Health and safety in construction

In the fast-paced world of construction, safety is of paramount importance. From home extensions to infrastructure projects that shape our country, the welfare of workers and the public is our first consideration.

When it comes to creating a culture of safety, construction companies must have robust processes and systems in place.

• Health and safety legislation
• Common hazards in the construction industry
• Implementing health and safety on construction sites
• Safety planning and risk assessment in construction projects
• Personal protective equipment (PPE) in construction
• Training and education for construction safety
• Construction site inspections and audits
• Creating a culture of safety on construction sites
• Site Manager Compliance Kit
• SSIP Accreditation
• HSG150 health and safety in construction

Health and safety legislation

Health and safety legislation in the workplace is the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974This legislation sets out the duties of employers, employees, and others. 

Responsibilities of employers

• Assess risks: Identify risks to employees, customers, and others 
• Create a policy: Have a written health and safety policy if they employ five or more people 
• Provide training: Ensure staff are adequately trained 
• Provide welfare: Ensure adequate welfare provisions are available 
• Provide information: Ensure employees have access to relevant information, instruction, and supervision 
• Consult employees: Consult employees about risks and preventive measures 

Responsibilities of employees 

• Have a duty of care to themselves and others

Other construction-related health and safety legislation

• Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015
• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002
• Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996
• Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) 1998
• Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
• Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998
• Work at Height Regulations 2005

Common hazards in the construction industry

The construction industry is fraught with hazards that can lead to serious accidents if not properly managed.

• There were 51 fatal injuries to workers in 2023/24
• 47,000 workers sustained non-fatal injuries at work averaged over the three years 2021/22-2023/24

One of the most prevalent risks is falls, which can occur from heights such as scaffolding, ladders, or roofs.

Another common hazard is the risk of being struck by objects. This can happen when tools or materials are improperly secured or when heavy machinery is involved.

Construction site workers are often close to moving equipment, and the potential for accidents increases.

Exposure to hazardous substances, such as asbestos and silica dust, poses a significant risk.

Implementing health and safety on construction sites

Implementing health and safety processes and systems on construction sites is essential. Many clients now insist that contractors hold a minimum health and safety standard. SSIP (Safety Schemes in Procurement) implemented the standard. SSIP is an umbrella organisation formed in 2009 to reduce the duplication of health and safety assessments. CHAS and PQS are suppliers of the standard.

Below is a health and safety checklist for a typical site construction setup

• Company health and safety policy
• Construction Phase Health and Safety Plan (CDM 2015), which can be easily amended and edited for specific projects
• Site setup check sheet
• Site Rules
• Site Induction
• Site Registers – PPE, Plant & Equipment etc
• Permits to Work – Confined Space, Excavation, Hot Work, Asbestos, etc
• Site inspection Check Sheets – Scaffold, Dumper, Excavator etc
• Risk assessments and method statements
• COSHH data sheets
• Toolbox training
• Worker training records

Safety planning and risk assessment in construction projects

Planning work operations is a key factor in keeping people safe on-site. The process is to develop a method statement of how the work will be executed and then develop a risk assessment. The risk assessment analyses the risks and looks at ways to mitigate them. The project planner may adjust the method statements if the risk assessment finds that the risk is too high.

Ready for use Risk assessment and method statements templates.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) in construction

Personal protective equipment (PPE) is the last line of defence to keep people safe. PPE can include the following:

• Hard hat
• His visibility vests and trousers
• Ear protection
• Eye protection
• Lung protection
• Hand protection
• Skin protection
• Foot protection

The site manager must ensure that their workers are provided with the necessary equipment and trained on how to use it effectively. A PPE register is vital to control who had what and when.

Site training

Training and education are fundamental for a safe construction site. On-site training includes:

• Site induction
• Toolbox talks
• Health and safety essential training
  • Site safety awareness training
  • Fire awareness training
  • Manual handling training
  • Abrasive wheel training
  • Working at height training
  • Risk assessment training

On-site e-learning to train site workers saves time and cost.

A training register is vital to control who had what and when.

Construction site inspections and audits

Regular inspections and audits of construction sites are critical for ensuring ongoing health and safety compliance.

Inspections help identify potential hazards that may have arisen since the last inspection and ensure that safety measures are effectively implemented.

Inspections can be conducted by internal safety officers or external auditors, providing an objective perspective on the effectiveness of the site’s safety practices.

Creating a culture of safety on construction sites

Creating a safety culture begins with a commitment from leadership to prioritise health and safety measures at all levels of the organisation.

By communicating that health and safety are priorities in the company culture, workers will feel empowered to work safely and promote safety with their workmates.

