COVER FEATURE
INGENIEUR
COVER FEATURE
INGENIEUR
SHASSIC : Improving Safety and Health Practices in the Construction Industry
By Ir . Syed Hamad Naguib Syed Azmi Ts . Intan Diyana Musa Ts . Syed Hazni Abd Gani Ir . M . Ramuseren
Construction Research Institute of Malaysia
Construction is a high-risk industry globally , thus a strong emphasis on safety and health is necessary . The performance of contractors is important for better safety in construction . However , the lack of formal assessment techniques that can be used consistently to evaluate the construction aspects of Occupational Safety and Health ( OSH ) is a problem for the construction industry . Hence , the Construction Industry Development Board ( CIDB ), working with industry players , has developed an assessment system , known as Safety and Health Assessment System in Construction ( SHASSIC ), for this purpose .
SHASSIC is an unbiased method for assessing and evaluating a contractor ’ s performance during construction projects or works in terms of safety and health . Previously , the standard used for SHASSIC was CIS 10:2008 but it was revised in 2018 ( CIS 10:2018 ), 2020 ( CIS 10:2020 ), and most recently in 2022 ( CIS 10:2022 ). Since the introduction of SHASSIC , numerous other initiatives have been launched , including a system to track accident and death rates , 10 pilot projects on safety culture tools , Workers ’ Accommodation Models , and the incorporation of BIM in safety management .
SHASSIC was developed with the following objectives :
1 . Benchmark the level of safety and health performance of the construction industry in Malaysia ;
2 . Develop a standard system for safety and health assessment in the construction industry ;
3 . Assess safety and health performance of contractor ( s ) based on this standard ;
4 . Evaluate the performance of contractor ( s ) on the safety and health practices at the site ;
5 . Improve and take necessary corrective action on OSH performance and management at the site ; and 6 . Compile data for statistical analysis .
SHASSIC covers three main components of assessment :
● document check ;
● workplace inspection ; and
● personnel interview .
The components include :
● Hazard Identification Risk Assessment and Risk Control ( HIRARC ) organisation ;
● OSH organisation policy ;
● OSH training and promotion ;
● supply chain management ;
● emergency readiness ;
● incident reporting and documentation ;
● recordkeeping ; and
● performance evaluation .
The OSH-related documents and records will be assessed using 57 items in a questionnaire to determine compliance with the implementation of safety and health policies and activities . Following
16 VOL 96 OCTOBER-DECEMBER 2023