Gunning, J G and McAleenan, C (2010) Safe-T-Cert: An Irish solution to the universal problem of assuring construction safety. In: Egbu, C (ed.) Proceedings of 26th Annual ARCOM Conference, 6-8 September 2010, Leeds, UK.
Abstract
The construction industry places unique demands upon employers to ensure the occupational health and safety of its employees and of everyone associated with their activities. Consequently over recent years occupational Health and Safety Management System standards have emerged, along with audit schemes related to particular industries. The primary purpose of such schemes is to bring about a culture of continual safety improvement across the construction industry. The work described in this paper explores the development of Safe-T-Cert in the Irish construction industry, charting its rise to prominence, particularly in Northern Ireland. Setting safety audit schemes in the context of global initiatives, the research found that many factors in the current climate, such as integrated management systems and UKAS accreditation, threaten the stronghold position enjoyed by the Safe-T-Cert scheme. The authors conclude that while there is merit in construction-specific certification schemes, caution is needed in their implementation, since the drivers for success are government and clients' support.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction safety; management systems; assurance scheme |
| Index terms: | management system, certification, safety audit, occupational health and safety, audit, Northern Ireland, construction safety, construction industry, implementation |
| Subjects: | performance measurement, management, physical geography and landforms, environmental health, industry analysis, administrative processes, occupational health and safety management, contractual arrangements |
| Topics: | Quality Management, Organizational Design, Contract Administration, Geographical Context, Research Practice, Health and Safety, Procurement, Sustainability |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCT |
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