Site Manager Compliance Kit

Overview

The Site Manager Compliance Kit is an essential tool for every contractor. The Compliance Kit contains all of the information and documentation needed to comply with the requirements of today’s Safety Regulations.

Includes

• Construction Phase Health and Safety Plan (CDM 2015), which can be easily amended and edited for specific projects
• 70 Toolbox Talk Documents
• 65 Completed Risk Assessments
• 41 COSHH Assessments
• Site inspection Check Sheets – Scaffold, Dumper, Excavator etc
• Permits to Work – Confined Space, Excavation, Hot Work, Asbestos, etc
• Site set-up check sheet
• Site Induction
• Site Rules
• Site Registers – PPE, Plant & Equipment etc

Review the Site Manager Compliance Kit

CHAS Accreditation

If you want to implement CHAS, we can help you achieve this goal.

The CHAS assessment standards and requirements are listed below.

• Policy
• Occupational Health
• Behavioural Management
• Enforcement Actions
• Accident Reporting and Investigation
• Fleet Operations / Management Scheme
• Competent Advice – Corporate and Construction
• Drug and Alcohol Policy
• Training and Information
• Qualifications and Experience
• Monitoring, Audit and Review
• Risk Assessment and Safe System of Work
• Workforce Involvement
• Co-operation and Co-ordination
• Welfare Provision
• Subcontractors and Sub-consultants
• Responsible Person
• Contractor
• Declaration

Review CHAS accreditation

HSG150 health and safety in construction

HSG150 Health and Safety in Construction explains the essential tasks for achieving healthy and safe construction sites.

It helps the reader to identify hazards and control risks and explains how to plan, organise, control, monitor and review health and safety throughout the life of a project.

It is aimed at everybody involved in construction work, including clients, designers, contractors and individual workers. Clients, designers and others who specify construction work may also find the book useful.

Download HSG150

Introduction

Our fully approved, health and safety online training courses are perfect for gaining qualifications for you and your employees. We can deliver all the training you need for an SSIP assessment and all essential health and safety awareness.

Our engaging courses can be taken at any time, in any place and on any device. All courses are approved and priced to offer the best possible value to your business.

FREE Trial

You can sign up here for a free trial of our health and safety online training courses.

A trial account gives you free access to the first module of all our available courses.

Any progress you make will be saved, so if you decide to buy, you can continue from where you left off.

So complete the form on this page to get instant access, and let’s get started.

Start your FREE trial

Available health and safety online training courses

You can also select a course you are interested in and click on the FREE trial button on the course. Select any courses from the list below:

The courses available are:

• First Aid Training
• Asbestos Training
• Legionella Training
• Abrasive Wheels Training
• Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Training
• Display Screen Equipment Training
• Fire Safety Training
• Food Safety Training
• Level 1 Health & Safety in a Construction Environment
• Manual Handling Training
• Working at Height Training
• Working Safely Training
• Working in Confined Spaces
• CDM Awareness
• Introduction to Personal Safety for Lone Workers
• Behavioural Safety
• Introduction to Risk Assessment
• Electrical Safety
• Noise Awareness
• Slips, Trips and Falls
• Workplace Health and Safety
• Safeguarding Training
• Positive Handling in Schools
• Prevent Duty

Need support

Once you have seen what we offer, don’t hesitate to get in touch, and we will be happy to set you up with your health and safety online training solution.

If you get stuck or need some help feel free to get in touch.

Bespoke risk assessment and method statement

Get customised risk assessment & method statements for your projects, or select one of our many ready to go templates.

You can easily tailor the template to meet your specific needs.

We provide standard and bespoke RAMS (risk and method statements).

Standard RAMS

We provide a wide range of risk assessment & method statements in template format on our website. Each can be five to sixteen pages long and contain between 3,000 and 9,000 words.

The RAMS are within a template and cover all the principal risks and methods to carry out a specific job. The RAM Templates need the client’s involvement as there will be a comprehensive sequence of work that could apply. As the client, you would be responsible for ensuring that this sequence was relevant to yourself and, if not amended to reflect your process.

Our standard RAMS cost from £6 to £12 per RAM or are provided free as part of our Safety Advisory service or Competent person service.

Review our standard RAMS

Bespoke risk assessment and method statements

Bespoke RAMS are when the client has a very specific request that does not fall into any template we have available. Bespoke RAMS are tailored to include the process you carry out and ensure that all risks are appropriate to the job and site you are working on.

Writing a bespoke RAMS requires input from one of the consultants, so we will charge a fee. Whatever your requirements, we will have the solution to support you.

Use the form on this page to tell us about your requirements, and we will give you an economical fee to write it up for you using one of our templates.

Please complete the form below and give us some details about your requirements.

