Health & Safety in the Construction Industry

Contents Common Risks Health and Safety Legislation Risk Assessment Manual Handling Provision and Use of Work Equipment Electricity Noise at Work Work at Height Fire Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Personal Protective Equipment Safety signs

Introduction The construction industry is one of the most dangerous industries to work in. Every year there are around 13,000 reported accidents with about 140 deaths. There are thousands of people seriously injured, and thousands more who suffer from health problems such as dermatitis, and deafness. While these figures are not intended to frighten or put you off a future career in the construction industry, you can see why learning as much as you can about health and safety is very important.

Most Common Risks The most common risks to people who work in the industry are accidents and ill health. Accidents The most common causes of fatal accidents are: Falling from scaffolding Being hit by something falling Falling through fragile roofs Being hit by construction vehicles Electrocution Ill health You may be exposed to substances that could damage your health. You may not be aware of the damage being caused because sometimes it takes many years for the symptoms to be noticed.

Health and Safety Legislation What is Legislation? Health and safety legislation tells us what should and shouldn’t be done by people to keep work places safe. If an employer or an employee does something they shouldn’t, or doesn’t do something they should, they could face paying a large fine or even imprisonment.

The following is some of the legislation that will affect you most There are lots of different pieces of legislation used in the construction industry. You need to be aware of some of the important laws that are there to protect you from harm. These laws state how you should be protected and what your employer must do, to keep you safe. The following is some of the legislation that will affect you most

Health and Safety at Work Order (NI) 1978 In 1978 the Health and Safety at Work Order was introduced in Northern Ireland. The Order is the main legislation covering the Health and Safety of all people at work, it also protects other people (e.g. members of the public), from danger by the work being carried out. The HASAWO creates duties for:- Employers Employees Self employed Designers, manufacturers and suppliers

Employers must Provide a safe place to work and a safe way to get to and from the work area Provide and maintain safe machinery and equipment Provide information, instruction, training and supervision Make sure people are safe when working with articles and substances Have a written safety policy and ensure all employees are aware of it An employer is not allowed to charge employees for anything relating to Health and Safety

Employees must Take care not put themselves or other people at risk Co-operate with employers Use any equipment and safeguards provided by their employer Not misuse or interfere with anything that is provided for their Health and Safety

Others Self employed duties:- The self employed can be thought of as both an employer and employee and their duties can be a combination of both. Designers, manufacturers and suppliers must:- Ensure that the equipment, machinery or material is designed manufactured and tested so that it doesn’t create a Health and Safety hazard and to provide information on this.

Follow information Health and Safety legislation doesn’t just protect you, but it also tells you what you must do to help keep other people safe. It is very important that you follow any information given to you regarding Health and Safety and that you know what your responsibilities are.

Management (health safety and welfare) Regulations (NI) 2006 These regulations tell employers that they must carry out a suitable and sufficient Risk Assessment. This is where the dangers in the work area are identified and measured against the likelihood of an accident happening. The employer must then control any dangers.

Risk Assessment Hazard identification and Risk Evaluation Activity Persons Exposed Severity 3-major 2-serious 1-minor Likelihood 3-highly likely 2-likely 1-unlikely Risk 9-Greatest 1-Lowest Working at height Loose blocks falling Missing handrail Missing kickboard Untied ladder All persons below All persons on bay of scaffold And those below Persons on ladder 3 2 1 6 9

Additional Precautions Necessary Risk Assessment Action Plan Hazards Existing Precautions Additional Precautions Necessary Action by whom Action by when Missing handrail Missing kickboard Untied ladder Loose blocks falling None Ladder weighted at bottom Blocks stacked in middle of platform Scaffolder to fit handrail Kickboard Scaffolder to tie ladder at top Fit kickboard J.Thompson J. Black 13/09/09

Manual Handling Operations Regulations (NI) 1992 Manual handling means moving or supporting a load by physical effort This includes:- Lifting Putting down Pushing Pulling Carrying Moving Possibly by using aids such as wheelbarrows

Injuries Most injuries caused by manual handling result from years of lifting things that are too heavy, are awkward shapes or sizes, or from using the wrong technique. However, it is also possible to cause a serious injury with just one single lift.

Injuries Poor manual handling can cause injuries such as:- Muscle strain Pulled ligaments Spinal disc injuries Trapped nerves Hernias Spinal injuries are very serious because there is very little that doctors can do to correct them, these injuries can lead to a lifetime of pain and suffering.

Avoiding an injury? The most important thing you can do to avoid an injury when lifting is to carry out recognised manual handling training by a competent person. Before you lift anything you should ask yourself some simple questions:- Does the object need to be moved? Can the load be lifted by other means e.g. a crane or forklift? Can the weight be reduced by breaking down the load into smaller and more manageable weights? (This may mean that more journeys are needed, but it also reduces the risk of being injured.)

Avoiding an injury? Would it be easier if someone helped me? Asking for help is not a sign of weakness and team lifting will reduce the risk of injury. How much can I lift safely? The amount that a person can lift will depend on their fitness, age and experience. The recommended maximum weight a person can lift is 25 kg however this is only an average weight and each person is different. Where is the load going? Make sure that your path is not blocked before you lift. You also need to make sure there is somewhere to put the load down when you get there.

This is known as the kinetic Handling Technique Lifting correctly When lifting any load it is important to use the correct technique This is known as the kinetic Handling Technique