Introduction to Health and Safety in Construction

Foreword by George Brumwell.
Preface.
Acknowledgements.
About the authors.
List of principal abbreviations.
Illustrations credits.

Health and safety foundations:
Introduction.
Some basic definitions.
The legal framework for health and safety.
The legal system in England and Wales.
The legal system in Scotland.
European Courts.
Sources of law (England and Wales).
Common law torts and duties.
Levels of statutory liability.
The influence of the European Union (EU) on health and safety.
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
The management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
The main legal instruments relating to construction work.
Role and function of external agencies.
The scope and definition of construction.
The health and safety problem in the construction industry.
Moral, legal and financial arguments for health and safety management.
The framework for health and safety management.
Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 1.
Policy:
Introduction.
Legal requirements.
Key elements of a health and safety policy.
Review of health and safety policy.
Practice NEBOSH question for Chapter 2.
Appendix 2.1 – Health and Safety Policy checklist.
Organising for health and safety:
Introduction.
Control.
Employers’ responsibilities.
Employees’ responsibilities.
Organizational health and safety responsibilities.
Role and functions of health and safety and other advisers.
Persons in control of premises.
Self-employed.
The supply chain.
Contractors.
Joint occupation of premises.
Cooperation with the workforce.
Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 3
Appendix 3.1 – Typical organizational responsibilities.
Promoting a positive health and safety culture:
Introduction.
Definition of a health and safety culture.
Safety culture and safety performance.
Human factors and their influence on safety performance
Human errors and violations.
The development of a positive health and safety culture.
Effective communication.
Health and safety training.
Internal influences.
External influences.
Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 4.
Risk assessment:
Introduction.
Legal aspects of risk assessment.
Forms of risk assessment.
Some definitions.
The objectives of risk assessment.
Accident categories.
Health risks.
The management of risk assessment.
The risk assessment process.
Risk control measures.
Hierarchy of risk control.
Prioritization of risk control.
Record of risk assessment findings.
Monitoring and review.
Special cases.
Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 5.
Appendix 5.1 – Hazard checklist.
Appendix 5.2 – Example of a risk assessment record.
Principles of control:
Introduction.
Principles of prevention.
Hierarchy of risk control.
Controlling health risks.
Safe systems of work.
Lone workers.
Permits to work.
Emergency procedures.
First aid at work.
Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 6.
Appendix 6.1 – Fire notice.
Appendix 6.2 – Job safety analysis form.
Appendix 6.3 – Example of a safety method statement form.
Appendix 6.4 – Essential elements of a permit-to-work form.
General site issues - hazards and control:
Introduction.
General hazards and controls.
Initial site assessment.
Site controls.
Provision of welfare facilities.
Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 7
Appendix 7.1 – A typical set of sit rules.
Working at height - hazards and control:
Introduction.
Construction hazards and controls from working at height.
Working above ground or where there is a risk of falling.
Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 8.
Appendix 8.1 – Checklist of typical scaffolding faults.
Appendix 8.2 – A checklist for a safety inspection of a scaffold.
Appendix 8.3 – Examples of safe systems of work used in roof work.
Excavation work and confined spaces - hazards and control:
Introduction.
Excavations – hazards and control.
Confined spaces.
Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 9.
Appendix 9.1 – Construction (Health, Safety, and Welfare Regulations 1996)
Appendix 9.2 – An example of safe digging practice.
Appendix 9.3 – Typical excavation work risk assessment.
Appendix 9.4 – Typical confined spaces risk assessment.
Demolition - hazards and control:
Introduction.
Principal hazards of demolition work.
Pre-demolition investigation and survey.
Demolition method statement.
Management of the demolition and general controls.
Specific issues.
Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 10.
Appendix 10.1 – Checklist for safe systems of work.
Movement of people and vehicles - hazards and control:
Introduction.
Hazards to pedestrians.
Control strategies for pedestrian hazards.
Hazards to the general public and the associated controls in construction activities, including street works.
Hazards in vehicle operations.
Control strategies for safe vehicle operations.
The management of vehicle movements.
Hazards and controls of vehicles on construction sites.
Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 11.
Work equipment hazards and control:
Introduction.
Suitability of work equipment and CE marking.
Use and maintenance of equipment with specific risks.
Information, instruction and training.
Maintenance and inspection.
Operation and working environment.
Users’ and hirers’ responsibilities.
Hand-held tools.
Mechanical machinery hazards.
Mobile work equipment.
Non-mechanical machinery hazards.
Examples of machinery hazards.
Practical safeguards.
Other safety devices.
Application of safeguards to the range of machines.
Guard construction.
Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 12.
Manual and mechanical handling hazards and control:
Introduction.
Manual handling hazards and injuries.
