How to increase uptake of this approach and gain these benefits were principal topics at Leading supply chain improvements, a recent one-day conference hosted by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) and focusing on construction safety.
Rodger Evans, head of construction strategy at the DTI's construction sector unit set the scene for discussions by suggesting what increased supply chain integration could mean in reality. "By bringing teams together and working through the process there is a much better chance of achieving safer construction," he stated, reminding delegates: "It is much easier to solve problems in advance than on site. Up to 60% of accidents are attributed to decisions that are made before work starts on site." He called for the early involvement of subcontractors and for health and safety risks to be considered holistically, with the focus on the whole life of the building, including future use and maintenance, at the planning stage.
The Accelerating change document due to be introduced to the industry by early Autumn aims to explain how barriers to such integration can be reduced and past practices changed.
Sir John Egan, outgoing head of the Strategic Forum for Construction explained: "The point [of Accelerating change] is that if a project is pre-planned, with all processes carefully chosen to be safer, and carried out by competent people, not only will it be safe but it'll be a good project. The CDM Regulations should reflect this. If we want to stop killing people we have to do these things correctly. The difference between Accelerating change and Rethinking construction is that it's putting more emphasis on logistics."
Up to 60% of accidents are attributed to decisions that are made before work starts on site
Rodger Evans
He expressed surprise that more large construction firms have not put supply chain management into practice to offer a one-stop-shop service, but reasoned that the healthy economy, embedded processes and client nervousness have all contributed to the lack of industry change. "There is no crisis so no need for change," proffered Egan, but, he warned: "The crisis will come. This will happen as industry hasn't learnt fast enough and an over-exuberant government spending too much will promote inflation. Only when the process improves will we get huge improvements."
Planning for design
Foster and Partners is one firm encouraging the early co-operation of supply team members, reported company architect Thouria Istephan. "We recognise that there's a font of knowledge that we can use in design," she stated, adding that the early involvement of contractors is crucial: "90% of important decisions are made before the detailed design stage, which is before contractors are involved on many projects. After this it's very difficult to make changes that affect health and safety."
Istephan cited training as the key to a project's success and expressed the need to integrate the CDM Regulations and health and safety issues into the whole design process: "The language of design is trying not to add on health and safety but to integrate it into the existing system," she said.
Tony Wheel, director of safety at contractor Carillion, agreed with Istephan: "CDM needs to get people to work together at all levels; health and safety is not a stand-alone issue. For it to work properly the integrated team must want to make it happen."
If a project is pre-planned and carried out by competent people, not only will it be safe but it’ll be a good project
John Egan
He used the integration of construction teams on PFI projects as an example of the benefits of working together. Consortium members are interested in the long-term value of decisions on such projects due to their prolonged involvement. Getting the team together early allows thorough planning and the chance to try different solutions to design issues as well as reducing health and safety risks.
"PFI projects are becoming an important tool," agreed David Chapman, head of planning supervision at Bovis Lend Lease. Looking at the role of planning supervisors in this integrated team approach, he commented: "If everyone did their job most efficiently then planning supervisors wouldn't have to get involved."
However, they can give an objective view on designs and comment according to client expectations. He reminded: "Part of a planning supervisor's job is to ask the right questions at the right time."
He cited the arrangement of m&e services as one that needs particular attention on projects, due partly to the increasingly small spaces allocated to plant, but also to the conventional arrangements still being used in many schemes, such as the installation of cabling above pipework. Access to cabling for system expansion or maintenance is likely to be needed first and this task is made more difficult if it's positioned above the pipework. "Perhaps if proper life cycle costing was done this would not happen," he suggested, adding: "The people in control of most of the health and safety information is contractors. They should be responsible for putting that together."
Health and safety is not a standalone issue; for it to work properly the integrated team must want to make it happen
Tony Wheel
The client's view
Representatives from clients Asda, BAA and developer Berkeley Homes outlined how they are adapting their construction methods for higher quality and safety standards.
Mike Abel, general manager for construction at Asda, explained how the firm has slimmed down its supply chain, introduced measurement and benchmarking and focused health and safety issues. This revised approach enabled a new Swansea store to be built in 16 weeks, even with "significant" health and safety systems in place, rather than the 35 weeks it would previously have taken. "There is no doubt that going fast in a well-planned manner can be safer than a slow, unmanaged process," stated Abel.
BAA shares these views on safety and sees off-site prefabrication as a vital way to achieve higher standards. It has given its supply chain a target of 40% preassembly for 2002."As use of preassembly has gone up," general manager of product and manufacturing development Clive Coleman assured, "safety levels have significantly improved."
He explained that the firm's new one in a million safety strategy, which aims to achieve a maximum of one accident per million work hours has been in planning for several years but is now paying off, advising: "The challenge to change the supply chain takes time."
Occupational health has to become a bigger priority
Kevin Myers
Chris Tisi, health and safety advisor for Berkeley Homes, reiterated the view that health and safety is integral to business, and suggested that it should be included in the basic management of a firm. Berkeley, he stated expects: "Active participation from everyone in its supply chain in identifying hazards and taking positive action to eliminate or control them." It has introduced a range of safety manuals for staff on its sites, and targeted waste management to reduce on-site risks. He reminded delegates that: "The sum total of what we all do in the supply chain will contribute to, and could determine, whether someone lives or dies."
Future health and safety
Kevin Myers, chief inspector of construction with the HSE concluded the seminar with an outline of the Government's ten point strategy to invigorate the Revitalising Health and Safety Strategy Statement.
Included in this new initiative are the need to promote better working environments, ingrain a culture of self-regulation and build effective partnerships. "Occupational health has to become a bigger priority," stated Myers, adding: "We must motivate employers by making the penalty fit the crime."
Source
Electrical and Mechanical Contractor
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