Members of the Health and Safety panels of the ICE, RIBA and Construction Industry Council (CIC) are exploring a concept called “CDM Differently”, based on the thinking behind Safety Differently, a book by Australian academic Sidney Dekker.
"CDM Differently" is described by CIC health and safety panel vice-chair Tony Putsman as a "project-led approach, with team-based risk management in a collaborative team", and a reduced emphasis on bureacracy "which gets in the way of risk management".
Published in 2014, Dekker’s book argues that safety management has become over-focused on the need to "fix" people’s behaviour, and has therefore developed ineffective interventions – while simultaneously losing out on the benefits of team-work. The book also says that individuals’ ethical responsibility has taken a back seat to bureaucratic control.
Dekker’s theories have already been applied to a new safety approach now being trialled at some Laing O’Rourke sites. The contractor’s director of health, safety and environment for the Europe Hub, John Green, first used them in its Australia division.
A second book, Safety can’t be measured, by former Esso executive Andrew Townsend, is also cited as an inspiration.
Sounds like a good extension on the new 2015 CDM Regulations. However, we have not yet got the small contractors on side to use CDM 2015, only large companies. HSE is not helping by coming down hard on small contractors trying to work with CDM 2015. Example “Dust” nothing in HSE handouts, but information is found in COSH how would a small contractor know this, other than when he is fined.
Designers have a hard time of it.
Frequently I have heard site managers complaining that ‘this just can’t be built’. Projects such as The Shard and the many suspension bridges around our coast prove that construction can devise methods that deliver extreme projects in difficult circumstances. There is always a way to build something safely.
The two constraints of time and money are the flies in the ointment. When clients and their advisors choose to impose fanciful programmes and accept the cheapest quote the seeds are sown that lead to accidents, and contractors buying work in such circumstances need to consider carefully their business ethics.
I have recently started in a new role at an Architectural Practice as Snr CDM Manager.
What I have found refreshing is that safe construction , safe use and safe maintenance are an issue all of the designers look at during the design stage of the project, whether for commercial or domestic clients.
What you are advocating is precisely what the HSE are trying to promote in CDM 2015. Less bureaucracy, designing out hazards and cooperation between the whole project team.
H&S legislation is not prescriptive in the UK, we use the phrase of “what is reasonably practicable”.
We should take a pragmatic approach to construction – not say “it can’t be done”, but how do we achieve it safely and in a cost effective way.
There is very little a competent contractor cannot build safely. Our biggest problem is site logistics, demolition and maintenance. We may have hit the buffers at the moment reducing incidents within construction safety, but with everybody on board we can achieve less accidents and injures.
My opinions may be naive but I do believe it is achievable if we all sing from the same hymn sheet as you prescribe in your article.
Tony Putsman (ICE) and myself (an RIBA Chartered Architect) are providing accredited training including skills, knowledge and experience primarily for architects and students in the new role of Principal Designer for all RIBA regions across the UK majoring on the CDM Differently approach. It is then hoped that this more collaborative, creative and intuitive process can be explained to, endorsed by and then adopted by the whole industry including clients, contractors and the HSE.
Great Architecture with Great Safety.