New framework for construction safety

A national workplace safety framework has been launched to reduce injury and fatality rates in the construction industry.

A Construction Safety Competency Framework is the result of two years of research by the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Construction.

Minister for Workplace Relations, Kevin Andrews launched the framework, which was a collaboration between industry, government, researchers and unions.

"A standardised safety framework makes it possible for the industry as a whole to proactively improve the behaviours and attitudes of the site managers who influence safety on construction sites the most," Andrews said.

Dean Cipolla, safety manager at John Holland Group was the project's leader, and told Safety Solutions that the framework is currently intended as a guideline. "But the intention is that down the track it is brought in under an accreditation scheme or a code of practice through a national body," he said.

Andrews describes the construction industry as one that: "historically has had a culture which doesn't reflect best practice. A culture which unfortunately I think has seen short cuts taken as far as occupational health and safety is concerned."

Cipolla said the industry has a fatality rate five times higher than the mining industry and that the issue of labour mobility has made best practice safety challenging to implement.

"Workers and sub-contractors hear different safety messages when they move to different companies, projects and sites. In addition, the sector has not viewed behaviours such as communication and leadership as a necessary part of safety competency," he said.

The framework has been designed for use by safety managers, senior managers and executives. "It identifies the key safety management tasks that need to be performed effectively and shows the skill and behavioural competencies that are needed to perform those tasks," Cipolla said.

The framework is available at the CRC website: www.construction-innovation.info.

Wendy Cramer, Editor
25/9/06