ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a pathway for ascertaining the health and safety (H&S) risk profile of a project, through an evaluation of the H&S risk associated with the features of the project. It presents a review of approaches for assessing H&S risk and to determine a suitable method for evaluating the H&S risk associated with construction project features (CPFs). The methods for evaluating H&S risk have been categorised mainly as qualitative and quantitative risk evaluation. Popular among the qualitative methods is the checklist/questionnaire method. Quantitative methods include failure modes and effects analysis, and hazard and operability studies. Semi-quantitative risk evaluation appears to be a more suitable approach for assessing the H&S risk associated with CPFs. It provides an intermediate level of qualitative and quantitative risk assessment. It offers a more consistent and rigorous approach to evaluating and comparing risks than does a qualitative risk assessment and it avoids some of the greater ambiguities that a qualitative risk assessment may produce.
