Health and safety management is an essential part of building sites in New Zealand. Without proper management, the risks associated with the building can turn into costly liabilities. Building sites are dangerous places. They are chaotic and loud, they are dirty and they are full of risks. Many building workers have been injured on the job, and many have died. The health and safety management of building sites is therefore an important topic to consider.
Why health and safety management is important?
Health and safety management is one of the most critical aspects of a construction site. If handled correctly, it can keep the site running smoothly and minimize the risks associated with construction. However, if not managed correctly, it can lead to a closed site, delays, and increased costs. This article will discuss the health and safety management requirements in New Zealand, the current state and cost of health and safety management, and ways in which contractors can improve their health and safety management on site.
What is the cost of health and safety management in building sites?
Successful building site health and safety management costs pennies on the dollar when compared to the costs associated with a traditional site, and yet provides significant safety benefits. In New Zealand, the overall expenditures on health and safety programs for building sites range from 0.31 percent to 1.08 percent. The study found that external monitoring and management needs, degree of education and training, and the extent of work-related dangers are all key cost-related variables impeding the health and safety programs of building sites. The costs of health and safety management in building sites are often high.
The biggest challenge in health and safety cost management
One of the biggest challenges in managing health and safety on construction sites is keeping track of a large number of workers and equipment. Traditional methods of managing health and safety on construction sites are labor-intensive and require a lot of oversight by managers. This limits the amount of time a manager can spend on other responsibilities. The cost of health and safety at building sites is one of the biggest challenges to building owners and developers. Over the years, the cost of health and safety has increased while the returns have decreased. This has led to a situation where the majority of the health and safety budget is spent on protecting employees rather than on enhancing the safety of the site for the tenants and the public.
Building site health and safety precautions
- The safety department should undertake the safety training program regularly.
- Medical services and first aid should always be available on-site.
- Head protection with safety helmets
- Steel-toed safety shoes for foot protection
- Clothes should be worn in accordance with the weather.
- High visibility apparel should be worn at all times, especially during night hours.
- Safety glasses for eye protection, particularly when welding or working in direct sunlight.
What are the types of accident at building sites?
If you are working with construction materials, take extra special precautions to be sure the job site is safe and workers are all aware of the danger.
Construction accidents can be caused by several things, including faulty workmanship, poor project management, or a lack of maintenance. This overview of common types of construction accidents is designed to help you recognize what kinds of hazards are most likely to occur during your next construction project and to provide you with advice on how to avoid them. Some of the common causes are:
- Traffic accidents
- Excavation/demolition accidents
- Falls from heights
- Explosions
- Fires
- Rattling noise
- Spray of falling debris and dust
- Gasoline explosions
- Blasting or cutting accidents
- Cave-in accidents
- Burns
- Poisonings
- Falling objects
- Slips and falls caused by misplaced tools and materials
- Being hit by falling items
- Getting entangled between items
- Injuries caused by faulty tools and machinery
Hire TotalQS for cost management of health and safety
Hiring a professional health and safety management company is a great way to help ensure that your workers stay safe and your site is protected from harm. Many firms offer EH&S services across a range of industries and offer various packages to meet your needs and budget. The TotalQS Managed Safety service solves this problem by providing construction managers with a system for managing health and safety on their sites without requiring them to be onsite all the time. Our team will provide the most accurate cost estimate for health and safety in building sites.