Does Construction Need to be as Risky as it Seems?

Just over 3% of the construction workforce can expect to suffer a reportable work related injury each year. In 2015/16 there were 43 fatalities. While there have been some improvements in the statistics over the years it’s hard to avoid the question: ‘Is this the best we can do?’

No serious accident should ever be accepted as inevitable, even in a sector with above average risks and hazards. But the fact remains that a traditional construction site is a risky environment – particularly when you factor in bad weather that can make surfaces and tools slippery.

Unsurprisingly, the most common causes of accidents are slips, trips and falls, lifting and handling, falls from height, and being struck by object.

Alongside these risks to the workforce there are well-documented risks to project budgets and timelines. Fewer than half of construction projects are completed on time and to budget.

Despite plenty of effort, risk levels for safety, budget and timing remain stubbornly high.

Better Planning Means Less Risk

When everyone knows what’s happening there’s less chance of things going wrong or somebody being at risk through being in the wrong place at the wrong time. In many construction projects a lot of the detailed problem solving is still done on site and at an advanced stage. Not only does this make planning less certain, it also creates a significant challenge with keeping other project partners up to speed.

In the projects Innovaré delivers, we manage and retain responsibility for the entire process from design to handing over the structure to the client. The continuous chain of custody from concept to delivery takes much of the risk out of the project.

The design and planning phase has more significance and is highly collaborative. Because detailed practical issues are resolved in advance using detailed computer models there is minimal reworking, rethinking and rescheduling needed on site.

One Project, or Multiple Sub-Projects?

A rational strategy for reducing the number of accidents must be to improve planning and coordination and to limit the number of people, organisations and operations needed on site. Too often, construction projects are a collection of smaller connected projects involving different contractors, rather than a single, fully integrated process.

Having a single organisation responsible for designing, manufacturing and installing the building structure reduces the number of ‘moving parts’ in the project. A single focal point for end-to-end process planning and coordination reduces risk. This is why Innovaré developed the capabilities to manage the entire offsite construction process from design to installation.

Additionally, with offsite construction a small number of operatives can rapidly establish a watertight structure by fitting together the precision-made panels. Subsequent fit-out is also simplified. There is normally much less working at height – particularly when panels can be installed from within the structure and roofs are supplied as finished cassettes.

More widespread use of offsite construction techniques has the potential to significantly reduce accident rates within the sector. However, processes for design, engineering and project coordination must also be tightly integrated for these benefits to be realised.

The route out of the high-risk environment that the construction industry is involved in is to think differently, plan differently and build differently. Doing the same as we’ve always done leads nowhere.

If you would like to find out more about how offsite construction by Innovaré could benefit your project take a look at our website, or get in touch on 0845 674 0020.