Introduction To Construction Managment and Safety Research Center (CM&SRC)
Although state-of-the-art safety, health, and
environmental management systems are common in the developed world as well as
some developing countries, enforcement of safety regulations on construction
sites in Pakistan is very limited. It is estimated that 6 to 7 percent of the
labor force in Pakistan is directly associated with the construction industry,
and anecdotal evidence indicates that construction worker injury and fatality
rates are about four times higher in Pakistan than in the United States. This
project aims to improve the safety climate in Pakistan by establishing a Center
of Excellence to conduct and promote construction safety research, education,
and training in Pakistan. The project will not only build the capacity of the
National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST), one of the country’s
premier engineering institutions, but will also support the local construction
industry in moving toward self regulation and realizing the need for
establishing an administrative body for implementing occupational health and
safety standards. The safety guidelines developed and training sessions
presented through this project will support stakeholder organizations in
designing and implementing safety management systems and introducing a safety
culture within the industry. Consequently, the project should produce long-term
social benefits by enhancing the safety and well-being of construction industry
workers.
Safety News from around the World
What do William in USA, Rajan in India and Jean-Louis in Italy have in common?
You wouldn't know at first glance, but all three were CEO's, and all three were
sentenced to jail for violations of EHS regulations. The companies concerned
were also issued millions in fines and/or liability claims, but in a CEO's eyes,
up to two decades in prison may seem a bit more shocking..
Each day, an average of 6,000 people die as a result of work-related accidents
or diseases, totalling more than 2.2 million work-related deaths a year. Of
these, about 350,000 deaths are from workplace accidents and more than 1.7
million are from workrelated diseases. In addition, commuting accidents increase
the burden with another 158,000 fatal accidents...
Many companies have spent a lot of time and effort improving safety, usually by
addressing hardware issues and installing safety management systems that include
regular (e.g. monthly) line management safety audits. Over a number of years
these efforts tend to produce dramatic reductions in accident rates..