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Market Update
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International - Construction
Printable Version
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Accident and Investigations
Construction site deaths in the U.K. fell 26 percent in 2008/2009 according to the
H&SE, but there were still 53 fatalities in the sector. A separate H&SE study showed
non-fatal construction accidents for the period 2007/2008 were up to 11,210 from
10,091 the previous year (HS&E 2008/2009 figures not available).
What is most disappointing about these figures is that so many accidents could be
averted if firms implemented practical common sense steps to mitigate the risk to
their employees. There are many lessons that can be learned from accidents.
What can we learn?
Getting to the site early is vital to determining the cause of the incident, the responsibilities
of various parties involved, and whether some aspects of the site activities may
need improvement.
Other potential factors to consider in any investigation include:
- What were conditions like at the time? For example, were there spillages or uneven
surfaces? What was the weather like?
- What was the position of any floor covering? Was it highlighted in any way?
- What was the claimant wearing? For example, footwear, gloves, etc.?
- Was the claimant in a permitted area following a recognized access route?
- Are the injuries consistent with the alleged circumstances?
- What was the mechanism of the fall? For example, a fall forward is often
indicative of a trip; whereas, a fall backwards suggests a slip.
Sometimes an investigator will have to think like a detective. Were there witnesses? If so, meet them and discuss the incident. Are
they willing to give a statement? Was the injured person inducted? Get a copy of the signed induction form and then check off the
following actions:
- Obtain notes from the induction presentation given to operatives.
- Collate details of the inspection system, such as frequency, extent, and action taken.
- Are inspections logged? If so, get copies.
- Has the workplace been modified since the accident? If so, how, why, and when?
It cannot be stressed enough how important it is to secure copies of main and subcontract conditions for the parties involved.
Conduct risk assessments and method statements for the subcontractors involved and establish whether they have adhered to them.
Once information is gathered from the scene, key documents and evidence from the site need to be collected ready to pass to the
health and safety team or the loss adjuster. An investigation need not be complex or unnecessarily time consuming. Using a simple
order of investigation you can compile the necessary information quickly and, should further inquiries be required, the health and
safety team should undertake these, possibly with the assistance of a loss adjuster.
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Please contact your Lockton Representative for further information regarding any information contained in this
market update.
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