Post-construction safety for project managers
Principle 2: Promote design for safety
Evaluate effectiveness of design safety review
On completion of construction, the project safety leadership team should review and evaluate the effectiveness of the design safety reviews conducted in Stage 2.
Record effective design solutions for future projects
From the workshop conducted above, the effective design solutions identified should be recorded in a permanent record for use on future projects.
Principle 3: Communicate safety information
Communicate safety knowledge to all project participants
The evaluation of safety performance arising from above should be communicated to all project stakeholders.
Principle 4: Manage safety risks
Conduct appropriate testing of plant/equipment prior to commissioning
For projects which include the commissioning of plant and equipment, the project manager should ensure that the plant is appropriately tested and commissioned and only put into active service when it is deemed safe for use.
Record safety information relevant to facility operation
All safety information relevant to the operation and maintenance of the facility/structure should be entered into the project risk register.
Principle 5: Continuously improve safety performance
Undertake collaborative post-project review of safety performance
A post-project review of safety performance should be carried out by all project stakeholders.
Capture and record lessons learnt for future projects
The lessons learnt from safety performance on the project should be separately recorded and distributed for the benefit of the industry.
Principle 6: Entrench safety practices
Review long-term relationships with small businesses
Major project stakeholders—client, project manager, designer and constructor—should review their relationships with small to medium enterprises involved in the project with a view to seeing if these can be further strengthened.
Future interface between prime contractors and subcontractors
Following on from above, prime contractors and subcontractors should consider their long-term relationship for future project involvement.
The Guide to Best Practice for Safer Construction was developed following a detailed review of practical Australian and international best practice initiatives. It suggests a framework to improve safety performance on construction projects and covers all stages of a project: planning, design, construction and post-construction. Its overarching objective is to reduce the number of accidents and deaths on construction sites and to improve the ability of the industry as a whole to deliver safer construction projects and healthier employees.
The three primary stakeholder groups of the construction industry—clients, designers and constructors—have worked together to create a methodology which integrates occupational health and safety into strategic and operational decision making at all stages of the project. The Guide is intended to be an aspirational document that leads discussion and industry change, as well as a practical tool which can be used across the industry by clients, project manager, designers and constructors and by large firms and small and medium-sized enterprises.
Download the Guide to Best Practice for Safer Construction: Tasks and other safety materials.
In this series:
- 6 principles of safety for construction projects
- Safety in construction design during the project lifecycle
- Managing safety on a construction project
- Post-construction safety for project managers