Manual handling risk assessments.
Types of mechanical handling and lifting equipment.
Requirements for the statutory examination of lifting equipment.
Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 13.
Appendix 13.1 – Manual handling of loads assessment checklist.
Appendix 13.2 – A typical risk assessment for an excavator to be used for lifting.
Appendix 13.3 – A typical risk assessment for the use of lifting equipment.
Electrical hazards and control:
Introduction.
Principles of electricity and some definitions.
electrical hazards and injuries.
General control measures for electrical hazards.
The selection and suitability of equipment.
Inspection and maintenance strategies.
Portable electrical appliances testing.
Protection against contact with live overhead power lines.
Practice NEBOSH questions for chapter 14.
Fire hazards and control:
Introduction.
Legal considerations.
Fire certificates.
Basic principles of fire.
Methods of extinction.
Classification of fire.
Principles of heat transmission and fire spread.
Common causes of fire and consequences.
Fire risk assessment.
Fire detection and warning.
Means of escape in case of fire.
Principles of fire protection in buildings.
Provision of fire-fighting equipment.
Maintenance and testing of fire-fighting equipment.
Planning for an emergency and training staff.
Fire procedures and people with disability.
Practice NEBOSH questions for chapter 15.
Chemical and biological health hazards and control:
Introduction.
Forms of chemical agent.
Forms of biological agent.
Classification of hazardous substances and their associated health risks.
Routes of entry to the human body.
Health hazards of specific agents.
Requirements of the COSHH Regulations.
Details of a COSHH assessment.
The control measures required under the COSHH Regulations.
Health surveillance and personal hygiene.
Maintenance and emergency controls.
Control of asbestos.
Environmental considerations.
Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 16.
Physical and psychological health hazards and control:
Introduction.
Task and workstation design.
Work environment issues.
Noise.
Heat and radiation hazards.
The causes and prevention of workplace stress.
The causes and prevention of workplace violence.
The effects of alcohol and drugs.
Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 17.
Incident investigation, recording and reporting:
Introduction.
Logic behind incident/accident investigation.
Which incidents/accidents should be investigated?
Investigations and causes of incidents.
Legal recording and reporting requirements.
Typical examples of incidents within the construction industry.
Internal systems for collecting and analysing incident data.
Compensation and insurance issues.
Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 18.
Appendix 18.1 – Injury report form.
Appendix 18.2 – Information for insurance/compensation.
Monitoring, review and audit:
Introduction.
The traditional approach to measuring health and safety performance.
Why measure performance?
What to measure.
Measuring failure – reactive monitoring.
Proactive monitoring – how to measure performance.
Who should monitor performance?
Frequency of monitoring and inspection.
Report writing.
Review and audit.
Practice NEBOSH questions for Chapter 19.
Appendix 19.1 – Workplace inspection exercises.
Appendix 19.2 – Checklist of items to be covered in a construction site inspection.
Summary of the main legal requirements:
Introduction.
The legal framework.
List of Acts and Regulations summarized.
Health and Safety at Work etc Act (HSW Act) 1974.
Fire Precautions Act 1971.
Environmental Protection Act 1990.
The New Roads and Street Works Act 1991.
Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002.
Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983 as amended in 1998.
Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2002.
Confined Spaces Regulations 1997.
Construction (Design and Management) (CDM) Regulations 1994 and Amendment Regulations 2000.
Construction (Head Protection) Regulations 1989.
Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) (CHSW) Regulations 1996.
Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996.
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002.
Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (DSEAR) 2002.
Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992.
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.
Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 and Regulations 1998.
Fire Precautions (Special Premises) Regulations 1976.
Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997.
Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981.
Health and Safety (Information for Employees) Regulations 1989.
Ionising Radiation Regulations 1999.
Control of Lead at Work Regulations 2002.
Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998.
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
Manual Handling Operations Regulations (MHO) 1992.
Noise at Work Regulations 1989.
Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992.
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (except part IV).
The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995.
Safety Representatives and Safety Committee Regulations 1977.
Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996.
Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations 1992.
Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992.
Draft Work at Height Regulations 2003.
Other relevant regulations in brief.
Study skills:
Introduction.
Finding a place to study.
Planning for study.
Blocked thinking.
Taking notes.
Reading for study.
Revision.
How does memory work?
How to deal with exams.
The examiners’ report.
Conclusion.
References.

Index.