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The Effect Of The Cdm Regulations On Accident Statistics Within The Uk. Cdm ...


The effect of the CDM regulations on accident statistics within the UK. CDM regulations have been in place within the construction industry for a number of years and are currently undergoing renewal. This project will reflect on the success (or otherwise) of these regulations on accident statistics within the UK. The project requires a good understanding of the principles of risk and safety management. This is a review project requiring contact with stakeholders within the industry and analysis of self sourced data.
The relationship between developing health and safety regulations and accident statistics within the construction industry
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
Introduction
The Construction Design and Management Regulations 1994 or CDM as they are widely referred to have application to most construction projects undertaken in the UK (Health and Safety Executive (2003) 1-5) (HSE (2007) 1-3). These regulations have set out industry standards relating the health and safety which are considered acceptable to the government and vicariously, to the construction worker.
The regulations represent an important trend towards the paternalistic intervention of the government in relation to health and safety. Historically, and in particular with reference to Conservative governments, the ambit of health and safety was very much left to the individual company, and the responsibility to cope of things went wrong, to the individual. This was the essence of lassie-faire politics at its harshest. However, with the emergence of unionised activities and, in contemporary terms, with the emergence of liberal influences within politics, the concept of government intervention to thwart the callous disregard for the individual health and safety of workers has receded.
This trend has been manifest and has developed in influence and importance as the twentieth century has unfolded. Indeed, the health and safety of construction workers has been the specific focus of government attention, in recent years. It has been acknowledged for many years that in the UK, the construction industry is one of the most dangerous industries to be employed in (Ackroyd, S. and Fleetwood, S. (2000) Ch. 1) (Adams, S. (1989) 1-2). In 2005-2006, the number of deaths in the construction industry has been 59, coupled with the number of injured individuals being 3600 (Fraser 2007, 1).
Statistics from European agencies also confirm this trend, which identifies the construction industry as one of the most dangerous to be employed in (Health and Safety Executive (2003) 1-5) (HSE (2007) 1-3).
It has been argued that: ‘Sadly, construction accident statistics uphold the image of an industry that is still considered dangerous, despite improvements in recent years.  The European Agency cites the relative incidence of non-fatal accidents as being 141, compared to an EU industry average of 100.  According to Eurostat, the EU's statistical unit, around 1,300 workers are killed each year.


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