Construction health and safety (H&S) performance: A conceptual framework for enhancing information and communication technology (ICT) impacts

The introduction of the Construction (Design and Management) - CDM Regulations of 1994 has significantly complimented efforts aimed at improving the health and safety performance of the industry. An Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) was developed to specifically outline responsibilities of duty holders under the five key stages of the construction process. Throughout the process, several procedures are outlined by the ACoP to ensure that all duty holders conform to the Regulations. These procedures have translated to the fact that huge volumes of paper work are usually associated with each stage of the construction process. Such a development continues to pose great challenges to an industry that is already overwhelmed by paper work. To overcome these challenges, however, several efforts have been made to provide ICT support for all stages of the process. Such efforts include those ICT tools that incorporate health and safety into construction critical path method (CPM) scheduling software and those that use navigable movies for hazard identification and safety improvement training; yet others attempt to provide solutions to hazard identification through hazard referencing. Other systems include the development of on-line health and safety file management systems; web-based pre-tender and construction stage health and safety plan development and knowledge-based system for designers. This study proposes to evaluate the current and potential impacts of ICT tools on construction H&S performance. A review of available ICT tools for health and safety management is performed and a pilot study of awareness, uptake and impacts of the tools is also envisaged. It is expected that the investigation will yield a framework for further enhancement of H&S ICT tool development, uptake and overall impacts on H&S performance.