By Colin Gaskin
Team Leader, Compliance Unit
The Occupational Safety and Health Agency
(OSHA)

Achieving and maintaining a sustainable framework to promote good Occupational Safety & Health (OSH) practices in the construction industry must be a cooperative and collaborative effort among all stakeholders. The client has a significant influence over how a project is run, for instance unrealistic deadlines and the failure to allocate sufficient funds may contribute to poor risk control on a site.  Clients must also recognise their responsibility to adhere to the highest standards of procurement practice; specifically this should include ensuring the competence of organisations recruited for projects. Prior to an appointment, an assessment of the firm’s organisation and arrangements for safety and health in addition to their experience and track record must be adequately conducted. Good procurement practice mandates that the experience of the contractor match the complexity and associated risks of the project. Often flaws in the system and deficiencies in the procurement mechanism lead to incompetent firms being awarded contracts with inevitable poor management of projects, cost/time overruns and, as a natural consequence, critical injuries and fatalities on worksites.