Introduction:
How many times have we heard, or even stated the following: “let that be a lesson to you”? We all need to learn from past mistakes to prevent a repeat event or undesirable consequence. Accidents and near misses are preventable but only if we first understand how and why they happen and take corrective actions. It is for this reason that the CIF has developed this portal for the sharing of both Lessons Learned / Best Practices in Health & Safety in Construction.
Objectives:
Routine inspections and incident investigations may identify unsafe working practices, which can facilitate learning from operational experience (i.e. lessons learned). The consequence of sharing of lessons learned across the wider construction industry would be fewer accidents, enhanced moral and increased productivity.
How to Share your Lesson Learned / Best Practice in Health & Safety:
There are two options for sharing a lessons learned/ best case example:
- Complete the entry fields provided at submit lessons learned page, or
- Complete the Word Template provided and email to: jegan@cif.ie
Best Practice / Lessons Learned should draw on both negative experiences and positive outcomes; for example, good ideas that improved health, safety and welfare onsite, and work tasks that would be done differently, if repeated.
Material uploaded onto the CIF webpage must be controlled. For this reason, the CIF Safety and Training department act as a review panel to confirm that no content is uploaded that could conflict with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR), cause damage to a company’s reputation or create liability for a claim. Nonetheless, all contributors must take personal accountability for content provided.
Terms and Conditions:
- Portal is not to be used to document a fatality or an event under investigation by the Health and Safety Authority or other regulatory body;
- With exception of the optional field: “for further information”, avoid reference to an individual, client or company’s name, address, phone number or email;
- Avoid inclusion of personal data or material that may be subject to litigation, claim or investigation, or which may result in reputational damage for an individual, company, service provider or client.
Latest Best Practice / Lessons Learned Cases
We lament the first confirmed fatality at work for the Irish construction sector in 2019.
A reminder of the potential dangerous when working near underground services. A worker was hand-digging a trial hole in a footpath when their shovel encountered an unmarked, uncharted, pot-ended cable resulting in a minor flash and some smoke. The potential outcome could have been much more serious.
An accident that occurred on a construction site identified some poor working practices with hydraulic breakers that have reportedly become commonplace.
A large stone stuck between the dual tyres of a truck engaged in site clearance works became dislodged as the truck gathered speed and was catapulted from the rear wheels. The stone travelled across a road and foot path and came to rest when it hit a hoarding of a nearby site.
The 2018 Irish Water HSQE inspection programme identified a significant number of safety findings relating to temporary work platforms on shuttering systems. Examples included.
An incident occurred where a bolted connection securing a precast beam to a structural steel hanger failed. Following examination, it was clear that the retaining bolt support mechanism failed, in a progressive manner over several hours, resulting in the partial collapse of a section of precast.
The site had encountered a known and confirmed redundant 50mm copper cable at various stages along the pipeline. The troublesome section of the redundant cable had been cut out using a consaw.
Sign Up for Alerts:
Routinely, the CIF will share a safety alert for lessons learned; should this be of interest, it is suggested to sign-up for alerts of new materials here.