The effectiveness of safety and health assessment system in construction (SHASSIC)

Abstract

Construction industry is really known as one of the industry within the highest accident record. Even though Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1994 has established guidelines for occupational safety and health management system (OSHMS), but it seems ineffective due to several contractor’s firm still lacking of some important elements which should be applied to mitigate accident in construction site. Therefore in 2008, CIS 10:2008 (SHASSIC) introduce by CIDB Malaysia as method for contractors to assess their safety and health complementary performance in site. Since the method still new in the construction industry, this study aims to measure the effectiveness of SHASSIC tool in improving occupational safety and health management in construction site. Four objectives has to be pursued in order to achieve the aim of study: 1) To study the level of OSH management in construction site using SHASSIC tool; 2) To determine weaknesses area of OSH management in construction site; 3) To propose suggestion for improving OSH management towards contractor’s firm; and 4) To identify the effectiveness of SHASSIC tool in improving OSH management. Data were obtained by carried out two phases of safety and health assessment which uses CIS 10:2008 SHASSIC as tool to assess six sites selected within Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Skudai compound. The results indicate the performance ranking of sites according to the SHASSIC standard. Three items of weaknesses determine in documentation, seven items in workplace, while category of worker as employees which contribute to the lowest level of compliance to the safety and health requirement. Suggestions were proposed according to the CIS 10:2008 SHASSIC guideline which takes precedence of 1) Occupational Safety and Health Act, 1994 (Act 514) and Regulations, 2) Factories and Machinery Act, 1967 (Act 139) and Regulations and Rules, and 3) OHSAS 18001: 2007, MS 1722: 2005 and ILO OHS MS: 2001 as to comply with safety and health legislation. Thus the effectiveness of SHASSIC tool was identified based on improvement of SHASSIC Score percentage from first toward second assessment carried out on sites.