Building a safer boom
The world’s first safety guidelines that can be used by the entire construction industry – from designers to building owners – have been produced by researchers from the Queensland University of Technology (QUT).
Professor Kerry Brown (pictured) of QUT’s School of Management said the main aim of the voluntary guide Safer Construction is to normalise safety in all aspects of the industry.
“We have found that to have a safe site we had to start from the bottom and work upwards,” Professor Brown said.
“For example, designers should not only consider if a building will be safe when people start to use it, but whether or not it will be safe to build that way.”
With almost a death per week, the construction site has become one of Australia’s most lethal workplaces, with a fatality rate fanned by the building boom.
“It’s time to balance fortune with fortitude by protecting the safety of our construction workers,” Professor Brown said.
“If each and every stakeholder says ‘no’ to unsafe practices, we will save the lives of many construction workers across Australia.”
The guide is based on the analysis of 30 studies of building projects that have received safety awards, as well as in-depth interviews with more than 70 industry organisations. It can be used at every stage of the construction process from drawing-board to finished project.
Professor Brown’s work was conducted for the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for Construction Innovation led by Chief Executive Officer Professor Keith Hampson and headquartered at QUT.
www.construction-innovation.info
Story: Sarah Swinglehurst
Photo: QUT
Last reviewed 17 December 2007
