Construction safety management is a bit like trying to herd cats while riding a unicycle on a tightrope.

It’s a delicate dance between ensuring the well-being of your employees and keeping the wheels of productivity turning.

But fear not, dear reader, for I, your humble safety guide, am here to illuminate the path to safety management success.

A short safety dance…(but no slip-ups)

Before we dig into the nitty-gritty, let’s get our groove on with a little safety dance.

Remember, safety isn’t just about following rules and regulations; it’s about creating a culture where everyone feels empowered to prioritise their well-being.

So, put on your dancing steel-toe boots and let’s get this safety party started!

The fine art of the risk assessment

Creating a risk assessment is like painting a masterpiece.

You need the right tools, a steady hand, and a dash of creativity.

But what if I told you that the secret ingredient to a successful risk assessment is… a banana peel?

Think about it…

A banana peel is slippery and unpredictable and can lead to a world of hurt if not handled properly.

In the same way, a risk assessment should address the potential hazards in your workplace and provide clear steps to mitigate them.

So, the next time you’re tempted to toss that banana peel in the bin, remember that it could be the key to unlocking your risk assessment’s full potential.

The missing banana peel

Now, you might be wondering, “Dave, where did that banana peel come from?” And to that, I say, “Wherever there’s a banana, there’s bound to be a peel.”

But the real question is, where did it go?

In the world of construction safety management, it’s not uncommon for hazards to slip through the cracks.

That’s why it’s crucial to regularly review and update your risk assessments to ensure that all potential dangers are accounted for.

So, keep your eyes peeled (pun intended) for any missing banana peels in your risk assessments, and don’t be afraid to make adjustments as needed.

The final curtain call

As we wrap up our construction safety management performance, I want to leave you with one final thought:

Safety is a journey, not a destination.

It’s a never-ending process of learning, adapting, and continuous improvement.

It’s about keeping your wits about you, your banana peels in check, and your workforce safe and sound.

But just before you go

I couldn’t leave you without a little plug.

I’ve been involved in construction safety management for over twenty years, and risk assessments are the foundation of good working practices and performance.

So, let me help take that all important task off your plate.

Let’s talk.

Last month I caused a bit of a furore over on my LinkedIn when I shared this post:

Although I was aware that this opinion goes against the grain somewhat, I was surprised by the magnitude of the response. With over 400 comments and 600 reactions, it’s fair to say that a lot of my fellow safety professionals had a lot to say!

Why would you say such a thing?

Because it’s true! I’ve built a career out of urging business leaders and safety professionals to look beyond numbers and instead take a straightforward, people-first approach to risk management.

Quantitative and numerical risk assessments – though common – go against one of my fundamental core beliefs: risk assessments should be, above all, a simple and practical method of managing the risk of harm, not made for safety professionals themselves but for those on the frontline.

Numerical risk assessments are far removed from the reality of dynamic, ever-changing workplaces. Time spent juggling numbers and calculations for task-based activities adds no real value, providing a mostly baseless, needlessly specific view of things and generally overcomplicating the process.

Too many safety professionals complexify when they should be simplifying, stuffing risk assessments full of figures to show their work. When the assessment finally makes it into the hands of those that need it, it’s just too complicated to make proper use of.

Will the control measures implemented change all that much based on a 5 point difference when the obvious answer to ‘there’s no edge protection’ is usually ‘install edge protection’?

Instead of this incessant focus on the numbers and back-and-forth over whether a risk is a low 2, low 3, or medium 4, I believe safety professionals should instead be striving for a simple but effective hazard + risk + solution approach, encouraging and enabling those that are trained and competent to work safely.

The magic of LinkedIn

LinkedIn is, of course, a communication platform, and you might not be surprised to learn that plenty of people disagreed with me. Although the quality of debate on social media can be hit or miss, to put it mildly, there were some fantastic, thoughtful responses worth considering.

This one, for example, highlights that it’s important to remember that, ultimately, risk assessment is subjective, and there’s no one right way to do things.

Different methods have shortcomings which can be overcome by combining them with other strategies. I agree that some sort of framework is necessary, but feel that the obsession with numbers continues to hold us back more than it helps. Nevertheless, I agree that coaching employees and empowering them to make the right choices is by far the best option. I just don’t think boxes full of numbers are the way to do that.

Who indeed?

David Cant Risk assessment

One from the ‘I agree with David’ camp. A risk is a risk, no matter your subjective opinion of the severity. Again, how likely is it that the measures put in place will change based on whether you personally decide it’s a 3 or 30?

David Cant risk assessment 2

Another interesting point. Risk assessments are not for identifying and accounting for every single thing that can go wrong – because that’s impossible – but for identifying the most likely risks and triaging your response to them.

Unfortunately, this doesn’t explain why numerical assessments are better than your standard low, medium, and high grades, or a qualitative assessment. Surely whoever receives the risk assessment at the other end has enough to go on without chucking a load of numbers into the mix?

The mood of the negative responses seemed to translate to one question: ‘well, do you have a better option?’ and that’s fair. Numerical, quantitative risk assessments are as common as they are because there aren’t a huge amount of alternatives.

But does that mean we should continue to rely on something that isn’t fit for purpose?

What’s the alternative?

Ultimately, despite all the arguments for and against them, I still haven’t yet gotten a straight answer to why numerical risk matrices are beneficial. People seem to either hate them or begrudgingly accept them because there are no better options.

The example I used in my post was a real matrix I received from a bricklayer, who admitted to me that he was just ‘number crunching’, and wasn’t actually sure what tangible benefits there were to it. Neither was his site manager. If whoever is filling in the risk assessment isn’t sure why it matters, what’s the point?

Risk assessments should be about making life easier for the worker, equipping them with the resources to make informed decisions. It shouldn’t be a box-ticking exercise (or, in this case, a ‘fill the boxes with numbers’ exercise) but a logical, clear examination of risk.

I think that moving forward, we should make an effort as an industry to simplify a lot of the procedures we’ve become accustomed to, particularly when it comes to risk assessments.

By switching to qualitative risk assessments, where the focus is on clearly and succinctly listing potential risks alongside relevant solutions, we can enable those using the risk assessments to make better, safer decisions, and more generally create a healthier culture around safety.

For ways to simplify your risk assessments and maximise the safety of those using them, check out my blog on avoiding risk assessment bloat over on the Veritas Consulting website. If you’d like more advice on how to assess risk effectively in your business, get in touch.

PS: Here is the post on my on my LinkedIn

Risk assessment and the curious case of the missing banana peel