Health and safety in early phases of project management in construction

Abstract

Serious and fatal accidents happen on construction sites every year. However, earlier research indicate that the root of the accidents can often be found in the early phases of the project process. In this paper, we examine what occurs in the early phases of project management in construction that can be harmful to health and safety in the construction phase. The investigation focuses on two main research questions: 1) can health and safety in the construction phase be improved during the early phases of project management, and, if so, 2) what are the main challenges of health and safety in the early phases of project management that need to be addressed in order to do so? The data presented is collected by interviewing regional safety representatives in Norway. They point to three main challenges to health and safety in the early phases of construction projects: 1) lack of competence, 2) lack of prioritization, and 3) lack of consequence. In conclusion, we suggest that educational institutions, construction clients and public authorities all need to play their part to improve the situation.