The one constant about any construction project is change. As work progresses on site no two days are the same and the shift in the physical environment that we operate in demands an awareness and level of alertness not matched in many other industries.
Our theme for this year’s Construction Safety Campaign builds on last year’s message of ‘managing your critical risks’. The campaign seeks to drive companies and individuals to ascertain what their critical risks are.
It aims to highlight the key high-risk activities that we are all exposed to in our daily lives as we enter and traverse construction project sites.
The nature of those risks can vary dramatically depending on the nature of the works, the stage they are at and the volume of plant, equipment and operational staff on the site.
Throughout the campaign companies are being encouraged to share knowledge and learnings across the industry to help workers understand that they are not unique.
They are facing the same challenges as countless others and there is a well-established methodology for going about those tasks and operations in a safe manner.
In 2024 we want every staff member to understand their role in developing a safe plan of work, in analysing risk and establishing the right way to execute that with the right equipment in place.
To build responsibly.
In the past 12 months the Civil Engineering Contractors Association have been capturing data on high-risk activities to ascertain if there is a pattern to ‘near miss’ or safety incidents.
This data capture project creates a potentially valuable tool to determine when and where the potential for safety incidents may be likely to occur and therefore helps put in place preventative planning to safeguard operations on site.
We know what our high-risk activities are from the statistical analysis on incidents and fatalities. Whether that is working at heights, working with electrical systems, excavations, plant and machinery, lifting operations or the health and well-being of staff this campaign will help to bring a focus on what we need to plan for, be aware of and eliminate.
Through the engagement with our members and the wider sector our target is to continue to foster a culture of zero tolerance and to get that message to permeate out into the wider industry.
So our call to action is for you to take part in the Construction Safety Campaign by becoming a partner at www.cif.ie/safetycampaign
Heart Health is a major concern for construction employees. Members can sign up to support the campaign and even register for CPR training from the Irish Heart Foundation as part of our collaboration for 2024.
