Site safety

The construction sector – bâtiment et travaux publics – has always been accident-prone, but over the past fifty years or so, undeniable progress has been made in preventing workplace accidents and improving working conditions on construction sites. This progress has led to a significant reduction in the number of accidents. Nevertheless, the frequency of accidents and occupational illnesses in the construction industry remains high, particularly in the structural work sector, compared with other non-building sectors. This is demonstrated by an analysis of the direct costs of occupational accidents and illnesses: this sector alone accounts for more than one billion euros in occupational accident and illness costs. The Cnam (Caisse Nationale de l'Assurance Maladie) shows that two-thirds of this sum corresponds to the consequences of falls from heights or load handling. This sector needs help to reduce the economic and human cost, but the actions that could be developed to improve working conditions (health and safety) must come from the profession (project owner, prime contractor, companies). The European Union has promulgated a "Health and Safety Protection" coordination system for all those involved in the construction process, known as "SPS coordination". This will vary according to the size of the construction and the number of employees involved.

This article presents a history of prevention, as well as the players involved in the act of building and their missions, and the documents on which they must rely to guarantee safety on the building site. The design phases of a single-family home construction project, aimed at preventing worker health risks, are outlined. The health protection organizations involved in the project, based on the regulations, are then presented. Finally, an example of how to ensure the safety of a building site is presented.