Et in arcadia ego? 'Zero target' safety programmes in the UK construction industry

Zero has become the biggest number in UK construction site safety. The emergence of zero within safety management programmes crosses industries and international boundaries, and has become a prominent safety feature of large construction contractors operating in the UK. However, zero has also attracted academic attention within these contexts; its practicality within practice as well as wider ethical and philosophical considerations. Indeed, a social constructionist perspective would suggest considerable variety in the way zero is approached, accepted and positioned within work and safety contexts. This incoherence will inevitably influence the reception and success of such programmes, and the potential for their impact in practice.