RR458 - The global perspective in addressing construction risks
This report describes a study into the global perspective in addressing construction risks. Global risks are defined as the overall risks resulting from all phases of a construction activity. These will need to be evaluated for each potential construction method in order to select the method with the lowest overall risk in relation to what is reasonably practicable. The present difficultly for HSE and industry is the absence of information on global risks which can be used in decision making. This project addresses that need and delivers a Global Risk Toolkit.
The Global Risk Toolkit contains a staged approach to ensure that global risk assessment is proportionate. The first stage is a HAZID with qualitative analyses of the results. If this generates sufficient information to allow a decision to be made on the appropriate construction method, then the task is complete. If further information or clarification is required, a methodology is presented for quantitative assessment of the global risks. Supporting data include a risk profile of the construction industry, probabilities of accidents and the financial consequences of those accidents.
This Toolkit has been applied to a range of scenarios involving work at height and workplace transport / material movements.
This report and the work it describes were funded by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Its contents, including any opinions and/or conclusions expressed, are those of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect HSE policy.
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