Effective Safety And Health Planning On Construction Sites
[ONITSHA AND AWKA OF ANAMBRA STATE]

2.2.2.2    Quoting statistics from accident books and reports Howarth (1972) submitted that there has been an annual average of over 40,000 reportable accidents and over 200 killed with higher percentages than in all other industries, that building workers suffer over 3 accidents for every 100,000 hours worked that if this rate is to continue, every worker in the industry can expect to be injured twice during his working life.
2.2.2.3    Giving a break down of our annual reported accident rate of 45,000 and fatal accident of 250, Butler presented the following percentage statistics in table 2

2.2.2.4    Fiona Murie - Director, Health, Safety and Environment, International Federation of Building and Wood workers submitted the following accident statistics: that at least 55,000 people suffer fatal injuries on building sites every year according to a conservative ilo (international labors organization) estimate that it means one person is killed in a site accident every 10 minutes, that many hundreds of thousands more people suffer serious Injuries and ill-health because of bad ,and often illegal working conditions.
He further posted that published figures grossly under estimate the number of accidents, as in many countries, less than 20 percent of injuries are reported and that the longer - term impact of occupational diseases is scarcely reflected at all in the statistics
2.2.3.1    ACCIDENTS PREVENTIVE/CONTROL MEASURES
Generally speaking accident can be prevented by improving the working environment, the guarding of machines, better site organization, the setting up of safety committees and better interior lighting.
2.2.3.2    It is in appreciation and need to prevent, reduce and control accidents and enhance safety on construction sites that N10B championed the production and inclusion of project health and safety plan as a contract document: which provisions make it a necessary tool for prevention and control of accidents on sites.
2.2.3.3    Howarth posits all stakeholders have varying responsibilities for the prevention and control of accidents on sites :
(i) Government: by regulation and enforcement. For apart from the human failure, which is every one’s concern, the Main causes of accident in building works are, faulty method of working and untidiness of sites. Both these situations are covered by regulations and the foremen do much to see they are implemented.
ii.    The employer: The employer must see that his men and those employed on his sites are protected from unnecessary accidents. He must realize that accident prevention is a top managerial problem and the responsibility must not be pushed to supervisors. He must appoint at least one safety officer, where 20 men or more are employed
iii.    Employee /foreman: The foreman could do much to bring operatives to realize their responsibilities for safety by encouraging
(a)    wearing the correct protective clothing for the job in hand
(b)    reporting any unsafe situation or deficiency to him or the safety officer
(c)    where any thing is amiss (such as protruding nail) correcting it.
(d)    The correct use of tools and plant for the job
(e)    following manufacturer instructions on all tools and machines
(f)    obeying all safety signs and safety instructions and
(g)    older trades men must repress sky larking and inculcate safety consciousness among younger workers.