THE construction industry is a catalyst for economic growth and development. To ensure progression and success, we need a professional and skillful workforce and workers with exposure and competency on safety and health at the workplace.
Those in the construction sector should be aware of the consequences of flouting safety guidelines and cutting corners, poor design, shoddy workmanship and inadequate supervision.
Behaviour-based safety (BBS) can be applied to the industry.
Accidents caused by poor safety management at construction sites must be addressed. Those responsible must learn from past accidents and be prepared. Accidents, such as the collapse of building scaffolding or falling objects resulting in deaths or injuries, must be taken seriously.
BBS addresses factors of influence and reinforces learning and behaviours. It is linked to company culture and values and, most importantly, is an excellent tool to improve safety at the workplace.
Reports of falling cranes at construction sites resulting in the damage of homes and public property are matters of serious concern. Construction activities carried out without regard for the environment have resulted in environmental mishaps, such as floods and landslides.
Such accidents could affect the image of the company, delay construction and generate costs. In some cases, it can also cause injury to workers, which can demotivate and demoralise them.
The key findings of accident investigations highlight the need to review and enhance awareness and competency of parties involved in such incidents, particularly their roles and responsibilities in developing best practices related to workplace safety.
It is essential for those involved in the construction industry to be sensitive to such problems and take measures to prevent accidents. Those in positions of authority must pay heed to standards in relation to occupational safety and health.
Laws and regulations cannot automatically ensure health and safety practices at construction sites. What we need is the adoption and implementation of safety measures by safety-conscious contractors supported by experienced and trained employees.
To avoid mishaps, attention and priority must be given to safety at the start of the project.
Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) management must be practiced at all levels of the construction industry, from the top management to the labourer. It is important for everyone to be committed and involved in OSH.
Although there are laws, the responsibility of implementing a safety system lies mainly with the main and sub-contractors. Those who create the risk and hazards are in better position to manage them.
OSH management is needed for all worksites to ensure high standards of safety and health at work. Employers must be aware of four fundamental factors of OSH management — corporate responsibility, social and moral obligation, good business sense and legal obligation.
BBS can help organisations achieve safety excellence through knowledge of actionable indicators that are statistically valid and reliable.
BBS provides line management the opportunity to prove and demonstrate strong commitment to the core values of their organisation. When used with the company’s integrated safety management, BBS can impact injury rates and total reportable cases.
Employers must commit to and understand issues of occupational safety and health as it is part of corporate responsibility. This cannot be achieved without understanding and cooperation between employers and workers. Occupational safety and health neither discriminates between gender, appearance or citizenship.
Local and foreign workers are entitled to the same rights. Accidents neither distinguish between victims nor the value of the project.
We are the ones who can recognise hazards at the workplace and can take action to prevent accidents. Workers need to be protected from hazards and risks.
Most employers and employees would agree that the ultimate aim of a safety initiative is a “total safety culture”. However, this concept is rarely defined.
A total safety culture is a culture in which:
INDIVIDUALS hold safety as a “value” and not a priority, because our priorities change on an hourly basis;
INDIVIDUALS take responsibility for the safety of their co-workers in addition to themselves; and,
EMPLOYEES of all levels are willing and able to act on their sense of responsibility; they should go “beyond the call of duty”.
The following are some requirements for any approach to safety and contributes to a total safety culture through a BBS approach:
A STRONG management commitment to maintaining and improving behavioural safety, witnessed in the regular acts of individuals at the management level.
RESPECTFUL, trusting, open communication between the management and employee groups about safety at the workplace.
AN OPEN, feedback culture among employees, which enables employees to consistently learn and grow.
COMMITMENT to improving the profile of and attitude to health and safety and increased employee engagement in safety.
AN EMPHASIS on safe and unsafe behaviour instead of depending on indicators such as safety statistics.
A STRONG, consistent and timely reaction to the discovery of unsafe acts, whether they result in injury or not.
TRANSPARENT and fair leadership from all, including managers, supervisors and owners.
BBS thus promotes awareness among all workers to consider in working towards an accident-free environment.
TAN SRI LEE LAM THYE,
Chairman, National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health Malaysia