record” of more recorded fatal injuries “than any other sector” (HSE Press 2010). Moving vehicles and mobile machinery cause accidents that result in hospitalization, disabilities and death (Tuchsen, Hannerz and Spangenberg 2005). The recorded statistics for the construction sector for the years 2008/09, 2011/112, and 2012/13 are explained below.
In the UK, the agency in Health and Safety Executive (HSE) tracks accidents on-the-job is RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations). In 2008/09, 52 fatalities occurred in the construction sector and in 2011/12, 49 workers were killed and 2,884 were badly injured (HSE Press 2010; HSE 2013). Fatal construction accidents reported by an HSE statistician S. Wright (2013), reported in an October 2012/13 33 annual fatalities which is half of the average from the previous ten years. By the end of 2013 the total fatalities rose to 39 deaths, equal to 28 percent of the total fatalities reported to HSE.
The research is timely because HSE funding was cut by 35 percent by the government (Guardian 2014). Many have predicted a rise in accidents including increased fatalities in the construction industry. Rita Donaghy, the author of “One Death is too Many: Inquiry into the Underlying Causes of Construction Fatal Accidents,” warns that “corners will be cut” although the number of injuries to construction workers is high (Guardian 2014). the number of fatalities on civil engineering construction a Since 2001, 760 workers have died in industrial accidents on UK building sites. The number of site-related deaths in London, where growth in construction is strongest, has doubled recently (Guardian 2014). The general secretary of the labor union, Ucatt, also warned that “deaths on sites will tragically rise in the next year” (Guardian 2014).
New technologies are developing and some are currently available that promise to decrease the number of accidents and fatal accidents from moving vehicles in the construction industry (Deokho, Caldas and Gong 2008); Spangenberg (2009); Choe, Leite, Seedah and Caldas (2014).
Hypothesis: The new technology available for worker-safety when driving or working around moving construction equipment and vehicles will improve safety on construction sites when compared to traditional methods.
Aim: The aim of the study is to evaluate the safety strategies at construction sites to protect workers and others from moving vehicles by comparing old and new techniques.
Objectives:
Methodology:
A comprehensive literature review is done to better understand the problem of moving vehicle accidents on civil engineering construction sites, to find the range of solutions being applied and to review potential solutions. The primary data on worker injuries and fatalities comes from the Health and Safety Executive statistics databank on their website. The data that targets only the moving vehicle accidents on civil engineering construction sites will have to be sorted from the other locations where that type of accident are recorded. Original research published in peer reviewed journals is the source for collected data about the solutions that are used and their success rate. The following gives more detail.
The experimental part of the research is a qualitative survey which includes going to construction sties and interviewing construction site superintendents and workers.
Primary and secondary sources are used. The main topics from both types of sources are the risks to workers on construction sites from moving vehicles and equipment and finding solutions. Data from primary sources including statistical data, reports from individuals with direct experience of new strategies for safety and conference papers. Scholarly articles from peer-reviewed journals are included in the review. Secondary sources include newspaper articles. Scholarly literature reviews about empirical research on worker safety are evaluated. Textbook chapters are tertiary references that have been included to a small degree. Several construction site risk and injury models are reviewed. The different techniques are then discussed in relationship to the models. The methodology includes government statistics (quantitative method) and evaluation of the latest technical safety strategies (qualitative method).
Data: The HSE (2014) reports that approximately seven workers day annually because of accidents by vehicles or mobile equipment on construction sites. Also about 93 workers seriously injured each year (HSE 2014). Types of vehicles used on construction sites including vans, lorries, cars and low-loaders (HSE 2014). Three types of mobile plant include lift trucks, excavators, and site-dumpers (HSE 2014). The statistics and reasons for injuries and fatalities in the UK are identified. The statistics in the UK are compared to other countries in the European Union and to global statistics for civil engineering construction projects. The types of construction projects where accidents have taken place will be separated and ranked by degree of injury from over seven days missed work, major injury or fatality; the same as RIDDOR ranks injuries. Earlier RIDDOR ranked ‘over three day injuries’ so when the data is reported in that category, then that category is included. The types of injuries gathered from the data will be due to moving vehicles, moving machinery or accidental impact (being struck by) with moving equipment. Another category of moving accidents that are not clearly described, are placed in a category ‘other.’
