The document discusses health and safety in the construction industry. It notes that construction is associated with a high number of accidents and diseases despite being labor-intensive. The top causes of construction site accidents are falls, being struck by objects, overexertion from lifting, machinery, electricity, transport, and fires/explosions. The document recommends education, skills training, engineering controls, protective equipment, and enforcement of regulations to prevent accidents in the industry.

1. COTM 5204: CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT
Chapter 7
Health and Safety in Construction Industry
Dagnachew Adugna
March 2015
School of Civil Engineering

2. Contents
Health and Safety in Construction
Industry
1. Introduction
2. Problem of Safety and Health
3. Causes of Construction Site Accidents
HU, iOT, Construction Management, Lecture Notes,Marchl 2015, Dagnachew Adugna

3. 1. Introduction
3.1 General
 Health and safety are the responsibility of everyone at
work.
 Construction industry, in general, is comparatively less
organized and involves participation of major percentage of
unskilled labor as compared to other industrial sectors.
 As a major employment generator in many parts of the
world, construction is also a sector associated with a
proportionately high number of job-related accidents and
diseases.
 Despite mechanization, the industry is still largely labor-
intensive, while working environments are frequently
changing and involve many different parties.
HU, iOT, Construction Management, Lecture Notes,Marchl 2015, Dagnachew Adugna

4. 1. Introduction
3.1 General
 It is of particular importance to the construction industry,
where it is one of the major employers of the work force in
Ethiopia.
 Statistics indicate that injuries and death due to
construction related accidents are increasing.
 According to ILO estimates:
 Each year there are at least 60,000 fatal accidents on
construction sites around the world.
 In many industrialized countries, as many as 25% to 40% of
work-related deaths are occurred in on construction sites,
even though the sector employees only 6% to 10% of the
workforce.
 In some countries, it is estimated that 30% of construction
workers suffer from back pains or other muscular disorders.
HU, iOT, Construction Management, Lecture Notes,Marchl 2015, Dagnachew Adugna

5. 1. Introduction
3.1 General
 Accidents are generally unavoidable in construction
projects but the number and gravity of accidents can be
reduced considerably if proper safety measures are taken
beforehand.
 Health and safety in the context of construction industry
are the discipline of preserving the health of those who
build, operate, maintain and demolish engineering works,
and others involved in those works.
 The term safety generally applies to the protection from
risk of injury and from avoidable accidents.
 The term health refers to the well-being from the
immediate and long-term effects of exposure to unhealthy
working condition.
HU, iOT, Construction Management, Lecture Notes,Marchl 2015, Dagnachew Adugna

6. 1. Introduction
3.1 General
 Health and safety are not only confined to construction
works on-site.
 Engineers, architects and surveyors are exposed to
hazards during the investigatory stage of a project and
while carrying out inspection tasks during the construction
phase and on completed works.
 Designers, in particular, carry both a moral responsibility
and a duty of care for the safety of construction works,
maintenance staff, demolition workers and the general
public.
HU, iOT, Construction Management, Lecture Notes,Marchl 2015, Dagnachew Adugna

7. 1. Introduction
1.2 Problem of Safety and Health
 Construction industry accidents in Ethiopia have not been well
recorded. Nevertheless, it is reported that many people lost their
lives on construction sites and many more seriously injured.
 Not only are construction workers who suffer injuries and death
but also people and children who are not employed in the
industry.
 Besides human tragedies, accidents could substantial economic
cost to the industry due to the fact it could also cause:
 Damage to plant and equipment;
 Damage to work already completed;
 Loss of productive work time while debris is cleared and
damaged work rebuilt;
 Increased insurance premiums; and
 Loss of confidence and reputation.
HU, iOT, Construction Management, Lecture Notes,Marchl 2015, Dagnachew Adugna

8. 2. Health and Safety Practices
2.1 International Practices
 Considering the importance of health and safety of
construction workers in the industry, different countries
have designed their own norms, which fit their specific
objectives.
 The International Labor Organization (ILO) provides
specific guidelines on health and safety in construction
activities.
 The general objectives of health and safety norms/codes in
any country construction industry can be summarized as:
 To help prevent accidents and harmful effects on the
health of those employed in construction industry.
HU, iOT, Construction Management, Lecture Notes,Marchl 2015, Dagnachew Adugna

