What is a Safety Management System and how can it benefit you? The adaption of a Safety Management System (SMS) enables a company to provide a safe and healthy workplace, prevent work related injury and ill health, and continually improve its performance in relation to Occupational Health and Safety Management (OHSM). Adapting an SMS, whether
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Traditionally, health was the forgotten element of ‘health & safety’. The focus was heavily put on the dangers/risks that would cause immediate harm or injury which are easier to measure. Over the past decade, there has been a transformation, and the occupational health hazards are well known to most in the construction industry. Occupational health
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Every site is different and likely to present various hazards and risks. However, a well-designed and maintained site with proper segregation of vehicles and people will make workplace transport accidents less likely. The most effective way of ensuring pedestrians and vehicles move safely around a construction site is to provide separate pedestrian and vehicle traffic routes. Where possible, there should
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Temporary works are required for almost every construction project, but understanding what temporary works are and how to manage them adequately is often misunderstood. The Code of practice for temporary works procedures … (BS 5975:2019) defines temporary works (TW) as: “those parts of the works that allow or enable the construction of protecting, support or
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The Impact of COVID-19 on the Health and Safety aspects of Construction Projects COVID-19 will have a significant impact on the construction sector and the future design and maintenance of buildings. Exposure to COVID-19 will present a health risk to workers and the wider community if present and left uncontrolled. Employers are advised to follow
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Guidance for employers and employees working remotely General health and safety hazards need to be considered by both the employers and employees when working remotely. In reality employers have little direct control over the home workplace so ensuring that employees are fully equipped with information in this area is vital. At ORS, we have been
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Construction site fatalities increased by 140% in 2019. Construction workplace deaths have more than doubled in the last year, from five to 12 in 2019. Provisional data released by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) shows that the number of deaths have increased to its highest since 2015. Chief Executive officer of the HSA, Dr. Sharon
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Design for safety and the use of a multimedia tool. As a designer you can directly influence safety. Some of the well-proven ways of reducing risk include: Choosing the position and design of structures to avoid or minimise risks from known site hazards, including: buried services, including gas pipelines, overhead and underground power lines. traffic
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What is the role of the Project Supervisor Construction Stage (PSCS) The role of the Project Supervisor Construction Stage (PSCS) was introduced with Safety, Health & Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2006. It is a key appointment in the construction process. The 2006 regulations also introduced the role of Project Supervisor Design Process (PSDP). While
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Construction Safety Week – Working Safely with Hazardous Substances The standard reaction to hazardous substances on construction sites is often “Do you have the Safety Data Sheet?” (This will be Material Safety Data Sheet for those of a certain vintage!). It is a mistake to think that once the SDS is on file, the hazard
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