HSE in Construction

• Historical background: Norwegian HSE and social dialogue

• The role of safety reps• Experiences and

development• Practical examples from

Veidekke• Conclusions

Historical Background

• 1899: LO founded• 1907: first Agreement in a specific sector• 1935: Basic Agreement as a result of

many years of hard industrial conflicts between labour movement and employers– This was the start of the Norwegian model

The development of the Norwegian Model

• After WW2 there was a mutual understanding between the parties to join forces in rebuilding the country– Never again war and mass unemployment

• During the 60's, Industrialization led to growing criticism of the alienation of the individual workers.– This led to cooperation between the parties and social researchers– Different work places started in cooperation with the trade unions

attempts to increase employees control and influence with their own workplace.

• In 1966 the Basic Agreement was included part B – the Agreement of Cooperation– It states that each employee shall have the possibility to influence the

strategies and work methods incorporated in the work places.

The Nordic Model

High Trade Union density – many collective agreements

Good wages and working conditionsA workplace promoting good health

HSE - background

• Historical unbroken line of Norwegian HSE regulation; from specific factory supervision (1892) to general supervision authorities (1992)

• Updated when needed (WEA changed 40 times since 1977)

• Full revision of the WEA done regularly (1915, 1936, 1956, 1977, 2006)

From Workers Protection Act to the Working Environment Act

• The demand of workers participation was a new idea, also internationally

• Work places with 10 or more employees was to elect a safety representative– Safety representatives gained the right to halt (stop)

dangerous work• Enterprises with at least 50 employees shall have

a Working Environment Committee– The leadership rotates every second year between

the employers/employees, leader has a double vote

Training of safety reps

• Safety reps obliged to necessary training– 40 h training courses for both safety reps and

management– Mostly on how to avoid dangerous situations and how to

work with prevention of injuries and accidents– Less training in Psychosocial work environment and how

to prevent stress and work strains

• Many larger companies now implement own HSE conferences and safety reps conferences sharing experiences and discussing relevant topics

Safety reps structures

Safety reps can legally stop work operations

• The safety rep have the right to stop dangerous work when it is considered immediate threat of life and health– Seldom used, usually when safety rep notifies stop of

work, company leaders stops the work themselves• Employer to be immediately notified• Only the Labour Inspection Authority can decide

whether and when work may resume• The safety representative is not liable for any loss

suffered by the reps decisions

The Construction Industry

• 190.000 works with construction => 15 % of all employers

• In addition ca 40.000 immigrant workers • The majority employs 5 workers or less• Skanska and Veidekke the two largest,

around 3000 employed each in Norway

What does the construction worker think of his working environment?

The National Institute of Occupational Health did a survey in all branches on how one regards ones working environment

• Construction workers said they had one of the hardest physical working conditions

• We were also the group who (together with lawyers) said we had greatest influence and control over how to conduct our work

HSE in the construction industry• ” The use of helmet is a cheap life insurance. As a senior safety

rep, I believe we should increase helmet use”(posted in a newspaper 1981)

• Safety came into focus during the eighties as a demand from the oil industry

• No onshore construction firms, public or private, had taken any initiative

• A lot of work was put into improving routines, procedures, knowledge, attitudes, reporting and training

• Many workers were negative, and thought that this was something that hindered their work

• The companies which could not document best practices and few work accidents did not get work for the oil companies

• The result was a decline in accidents and injuries

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HSE – implemented into all planning

• No work will start at the risk of damage to life, health or environment

• Safe Work Analysis shall be implemented involving all relevant participants before:– New and unknown work

operations– Work operations involving

great risks of accidents• Labour Inspectorate now signals

that SWA should expand to also include strain related issues

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Oil industry introduced demands on reporting of ”unwanted incidents”

• “React, Redeem and Report “• Statistically, 600 ”unwanted

incidents” happen before each serious accident

• Research show clearly a connection between increased focus on reporting and better safety at work

Reports are to be analyzed and necessary measures implemented

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Accidents only top of the iceberg

BehaviourDangerous actionsDangerous environmentLess visible

Culture

VisibleInjuriesAccidents

Structure

Fatal accidents last 10 Years Veidekke

1999• During installation of a wall, a part of if falls into and down a shaft. One

person killed. 2005• During the dismantling of a tower crane Two persons killed2008• A welder hit by an element during assembling. He was killed2009• Two men hit by a flood of water and rocks inside a power plant tunnel

system. Both killed.• Veidekke employed man crash into a power plant tunnel wall. He was

killed.

