Construction Project Manager (CPM) Contributions to Construction Health and Safety (H&S)

Abstract

The construction project manager (CPM) identity of work (IoW) records a range of H&S actions required of CPMs throughout the six stages of projects. Furthermore, CPMs as project leaders, are in a unique position to integrate H&S into the six stages of projects. Given the aforementioned, a study was conducted to determine the nature and extent of CPM contributions to construction H&S. A self-administered questionnaire survey delivered per e-mail, was conducted among a convenience sample stratum consisting of CPMs. The salient findings include that: seven project parameters are important to CPMs; CPMs consider/refer to H&S primarily during construction documentation and management, and tender documentation and procurement, in terms of project stages; CPMs generally undertake ‘designing for construction H&S’-related actions relative to their projects/practices, and CPMs are knowledgeable with respect to project managing construction H&S, risk management, and constructability reviews, however, less so relative to the influence of design on construction H&S. The study concluded that CPMs consider/refer to H&S, there is more focus on H&S during procurement and construction, than design, and CPMs do understand and appreciate the need to integrate H&S into construction project management. The study indicates a need for enhanced integration of H&S into the first three stages of projects, and the upstream design aspects such as concept design.