Construction hazards

A hazard is a situation that creates a threat to life, health, property, the environment, personal integrity, and so on. Hazards differ from risks, in that risks describe the potential for a situation such as a hazard to cause harm.

From a health and safety perspective, a hazard may be seen as a condition with the potential to cause physical impairment or health consequences in people (or any other type of life). In a project environment, a hazard is anything that may affect the success of project activities or the project as a whole. Similarly, companies, ventures, physical assets, the environment and society face hazards.

Most hazards are potential or latent but a hazardous situation becomes 'effective', it can cause an incident, an accident or a even a disaster.

Some of the most common hazards in construction include:

• Working with heavy plant and machinery.
• Working with tools and equipment.
• Working with live electricity.
• Working at height.
• Lifting operations.
• Demolition.
• The presence of hazardous substances such as asbestos.
• Exposure to chemicals.
• Structural collapse and falling debris.
• Material and manual handling.
• Hand arm vibration syndrome.
• Loud noise.
• Slips, trips and falls.
• Working long and physically-demanding shifts.
• Working in confined spaces.
• Sharp objects.
• Hot work.
• Fire.
• Water.

Some common prevention techniques which can often adopted to reduce the risk of hazards include:

• Use of personal protective equipment (PPE).
• Regular waste disposal.
• Provision of modern tools and equipment.
• Staff and visitor training.
• Ties, chutes and netting to prevent falling debris.
• Signage warning of hazards.
• Proper assignation of operatives.
• Keeping sites secure.
• Zoning of activities.
• Emergency procedures.

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[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• As Low As Reasonably Practicable (ALARP).
• Hazardous substances.
• Health and safety.
• Health and safety file.
• Major hazard for planning purposes.
• Near miss.
• Project risk.
• Risk assessment.
• Risk in building design and construction.
• Risk management.
• Risk register.
• Safety.
• Safety management.