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Stress and strain related injures causes long term absence

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MSP Psykisk Hjerte/kar Kreft Lunger Skade jobb Skade privat

Annet

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Company strategy 2010 - 2012Health, Safety and Environment

To improve our work i HSE we will especially emphazise:

• HSE is to be implemented in all aspects of a building process, from planning, to execution and completion

• All three aspects in Health, Safety and Environment shall be equally important. That is to say maintaining strong focus on Safety , but step up focus on preventive Health work and work Environment. Strain related issues shall be more systematically integrated in all work with Health.

• Continue efforts to include sub-contractors in HSE work, and measure and manage them equally as we do with our own employees

• Continue the work of reducing the numbers of injuries by focusing on all ”unwanted Incidents” and gain knowledge through experience

• Continue to further clarify management responsibility within the field of HSE

Focus on the H in HSE• Goal => more people staying in work longer• Background

– Ca. 50 % of long term sick leave caused by muscle and skeletal strain

– To few work until retirement age– A great potential in both human and economical capital if we

succeed

• Some measures– Work place analysis (ergonomically)– Review working positions to reduce straining actions– Light warm up exercises at the beginning of the day– Lifestyle => diet, smoking and regular exercise

• Continuous work on mapping and fact-finding in these fields

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HSE in all stages of process

Equal focus:-Health-Safety- Environm.

Always include sub-contractors

Focus on all injuries

Report ”unwanted Incidents”Analyze and learn

Clarify management responsibility

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The winner of Veidekkes HSE price 2010Gulskogen Senter, Drammen

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And the Jury said…

Gulskogen has implemented Project ”Involving Planning”

Results: Workers showed greater will to engage in planning which created more predictable work processes

Senior Safety rep joins all Progress Meetings. Safety reps involved in joint meetings

Progress plans contains specific timeslots for when to do Safe Work Analysis. Activities to keep surfaces clean from obstacles

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Reports on ”Unwanted Incidents”

2009, the project received 658 ReportsTotal Feb 2010: 2330

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The HSE Quarter

The HSE Quarter is held every Tuesday morning at 0700 for all workers at site.Going through: •Protection rounds•RUIs•Rigging plan•Progress for the week•Theme of the week

The HSE Quarter picks specific theme every week:•scaffolding•storage solvents•first aid•lifting equipment•fire•clean surfaces etc

The HSE Quarter is held the same day at 1045 in English for posted (foreign) workers

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Good solutions – keeping it clean and tidy

Men at work!

Spesific collection points

Separately tagged containers

Walkways around the collection points

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Good solutions – keeping it safe and environmental

Portable first aid station. Easy to move to where the work is done

Opposite side: Sorting station

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Good solutions- Safety, quality and keeping progress plans

Scaffold secured through braced tower instead of being mounted to the wall.

Enables that all facade work can be completed before scaffold is disassembled

Prevents damage on walls

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Good solutions - work environment and keeping progress

This glass roof entrance is built under a tent. Gives a better work environment and also ensures keeping progress regardless of weather conditions

Some experiences and conclusions from the construction industry

• HSE is a management responsibility– Safety reps are important, but without a clear

management strategy work may end in frustration.• Workers must be involved in how to practice HSE

– Not only to be run by procedures and routines• Prioritized fields must be followed up by

measurements• Procedures and routines must be prepared• We are getting good at Safety, but needs to get

better in the field of Health and Environment

HSE development – from procedures to culture and attitudes

1980 – improved technical solutions, tools and equipment

1990 - routines and procedures

2000 – Training and better skills

2010 – HSE Culture•Leadership commitments•Attitudes and Behavior

Active dialogue between management and safety reps is a key condition

HSE in Norway - findings from a broad governmental study

Government appointed committee came with reviews and suggestions for workers participation at company level:

• The safety reps arrangement functions satisfactorily– Safety reps requests increased status and visibility

• Physical challenges reduced, but psychosocial and stress related increases

• Clear correlation between workers participation, influence and will to participate– Workers participation contributes to both restructuring

and increased productivity for companies and better working conditions and higher wages for the workers!

HSE in the future?The Committee concluded:

• The roles of safety reps and the WCC must be clarified in the regulations when it comes to HSE and psychosocial stress– Should increase workers participation in how to organize ones

work, welfare, working hours and leisure time• The unions stated that climate and environmental issues

should be taken in to HSE• Acknowledge that different branches have different

challenges– Labour inspectorate should create tripartite meeting points in

all branches– Today the regulations are (to) universal, applying the entire

employment sector