Resources: RIDDOR in the Health and Safety Executive reports the number and types of injuries and fatalities in all industrial sectors. The data for construction is available on Excel spreadsheets for the years2008/09, 2009/10, 2010/11, 2011/12 and 2012/2013. “Struck by a moving vehicle” is one of the reporting categories. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) coded the results for the Labour Force Survey (LFS) with an automated code from January 2009 to the present. In the publication UK Standard Industrial Classification of Economic Activities 2007 (SIC 2007) (151-152) Section F, 42 to 43.12 and explains the categories of civil engineering activities related to construction projects that entail moving vehicles and equipment.
Programme of work:
Activity Risk Assessment
Dept:
Activity: ..
Room/Area: .
Description of
activity
Significant
Hazards
Does the activity involve;
Manual Handling?
Use of hazardous substances?
Use of work equipment?
Use of electrical appliances?
Use of Display Screen Equipment?
If ‘yes’ then refer to appropriate policy for further action. See Health and Safety Manual.
Adverse effects
(likely injury)
Persons
at risk
If those at risk include students, specify the supervision arrangements (refer to policy document on supervision of students)
Control
measures
in place
If the control measures include the use of personal protective equipment then refer to the policy document in the safety manual.
Are the risks adequately controlled?
If ‘No’ specify
further action
activity taking
place.
Person completing assessment:
Position:
Ethical Assessment
Original Project title Safety Strategies on Construction Sites to avoid Human
injuries and Fatalities due to Moving Vehicles and Equipment
Delete one of the following two statements
- This project will not involve human participants from vulnerable groups
Signed (student) .. Date
Signed (supervisor) .. Date
References
APS (Association for Project Safety). (2014) ‘Construction.’ https://www.aps.org.uk
Bell, Chris. (2013) Risk management lessons: The London Orbital Motorway. Civil Engineering News. http://cenews.com/article/9191/risk_management_lessons
Boffey, D. (2014). ‘UK construction industry warned for “time bomb’ from health and safety cuts.’ online. 12 April 2014. Available from http://theguardian.com/business/2014/apr/12/uk-construction-industry-timebomb-health-safety-cuts-building -hse
Roger Bostelman, Jochen Teizer, Soumitry J. Ray, Mike Agronin, Dominic Albanese, Methods for improving visibility measurement standards of powered industrial vehicles, Safety Science, Volume 62, February 2014, Pages 257-270, ISSN 0925-7535, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ssci.2013.08.020. (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S092575351300204X)
Chi, S., Caldas, C., and Gong, J. (2008) ‘A crash avoidance framework for heavy equipment control systems using 3D imaging sensors.’ IT Con, 13, 118-133. http://www.itcon.org/cgi-bin/works/Show?2008_9
Cole, M. (2012) ‘Site life saver.’ online,. 9 Aug. 2012. New Civil Engineer, Available from http://www.nce.co.uk/news/construction-equipment/site-life-saver/8638372.article
Committee for Oversight and Assessment of U.S. Department of Energy Project Management. (2005) The Owner’s Role in Project Risk Management. Department of Energy Project Management, National Research Council. pp. 102. http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11183.html
Donaghy, R. (2009) One Death Too Many: Injury into the Underlying Causes of Construction Fatal Accidents. HSE Cm 7657
HSE (Health and Safety Executive) (2014a)’Vehicle injuries in Great Britain, 2013.’ online, Available from www.hse.gov.uk/statistics
HSE (Health and Safety Executive) (2014b) ‘Traffic management on site’ online, Available from www.hse.gov.uk/statistics
HSE (Health and Safety Executive) (2014c) ‘Construction inspections find sites failing to prevent health risks.’ online, Available from www.hse.gov.uk/construction
HSE (Health and Safety Executive) (2014d) ‘Safety around engineering equipment.’ online, Available from http://www.hse.gov.uk/engineering/safety-topics.htm
HSE (Health and Safety Executive) (2013a) ‘Kinds of accident in Great Britain, 2013.’ online. Available from www.hse.gov.uk/statistics
HSE (Health and Safety Executive) (2013b) ‘More than 1,100 construction sites fail safety checks.’ online, Available from http://press.hse.gov.uk/2013/more-than-1100-construction-sites-fail-safety-checks/
Hillson, David. (2004) Effective Opportunity Management for Projects: Exploiting Positive Risk. NY: Marcel Dekker, Inc.
