SYNOPSIS ON

Improving Construction Health and Safety through Procurement: for developing countries

Submitted By:
M.M. RAYEES AHAMED QS/17/31 rayeesmm@gmail.com

Submitted To: International College of Business and Technology

Introduction Since 1950, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the World Health Organization (WHO) have shared a common definition of occupational health. It was adopted by the Joint ILO/WHO Committee on Occupational Health at its first session in 1950

and revised at its twelfth session in 1995. The defi nition reads: "Occupational health should aim at: the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social well-being of workers in all occupations; the prevention amongst workers of departures from health caused by their working conditions; the protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors adverse to health; the placing and maintenance of the worker in an occupational environment adapted to his physiological and psychological capabilities; and, to summarize, the adaptation of work to man and of each man to his job." Occupational safety and health issues remain weak in the Sri Lankan construction industry, the International Labour Organisation said last month, with most fatalities due to negligence, carelessness or stupidity. "One out of six accidents happens on construction sites. Twenty five out of forty deaths also occur in construction sites," ILOs International Director, Tine Staemose said. According to the accidents reported last year, 52 of occupational accidents were fatalities and 1,688 were non fatalities. "Twenty percent of fatal accidents (out of 52) were from the construction industry," former Labour Minister Athauda Seneviratne said. "At least 60,000 fatalities occur in construction si tes around the world every year," Surath Wickremasinghe President Chamber of Construction Industry said adding that "Occupational safety and health should be a worker right." Sri Lanka has seen a decrease in the non fatalities but only a fluctuation in the fatalities over the years. "Most fatal accidents occur while workers work on temporary structures," Leslie Devendra Gen. Secretary Sri Lanka Nidhahas Sevaka Sangamaya said at the workshop. "Most accidents are from men falling from scaffolding in the high rises." Apart from unsafe temporary structures, having inadequate safety gear was another prime reason for the lack of occupational safety and health. Some local contractors with small businesses do not have resources to purchase and maintain safety gear, says Rasika Weerakone Manager Quality Assurance Maga Engineering Limited. In some cases inexperience in using safety gear and the uncomfortable feeling one gets carrying on work dressed in such gear keeps workers away from using them. One of the participan ts said safety gear should not be labeled luxurious but made tax free so all contractors can afford to upgrade safety of their workers.

Participants from the industry also say employers should appoint a person that is accountable to the top management in the case of an accident which is part of safety management. Officials said the industry should also focus on health issues of workers created by industrial material that can cause burns, irritations, breathing problems and more. Microscopic fibers from slicing asbestos and dust particles from wood are some of the hazards that are frequent on work sites. Uncovered electric wires, poisonous fumes and protruding steel reinforcement bars bring further danger to workers on the sites. Officials say changes must be made from the legislative and regulatory levels down to workers' perception on work to establish a safety code for the industry. Labour officials are on a positive note on the new Act on Occupational Safety and Health at Work which covers all work places including construction sites that has better emphasis on worker safety. As a Quantity Surveying Student I need to have enough knowledge about the OSHE related to construction industry. So I would like to upgrade my nation s economic development through the betterment of construction.

Aim

Make sure the best Occupational Health and Safety progress in Sri Lankan Construction industry. For that give away some ideological form of Health and safety regulations to Lankan context.

Objectives y Preventing accidents and diseases and harmful effects on the health of workers arising from employment in construction Ensuring appropriate design and implementation of construction projects with the response of OSHE guidance Providing means of analysing from the point of view safety, health and working conditions, construction processes, activities, technological and operations and of taking appropriate measures of planning, control and enforcement.

Methodology

Literature Survey A comprehensive literature review and a desk study were carried out using various books, journals, research papers, standard documents as well as web sites in order to be familiar with the research area in order to fulfil the aim of this research. Unstructured interviews and Questionnaire Su rvey A survey approach was adopted for the conduct of this research. A questionnaire survey was carried out to collect the data. The questionnaire was focused on key themes of prequalification criteria used in Health and Safety Hazards. The collected data were analyzed by appropriate analytical techniques. Scope The scope of this research is limited to the Sri Lankan Construction Industry and deals with people who involved. What I am hope to co ver y y y y y The trend of Health and Safety Hazards in the Sri Lankan construction industry. ILO rules and regulation on OSHE Responsibility of each and every party involve in construction Evaluation on each criterion identified in terms of Health and Safety issues. Establishment of the workable selection criteria for different type of problems faced by people who involved in construction.

Analysis a Well performed Health and Safety Plan for a Construction Project.

References y y y y y y Safety and Health in Construction by International Labour Organisation, Geneva Promoting Construction Health and Safety through Procurement: A briefing note for developing countries by Institute of Civil rngineers Hazard Identification, Risk Assessment and Control Procedure booklet From the website http://www.hse.gov.uk/ related to the UK context LBO news letter on Occupational safety and health issues remain weak in Sri Lanka's construction industry on 28, Nov 2008 Some facts from the real construction sites.