ABSTRACT
The construction industry has an unenviable record of accidents including many fatalities. While the type of work carried out does present a high level of hazard, there seems to have been an attitude endemic in the industry that it is all part and parcel of the job. Some recent major construction projects have disproved that contention and have been successfully completed without fatality or serious injury. Much of this success is due to changing attitudes particularly at senior management levels. Whether this is a reaction to new laws or whether the new laws have recognized the importance of the management aspects of construction projects, there is an increasing emphasis in legislation on the wider responsibilities of senior managers and of other off-site people such as architects who play a crucial role in determining onsite safety. These new legislative requirements are embodied in the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994 (CDM).