HSE (Health and Safety Executive). (2014). Fatal injury statistics: Summary for 2013/14. HSE Statistics, http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/fatals.htm
Hannerz , H., Spangenberg , S., Tüchsen , F., and Albertsen, K. (2005) ‘Disability retirement among former employees at the construction of the great belt link.’ Public Health 119, 301 – 304.
Jacinto, J. (2014) ‘The benefits of safety engineering.’ online. 28 Aug. 2014. Totally Integrated Automation, available from http://www.totallyintegratedautomation.com/2014/08/benefits-safety-engineering/
Levine, Marshall and Harr, Roger ter (2014) Construction Insurance and UK Construction Contracts, 2nd Ed. Oxen: Routeludge.
J.F. Morgan, A.R. Duley, P.A. Hancock, Driver responses to differing urban work zone configurations, Accident Analysis & Prevention, Volume 42, Issue 3, May 2010, Pages 978-985, ISSN 0001-4575, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2009.12.021. (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001457509003352)
Pryke, S. D. & Ouwerkerk, E. (2003) Post completion risk transfer audits: an analytical risk management tool using social network analysis. Proceedings of 2003 Construction and Building Research Conference of the RICS Research Foundation (COBRA 2003)
Soumitry J. Ray, Jochen Teizer, Computing 3D blind spots of construction equipment: Implementation and evaluation of an automated measurement and visualization method utilizing range point cloud data, Automation in Construction, Volume 36, December 2013, Pages 95-107, ISSN 0926-5805, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2013.08.007. (http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0926580513001210)
Spangenberg, S. (2009) ‘An injury risk model for large construction projects.’ Risk Management, 11(2), 11-134.
Spangenberg, S., Hannerz, H. and Tüchsen, F. (2005a ) Hospitalized injuries among bridge and tunnel construction workers.’Construction Management and Economics 23 (3), 237–240.
Teizer J. and Castro-Lacouture D. (2007) Combined ultra-wideband positioning and range imaging sensing for productivity and safety monitoring in building construction, Proceedings of the 2007 ASCE International Workshop on Computing in Civil Engineering, Pittsburgh, PA.
Tüchsen , F., Hannerz, H., and Spangenberg , S. (2005) ‘Mortality and morbidity among bridge and tunnel construction workers who worked long hours and long days constructing the great belt link .’ Scandinavian Journal of Work Environment and Health 31 (2), 22 – 26.
Wright, S. (2013) ‘Vehicle injuries in Great Britain, 2013.’ [Online] Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Available from http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causinj/moving-vehicles.pdf
James Whitmire II, Justin F. Morgan, Tal Oron-Gilad, P.A. Hancock, The effect of in-vehicle warning systems on speed compliance in work zones, Transportation Research Part F: Traffic Psychology and Behaviour, Volume 14, Issue 5, September 2011, Pages 331-340, ISSN 1369-8478, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.trf.2011.04.001
Activity Risk Assessment
Dept:
Activity: ..
Room/Area: .
Description of
activity
Significant
Hazards
Does the activity involve;
Manual Handling?
Use of hazardous substances?
Use of work equipment?
Use of electrical appliances?
Use of Display Screen Equipment?
If ‘yes’ then refer to appropriate policy for further action. See Health and Safety Manual.
Adverse effects
(likely injury)
Persons
at risk
If those at risk include students, specify the supervision arrangements (refer to policy document on supervision of students)
Control
measures
in place
If the control measures include the use of personal protective equipment then refer to the policy document in the safety manual.
Are the risks adequately controlled?
If ‘No’ specify
further action
activity taking
place.
Person completing assessment:
Position:
Ethical Assessment
Original Project title Safety Strategies on Construction Sites to avoid Human injuries and Fatalities due to Moving Vehicles and Equipment
Delete one of the following two statements
- This project will not involve human participants from vulnerable groups
Signed (student) .. Date
Signed (supervisor) .. Date
