Data flow analysis of plant and equipment health and safety management

Purpose – Construction plant and equipment accident statistics suggest constant re‐evaluation of health and safety (H&S) systems is beneficial. This paper aims to process analyse plant and equipment H&S management systems on UK construction sites, with a view to applying information and communication technology (ICT) to them as an improvement mechanism.Design/methodology/approach – Five construction project case studies drawn from members of the former Major Contractors Group yield rich H&S process data. These are analysed using data flow diagram (DFD) techniques, to evaluate processes and proffer system improvements incorporating ICT.Findings – Causes of unsafe practice regarding management of construction plant and equipment are found to include: aspects of the plant itself, management processes and operator competence. A new ICT “process paradigm” is suggested, the architecture of which incorporates mobile computing, automatic identification and data collection and a management information system.Resea...

[1]  David J. Edwards,et al.  Construction plant and equipment management research: thematic review , 2009 .

[2]  L. Williams.  Planning and managing the information system ‐ a manager’s guide , 1997 .

[3]  Gerhard A Berz,et al.  World Map of Natural Hazards – A Global View of the Distribution and Intensity of Significant Exposures , 2001 .

[4]  William J. Kettinger,et al.  Information architectural design in business process reengineering , 1996, J. Inf. Technol..

[5]  R. Yin.  Case Study Research: Design and Methods , 1984 .

[6]  Peter E. D. Love,et al.  From BPR to CPR - conceptualising re-engineering in construction , 1998, Bus. Process. Manag. J..

[7]  David E. Avison,et al.  Information Systems Development: Methodologies, Techniques and Tools , 1988 .

[8]  Anthony Clarke.  Managing Health and Safety in Building and Construction , 1999 .

[9]  Julie E. Kendall,et al.  Systems analysis and design , 1981 .

[10]  David J. Edwards,et al.  The case for “3D triangulation” when applied to construction management research , 2010 .

[11]  Jeffrey L. Whitten,et al.  Systems Analysis and Design Methods , 1986 .

[12]  Donna B. Stoddard,et al.  Reengineering: Business Change of Mythic Proportions? , 1994, MIS Q..

[13]  Malcolm Eva,et al.  Introducing Systems Development , 2003 .

[14]  David J. Edwards,et al.  Perceptions of workplace vibration hazards among a small sample of UK construction professionals , 2007 .

[15]  N. Denzin,et al.  The Landscape of Qualitative Research , 2012 .

[16]  David J. Edwards,et al.  SightSafety: A hybrid information and communication technology system for reducing vehicle/pedestrian collisions , 2006 .

[17]  Frank C. Harris,et al.  Management of Off-Highway Plant and Equipment , 2003 .

[18]  Julie E. Kendall,et al.  System Analysis and Design , 1988 .

[19]  Ahmed Doko Ibrahim,et al.  The development of a procurement strategy for primary health care facilities in Nigeria , 2007 .

[20]  Ivor H. Seeley.  Civil Engineering Contract Administration and Control , 1986 .

[21]  William J. Kettinger,et al.  Making the Invisible Visible: How Companies Win with the Right Information, People and IT , 2001 .

[22]  geoff taylor,et al.  Enhancing Occupational Safety and Health , 2004 .

[23]  Michael Hammer,et al.  Reengineering Work: Don’t Automate, Obliterate , 1990 .

[24]  Thomas H. Davenport,et al.  Process Innovation: Reengineering Work Through Information Technology , 1992 .

[25]  Yvonna S. Lincoln,et al.  The landscape of qualitative research: theories and issues Sage The landscape of qualitative research: theories and issues 480 £24.95 0761926941 0761926941 [Formula: see text]. , 2004, Nurse researcher.

[26]  S. Thorne.  Data analysis in qualitative research , 2000 .

[27]  M. Hammer,et al.  REENGINEERING THE CORPORATION: A MANIFESTO FOR BUSINESS REVOLUTION , 1995 .

[28]  Stephen L. Kajewski,et al.  Online Remote Construction Management: A State-of-the-Art Report , 2003 .

[29]  K. B. Chuah,et al.  A SUPER methodology for business process improvement ‐ An industrial case study in Hong Kong/China , 2001 .

[30]  Steve Green,et al.  Information Systems Design , 1996 .

[31]  David J. Edwards,et al.  Health and safety issues relating to construction excavators and their attachments , 2008 .

[32]  Robert A. Saldarini.  Analysis and Design of Business Information Systems , 1990 .

[33]  L. P. Sikkel.  Health and safety in construction , 1982 .