Manu, P; Ankrah, N; Proverbs, D and Suresh, S (2014) The health and safety impact of construction project features. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 21(1), pp. 65-93. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Purpose - Despite the established significance of underlying accident causes to health and safety (H&S), and the persistent reporting of the underlying accident causal influence of construction project features (CPFs) which emanate from pre-construction decisions, no empirical research has focused on CPFs in terms of assessing their degree of potential to influence accident occurrence. The purpose of this paper is to, therefore, investigate this facet of the accident causal influence of CPFs. Design/methodology/approach - A mixed method design was used involving semi-structured interviews, and a questionnaire survey of UK construction professionals. Findings - CPFs generally have a moderate or a high potential to influence accident occurrence, implying a fair or severe potential to cause harm in terms of the H&S of workers. The degree of potential of CPFs to influence accident occurrence is influenced by: the extent to which certain proximate causes of accidents are common/prevalent within CPFs;and the degree of potential of those proximate causes to influence accident occurrence. Originality/value - These findings provide insight into the H&S consequences of CPFs, awareness of which is essential if pre-construction project participants are to implement appropriate risk control measures especially in the early phases of projects to mitigate the accident causal influence of CPFs. The findings reinforce the contribution of clients and their design and project management teams to accident causation, the significance of the early planning of H&S in construction project delivery, and the importance of driving mechanisms such as the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | accidents; construction industry; health and safety; project features |
| Index terms: | construction professional, construction industry, mixed method, pre-construction, questionnaire, regulation, construction project, methodology, health and safety, interview, construction project delivery, survey, project management team |
| Subjects: | industry analysis, political science, project controls, health safety and environment, production management, professional development, research methods, project delivery, profession, data collection methods |
| Topics: | Time Control, Research Practice, Project Management, Information Management, Health and Safety, Governance, Roles and Professions |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
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