PIPER Initiative Project overview Application of Safety II theory to contractor management: The reality of Contractors safety method statements Field study at King’s college hospital

How did collaboration happen?  PIPER networking workshop held in January.  Kings College Hospital IOSH member interested in MSc research relating to specific areas of interest including Contractor OHS management.  Potential projects discussed with the IOSH member and also academic supervisor  Research Aim decided: To find out barriers in managing contractor OSH at one of King’s college hospital project  The critical care unit project at the hospital was chosen as a site for the field research

What is the project about?  This project is based on Safety II theory & the principle of performance variability.  Work as imagined its happening versus Work as actually done  Finding barriers in managing contractors OHS successfully  Field work currently in progress

What does the project entail?  Research process includes: Design of methods Review of existing literature of the topic Develop Interview Questions for Contractors & stakeholders Field work carrying out interviews & audit Analysis of the data and conclusions Dissertation completion in beginning of November 2015

Potential Benefits for King’s college hospital  Improved contractor safety control on site  Clear picture of how contractor safety method statements are applied to the project  OHS risks identified from differences between written method statements and actual work undertaken  Greater understanding of barriers in managing contractors OHS  Improved communication with contractors

Benefits for King’s college hospital contractors  Improved communication with the client regarding OHS contract requirements on site  Improved safety of activities due to ongoing learning as safety method statements are applied to routine operations successfully  Greater ability to update safety method statements to address gaps in work as imagined and work as actually done to prevent adverse outcomes

Benefits for researcher  Opportunity to do practical research and experience OHS in a real working environment  Career development in an area I am very interested in  Networking with other OHS professionals  Ability to do something valuable for the profession by helping solve a ‘real’ issue.

Thank you for attention! Questions? If you would like to get support for a project from PIPER this year, please contact or visit IOSH London Metropolitan brunch website