Smallwood, J J (2004) The influence of clients on contractor health and safety (H&S). In: Khosrowshahi, F (ed.) Proceedings of 20th Annual ARCOM Conference, 1-3 September 2004, Edinburgh, UK.
Abstract
Clients influence contractor H&S directly and indirectly. Choice of structural frame and selection of materials, and provision of finance and incentives, constitute direct means of influence. Appointment of designers, decision regarding contract duration, pre-qualification of contractors, contract documentation, and contractor required reporting on H&S, constitute indirect means of influence. However, the degree to which clients influence contractor H&S depends upon the status of H&S in their organisations. Inadequate H&S negatively affects cost, productivity, quality, schedule, environment and client satisfaction. Conversely, benefits of client consideration for and involvement in contractor H&S resulting in enhanced H&S accrue to both clients and contractors. Traditionally, world wide, petro-chemical organisations have maintained rigorous contractor H&S management programmes. Given this, a study was initiated to investigate the influence of a Shell's H&S requirements on contractors' H&S performance while undertaking the construction of service stations. Selected findings emanating from a survey of contractors include: H&S is perceived to be more important to Shell than other project parameters; the positive impact of Shell's project H&S requirements manifests itself in a number of ways; and a range of procurement, design and construction related interventions can contribute to an improvement in construction H&S.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | client influence; petro-chemical; contractor health and safety; benefits |
| Index terms: | health and safety, productivity, programme, survey, designer, pre-qualification, client satisfaction, design and construction, contract documentation, duration, structural frame |
| Subjects: | profession, data collection methods, client relations, contractual arrangements, health safety and environment, management, architectural elements, tendering, project controls |
| Topics: | Research Practice, Business Strategy, Health and Safety, Procurement, Roles and Professions, Stakeholder Management, Design Practice, Time Control |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCE |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here