Complete the form below and we will get in touch

Do I need a health and safety policy?

Find out why even small businesses need a health and safety policy. Learn how to write a policy that meets legal requirements and keeps your employees safe.

If you employ less than five people, you still need a health and safety policy; you can verbally communicate to employees or others who may be affected by your business activities.

Businesses with more than five people must have a more detailed health and safety policy that includes the organisation and arrangements.

The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 is the primary piece of legislation covering occupational health and safety in Great Britain. It’s sometimes referred to as HSWA, the HSW Act, the 1974 Act or HASAWA.

How to write the policy

A policy is a written statement which has three essential parts:

1) Health & Safety Policy

The health and safety policy details a statement of intent. The statement of intent details your aims and objectives, health and safety policy, processes and systems to prevent accidents, train your employees, supply PPE, etc. The policy is signed and dated by the most senior person, the managing director.

(2) Organisation of Health and Safety – Roles and Responsibilities

The organisation of health and safety is best done by developing an organisation chart, with the most senior person at the top, then detailing the people who are responsible for the day-to-day running of all matters concerning health and safety. An example is:

• Managing director
• Health and safety advisor
• Fire safety manager
• Health and safety training manager
• Risk assessments and method statements manager
• PPE manager
• Control of substances hazardous to health COSHH manager

In small businesses, one person may have many roles

3) Arrangements for health and safety – How are risks managed?

The arrangements for health and safety should detail how the organisation aims to achieve its aims. For example:

• Develop risk assessments
• Training of people
• Consulting with people
• Fire and emergency arrangements
• First aid arrangements
• Reporting of accidents, injuries and dangerous incidents
• Arrangements for working at height, manual handling, etc.

Tips to write a health and safety policy

Here are some tips for creating a health and safety policy:

Be specific – Tailor it to your business and clearly state who is responsible for what. 

Get buy-in – Involve all stakeholders, especially those with significant safety responsibilities, to ensure the policy is accurate. 

Review regularly – Update the policy annually or when there are changes to the business, such as a new management structure or expansion. 

The benefits of having a written policy for businesses of any size including: 

• Demonstrating a commitment to the health and safety of employees, customers, contractors, and the public
• Clarifying responsibilities
• Building confidence when seeking new contracts or tenders

Buy a policy

We have written several health and safety policies. Click on the link to review them: Health and safety policies.

• HSG65 health and safety management
• Property developer
• General builder
• Demolition contractor
• Joinery contractor
• Electrical contractor
• Plumbing and heating contractor
• Air conditioning contractor
• Roofing contractor
• Flooring contractor
• Plastering contractor
• Cleaning contractor
• Haulage company
• Bespoke health and safety policy

We can write a policy for you if you can’t see your company type above.

SEGURO Support

If you would like and advice on a Health & Safety Policy, call us on 0800 031 5404 or complete the form below, and we will contact you.

What is Builders Profile?

Find out how Builders Profile streamlines subcontractor procurement. Get all the details you need in one convenient location.

Builder’s Profile provides a service enabling clients and contractors to procure the services of subcontractors who have demonstrated compliance and provided the necessary PQQ (pre-qualification questionnaire) information.

The accessible database allows companies to submit their information and keep it up to date easily for clients and contractors to review. If you are a client or a contractor, it gives you one location to view all the details you need to manage a supply chain, no matter how large or small.

The idea is that subcontractors are able to fill in one PQQ instead of having to fill in different ones for each contractor they want to work with.

The benefit for contractors of Builder’s Profile is that all the information you need to select a subcontractor is in one place.  This can help reduce the cost of procurement as well as administration.

There are various levels of membership available

• Main Contractor Membership
• Subcontractor Premium Membership
• Subcontractor Basic Membership
• Members of our Partner Trade Associations, Premium Membership
• Members of Supporting Trade Associations share a discounted Premium Membership

The Key Benefits

• You do not need to manage multiple profiles and documents over several platforms.
• A secure system that allows you to keep your PQQ files and documents all in one place.
• Access to Marketplace allows you to see and tender for thousands of private and public construction market projects.
• Access to Acclaim. Acclaim is one of the founding members of SSIP to obtain SSIP accreditation.

What does a Builder’s Profile cost?

For a sub-contractor, the membership fee depends on your turnover; the price range is between £149 to £349 + VAT per annum. (January 2025)

If you hold a constructionline membership, a combined membership is possible.

SEGURO Support

The world of PQQ’s SSIP accreditation suppliers, such as CHAS, Constructionline, PQS, and Builders Profile, is complex.

If you would like FREE support to help you work out the best option, please call us on 0800 031 5404, or we can contact you. Complete the form below, and we will get in touch.