INGENIEUR JAN-MAR 2017 Vol 69 2017 | Page 33

Figure 1 . Construction fatalities in Malaysia 1999-2015 .
outlook for construction , dated January 3 , 2017 ). Nonetheless , this brings with it challenges in terms of safety and health as more people will be involved in , and affected by the construction activities and risks . ( including members of the public ) .
Characteristics of the industry that contribute to poor safety standards
Some characteristics of the construction industry contribute to poor safety standards . The industry is multifaceted and fragmented with transient work sites . Some of the work processes occur in stages and each process is dependent upon the progress and completion of the other processes in a similar path . The transient nature of the work sites results in a lot of movement of people , materials or plant . On any one site , work activities and the parties involved are constantly changing , and so are the hazards . The complex and dynamic interactions between work , people , materials and plant make the control of safety and health hazards challenging .
The industry is made up of a plethora of small businesses and independent traders , usually working under contract for service . Unlike the manufacturing factory , for example , which often has a single employer , the construction project usually involves multiple employers or those who are self-employed and complex contractual arrangements . The traditional procurement method , where the client appoints the architect to design and oversee the project is slowly being replaced by more complicated and integrated procurement methods . We are now using more of the design and build method and project management consultants ( PMC ) or project delivery partners ( PDP ). Ensuring that on-site safety and health is maintained would require good planning , managing , monitoring and coordinating , which is often lacking or difficult to achieve . The construction industry is also labour-intensive and engages a high number of foreign workers of various nationalities . Economic liberalisation has also resulted in multinational companies investing and working in local construction projects .
Technological and knowledge advancements have resulted in new construction products . Now ,
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