ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the losses caused by construction accidents. Accidents cost the construction industry millions of pounds annually. Such is the magnitude of the problem that a definitive cost has never been determined. Useful studies have been carried out by the Accident Prevention Advisory Unit (APAU) (HSE, 1993a) in an attempt to identify the full cost of accidents. These have raised awareness among organizations in many industry sectors of the cost implications of accidents and this may serve in the future to stimulate better health and safety practices. What is certain is that the cost of accidents can be characterized by what the HSE terms the 'accident iceberg', see Figure 4.1 on p. 29. While the tip of the iceberg reveals visible and tangible costs, the submerged bulk of the iceberg harbours a great many hidden and often indeterminate financial implications. This chapter provides the basis for understanding the fundamental aspects and issues associated with the cost of accidents including those which occur within construction.
