Abstract
This paper investigates the potential of the development and applicability of measuring safety performance in the Australian construction industry based on a newly devised 'tool', Safety Effectiveness Indicators (SEIs). Its development emanates from a recently commenced research project funded by the CRC for Construction Innovation in partnership with Leighton Contractors, John Holland Group, Thiess Contractors and the Office of the Federal Safety Commissioner (OFSC). Nationally the construction industry has far more injuries and ill-health impacts than the Australian average, and pays one of the highest workers' compensation premium rates in Australia. Similarly, notwithstanding improvement in their rates, fatalities are too high. Yet, other than lost time injuries (LTIs) or similar 'negative' 'lag' performance indicators, reliable comparable and standardised performance indicators are not available. An evaluation below of Positive Performance Indicators (PPIs) as an OHS performance measuring tool, based on a brief overview of its limited uptake in Australian industry, suggests that it does not reliably measure OHS performance. Similarly, other 'positive' or 'lead' indicators, which owing to word length limitations are not discussed in this paper, have parallel shortcomings. However, based on current workers' compensation claims and incidence of injury and illness there is a clearly demonstable need to accurately measure safety performance on construction sites in order to improve industry performance.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | Clients Driving Construction Innovation: Benefiting from Innovation |
| Place of Publication | Brisbane, Qld |
| Publisher | Cooperative Research Centre for Construction Innovation |
| Pages | 146-153 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| ISBN (Print) | 9781741071566 |
| Publication status | Published - 2008 |
Keywords
- industrial safety
- construction industry
- industrial accidents
- Safety Effectiveness Indicators
- Australia