Getting to 'workface' is biggest cause of constructiion accidents

The biggest single cause of construction accidents is simply getting to the 'workface' with most occurring when walking across sites, handling materials, or moving to the 'workface'.

The findings of two research projects published today (Thursday) also suggest that design changes could have prevented accidents or lessened their severity in a significant number of cases.

Published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the studies were conducted by engineering consultant Bomel and Loughborough University.

Bomel's work, 'Sample analysis of construction accidents reported to HSE', involved contacting the reporters of over 1,000 accidents to obtain additional information of potential value in identifying common themes, high risk trades and types of work. 

The Loughborough study, 'Causal factors in construction accidents', looked in detail at 100 accidents to identify the underlying causative factors; many of those accidents were minor in nature but could have had far more serious consequences in slightly different circumstances.

Although the projects were completely separate and conducted along different lines, there were a number of similar findings. 

Both reports revealed high incidences of accidents to workers who were moving around the site, handling materials or accessing or leaving the 'workface' and suggested that accident investigation by contractors was superficial and tended to concentrate on site issues rather than often more fundamental issues such as poor planning and effective safety management controls.

Poor supervision, communication and competence and lack of client involvement were also significant contributors to accidents.

In addition, Loughborough's research found that a significant number of accidents could have been mitigated by design changes - this conclusion arose from a detailed appraisal of the accident circumstances and an assessment of the potential for designer influence.

Bomel's research noted that a lack of manual handling training was frequently cited as a significant cause of musculoskeletal disorder injuries.