ABSTRACT
This chapter analyses the principles of workplace health and safety compliance, and considers effective health and safety policy, planning, risk assessment and worker involvement. It aims to develop principles of safe and healthy buildings and sites, and proposes a working system using the Construction Regulations. The financial cost of workplace accidents is spread among the employee’s loss of earnings, the employer’s loss of productivity, the taxpayer’s contribution to medical expenses and welfare provision and loss of reputation affecting marketing. The chapter examines the case of small and medium enterprises (SME) contractors, and discusses a framework for managing prevention and improvement in relation to health and safety. It also considers the impact of behavioural safety approaches to health and safety (H&S). The purpose of the policy is to provide a clear statement of commitment to the H&S of employees and to direct accountability for safe systems of work to named people.