9. 2. Health and Safety Practices
2.1 International Practices
 The general objectives of health and safety norms/codes …
 To provide guidelines in the appropriate design,
selection, installation and safe operation of equipment,
and process related to civil engineering work.
 To provide guidance in establishing administrative,
legal and educational frameworks within which
preventive and remedial measures can be implemented
 To promote consultation and cooperation between
concerned government authority, employer's
organization and worker's organization in the
improvement of safety and health in the construction
industry.
HU, iOT, Construction Management, Lecture Notes,Marchl 2015, Dagnachew Adugna

10. 2. Health and Safety Practices
2.2 Domestic/Local Practices
 In the case of Ethiopia, the Ministry of Labor and Social
Affairs is authorized by law for the full responsibility of
consulting, monitoring and other works related to
occupational health and safety topics.
 Even though it is difficult to obtain accurate statistics since
many accidents go undetected and unreported, the number
of construction accidents occurring in Ethiopia, is
increasing from time to time.
 In constructions under-taken in Ethiopia, the construction
contract agreement (i.e.) General Conditions of Contract
(clause 21 - 25) and FIDIC (clause 19 - 25) states the
responsibilities of the involved parties. These are like
provisions of insurance, taking other safety measures, etc.
HU, iOT, Construction Management, Lecture Notes,Marchl 2015, Dagnachew Adugna

11. 3. Causes and Prevention of Accidents
3.1 Causes of Accidents
 Human Factors:
 Error,
 Day dreaming,
 Intoxication, and
 Carelessness.
 Environmental factors:
 Tools,
 Physical plant, and
 General work environment.
HU, iOT, Construction Management, Lecture Notes,Marchl 2015, Dagnachew Adugna

12. 3. Causes and Prevention of Accidents
3.2 Prevention of Accidents
A. Education
 Create safety awareness by creating highly visible signs
that proclaim safety slogans
 Placing accident prevention articles in organization news
letters
B. Skills training
 Incorporate accident prevention measures into the learning
process.
C. Engineering
 Preventing accidents through both job and equipment
design.
 This may include factors that eliminate fatigue, boredom
and daydreaming.
HU, iOT, Construction Management, Lecture Notes,Marchl 2015, Dagnachew Adugna

13. 3. Causes and Prevention of Accidents
3.2 Prevention of Accidents
D. Protection
 Provide protective equipment (Personal Protective
Devices) where necessary.
 It also includes performing preventive maintenance on
machineries etc.
E. Regulation Enforcement
 The best safety rules and regulations will be ineffective if
they are not enforced.
 If they are not enforced, the employer will be liable for any
injuries that occur.
HU, iOT, Construction Management, Lecture Notes,Marchl 2015, Dagnachew Adugna

14. 3. Causes and Prevention of Accidents
3.3 Causes of Construction Site Accidents
 The key to control safety and health is to predict the
hazards and thus be in a position to eliminate them.
 The main causes of accident could be basically categorized
based on type into:
 Falls,
 Stepping on or striking against objects,
 Lifting and carrying-over exertion,
 Machinery,
 Electricity,
 Transport, and
 Fires and explosions.
 Causes of accident at construction sites are broadly
classified as:
 Processes related; and
 Root causes.
HU, iOT, Construction Management, Lecture Notes,Marchl 2015, Dagnachew Adugna

15. 3. Causes and Prevention of Accidents
3.3 Causes of Construction Site Accidents
 Some of the processes prone to accidents are:
 Excavation,
 Scaffolding/Working at Height,
 Shaft work,
 False work,
 Erection of Structural Framework,
 Tunneling,
 Use of Cranes,
 Transportation and Mobile Plants,
 Sewer Works,
 Demolition, and
 Road works in hilly terrain.
HU, iOT, Construction Management, Lecture Notes,Marchl 2015, Dagnachew Adugna

16. 3. Causes and Prevention of Accidents
3.3 Causes of Construction Site Accidents
HU, iOT, Construction Management, Lecture Notes,Marchl 2015, Dagnachew Adugna
Distribution of Major Causes of Accidents in
Construction Industry
People Falling
52%
Fires &
Explosions
2%
Misc
1%
Drowning
3%
Material Falling
19%
Transport
18%
Electricity
5%

17. THANK YOU!
HU, iOT, Construction Management, Lecture Notes,Marchl 2015, Dagnachew Adugna