Health and safety: Academic research and practical application

Construction health and safety management continues to be a popular and worthwhile topic for research. Many issues have been identified, such as subcontracting and casualization, and the problematic nature of researching the topic acknowledged. This paper reports a case study of an innovative method of Health and Safety training introduced on a construction site in Leeds. The site manager arranged for representatives of all the subcontractors and direct labour gangs to meet at lunch one day every week. Sandwiches and drinks were provided as an incentive, and attendance was very good. The lunch meetings provided the opportunity to discuss Health and Safety matters for the site, and for operations running at that time. The intention was to prevent or minimize the accidents on the site. The discussion of other issues (such as financial problems, delays or damaged work) was prevented by the site manager, who led the discussion. In the case study, the number of reported accidents was less than for similar sites over the same period. The contracting company, Totty Construction awarded the site manager with a prize for the innovation. The conclusion of the paper raises the question of the purpose of research into Health and Safety: developing understanding and dissemination amongst the academic community or developing understanding and disseminating practical advice amongst practitioners.