Because living is more important than working. We work to live and not the other way around!
Construction is a risky profession with one of the highest mortality rates. 3% of workers (66,000) are injured on site, while 4% (80,000) suffer a work-related illness each year on average. That’s a big number, isn’t it? Wrong. The industry has seen much worse days.
To learn more about the problem, let’s look at some more numbers from past years. Here are some official figures for the period 2014-15. Have a look:
142 construction workers died while working on the site
611,000 cases of injuries, minor and major, occurred inside a construction site
A whopping 27.3 million work days were lost due to on-site injuries and illnesses
The cost of these injuries and illnesses is estimated at £14.3 billion
Good Safety and Health practices on construction sites ensure the well-being of workers, companies, the industry and society in general. Workers become more secure and productive, while companies become larger and more profitable. Simply put, it’s a win-win situation. Let’s dive in for a detailed explanation.
How does it benefit workers?
He saves them from fatalities. It is certainly not a pleasant feeling to be sick, injured or, in extreme cases, dead. There is no “lost income” or “high medical cost” to worry about. In addition, it also increases your morale, productivity and consequently your career.
How does it benefit companies?
Deaths on the sites invite persecution, bad press, decreased production, and lost income. Everyone avoids unsafe projects, whether they are workers, clients or investors, and therefore the most important thing for companies is to take care of the health and safety of workers.
Most feared is impeachment, as it could delay or shelve the project, resulting in a loss of millions of pounds. Bad press is just as damaging, as it not only drives customers away, but also damages the reputation built up over the years.
Adopting health and safety standards also helps the project to be completed within budget and on time. A safe and healthy workplace makes workers more efficient and this reflects well on the project. According to a survey by the research agency Glenigan, a historic 64% of construction projects were completed on budget, while a record 40% were completed on time in 2015 thanks to growing adoption of health and safety standards on the sites.
How do we ensure health and safety standards on sites?
We do this by preventing unqualified access to the site. We disqualify workers without proper health and safety training from working on sites. To show that you are a trained safety worker, you can get a CSCS card. The kicker is that you can’t get the card without attending a health and safety awareness course and then passing a security test that ensures you’ve developed the skills to ensure a safer and healthier site. In addition, the card also certifies that you are a competent worker with good knowledge of your trade.
