Exploring the integration of health and safety with pre-construction planning

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on findings from a research project, commissioned by the UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE), to investigate the integration of health and safety with pre-construction planning. Design/methodology/approach – Four steering groups and three expert panels were interviewed, using focus group methods, to define critical success factors through qualitative, grounded theory, analysis. Findings – The main outcomes from the analysis are: critical success factors rely on adopting integrated teams; and effective two-way flow of information is essential. Also, existing design and management tools can be adapted to satisfy the factors identified as opposed to prescribed requirements for a standard health and safety plan. Originality/value – This study has informed further research including the development of a gateway process model and supporting integrated management tools. It has also informed HSE with policy decisions for their review of CDM.