Unpacking Construction Site Safety

Fred Sherratt PhD MCIOB C.BuildE MCABE FHEA has worked in the UK construction industry for over 13 years, starting as a site secretary and working up through the ranks, via the planning function, to site management. She is now a researcher and Senior Lecturer in Construction Management at Anglia Ruskin University.

• Preface xiAcknowledgements xv1 Introduction 1References 42 Construction Site Contexts 5Winning Work 6Subs of Subs of Subs 8The Workforce 9Working Conditions 13Never work a day in your life … 13Construction Site Life 14References 173 Safety and Society 21The Media and its Myths 22(Mis‐)Interpreting the Legislation 25Where there’s blame … 28Safety and Society and Construction Sites 31Understanding People 32References 424 Safety in Construction 47Measuring Safety: Accidents and Statistics 48Cause and Effect 51Safety Management Systems 55Competence 58Training 61Personal Protective Equipment 66References 735 Just a Bit Unsafe? 77The Legislative Lexicon 77Safe/Unsafe 83Safety and Unsafety 88Safety and Risk 94Acknowledgements 104References 1046 Safety versus Work and Work versus Safety 107The Non‐Productive 107Segregation and Integration 111Problems of Production 114Production in Practice 116References 1217 Engagement and Enforcement 123Engaging with Safety 124Safety Propaganda 129Enforcing Safety 134Rules Made to be Broken? 138A Hierarchy of Safety: Responsibility and Ownership 142Acknowledgements 148References 1488 Counting Down to Zero 151Target Zero: Theories and Thinking 152Brand Zero 156Zero in Practice 159Measuring Zero: Non‐Accident Statistics 161Achieving Zero 163Acknowledgements 169References 1699 Constructing Safety on Sites 171What is Safety on Site? 172Site Safety Culture 177Putting it into Practice 181References 18710 Reflections 189Index 191