Yu, H; Oloke, D; Proverbs, D and Buckley, K (2005) Improving health and safty in construction: A knowledge-based approach. In: Khosrowshahi, F (ed.) Proceedings of 21st Annual ARCOM Conference, 7-9 September 2005, London, UK.
Abstract
Within the past decade, the application of the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations (CDM) and other relevant legislation by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has contributed to efforts to improve the health and safety culture of the construction industry. However, when compared to other industries, construction still has a relatively poor health and safety record. In order to change this depressing situation, several efforts are being made to reduce the number of deaths, injuries and ill health. Such efforts basically involve identifying the root causes of accidents, developing safety audit checklists and creating models of risk factors for accidents in construction operations amongst others. However, evidence suggests that the effectiveness of health and safety management would require recalling and integrating knowledge of different duty holders relating to design, construction, operation and maintenance. Currently, knowledge-based applications focus on various aspects of construction management. However, very little has been done to incorporate the application of knowledge-based systems in the multidisciplinary health and safety management to date. Outlining the current knowledge-based systems and cases of using these tools in other construction domains provides sound evidence that knowledge-based systems can efficiently and effectively aid decision support. A case review of a knowledge-based system specific for designers for construction health and safety provides a concrete example of such an initiative. To improve upon these developments, a conceptual framework for identifying the knowledge chunks underpinning the application of The CDM Regulations in the entire supply chain was, therefore, conducted. Subsequently, the role knowledge-based systems can play in improving overall construction health and safety management was also investigated. Finally, suggestions for implementing further research are presented as a means of engendering wide debate.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | knowledge-based system; cdm regulations; construction health and safety |
| Index terms: | safety audit, knowledge-based system, construction operation, designer, legislation, health and safety, injury, operation and maintenance, decision support, construction industry, conceptual framework, health and safety management, duty, executive, effectiveness, risk factor, regulation, evidence |
| Subjects: | contractual role, profession, evaluation and assessment methods, practitioner, legal systems, construction operations, artificial intelligence, performance management, maintenance engineering, theoretical framing, health safety and environment, decision analysis, health conditions and diseases, political science, environmental hazards, environmental health, industry analysis |
| Topics: | Digital Applications, Legal Issues, Quality Management, Contract Administration, Site Management, Health and Safety, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Risk Management, Roles and Professions, Sustainability, Governance |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTA |
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