Figure 1. Construction fatalities in Malaysia 1999-2015.
outlook for construction, dated January 3, 2017). Nonetheless, this brings with it challenges in terms of safety and health as more people will be involved in, and affected by the construction activities and risks.( including members of the public).
Characteristics of the industry that contribute to poor safety standards
Some characteristics of the construction industry contribute to poor safety standards. The industry is multifaceted and fragmented with transient work sites. Some of the work processes occur in stages and each process is dependent upon the progress and completion of the other processes in a similar path. The transient nature of the work sites results in a lot of movement of people, materials or plant. On any one site, work activities and the parties involved are constantly changing, and so are the hazards. The complex and dynamic interactions between work, people, materials and plant make the control of safety and health hazards challenging.
The industry is made up of a plethora of small businesses and independent traders, usually working under contract for service. Unlike the manufacturing factory, for example, which often has a single employer, the construction project usually involves multiple employers or those who are self-employed and complex contractual arrangements. The traditional procurement method, where the client appoints the architect to design and oversee the project is slowly being replaced by more complicated and integrated procurement methods. We are now using more of the design and build method and project management consultants( PMC) or project delivery partners( PDP). Ensuring that on-site safety and health is maintained would require good planning, managing, monitoring and coordinating, which is often lacking or difficult to achieve. The construction industry is also labour-intensive and engages a high number of foreign workers of various nationalities. Economic liberalisation has also resulted in multinational companies investing and working in local construction projects.
Technological and knowledge advancements have resulted in new construction products. Now,
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