Citation

Hubbard RKB, Neil JT. J. Occup. Accid. 1985; 7(3): 147-164.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1985, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This is the first of two papers analysing accident data from the Thames Barrier construction site for the years 1980-1982. During this period 5000 accidents were recorded. However, only 152 (3%) of these resulted in major injuries defined in this study as fatalities (two of the accidents) or injuries which resulted in an absence from work of more than three days and the major injury accident rate was below the national average. Major and minor accident rates tended to decline over time and were closely correlated. Two factors causing fluctuations in accident rates were identified through statistical analysis. Firstly, overall accident rates were relatively low during holiday periods, even after taking account of the reduced number of man-hours worked. Secondly the major injury accident rate tended to rise after new contractors and sub-contractors started work on the site. A discussion of the implications of these findings for safety management is included in the second paper which examines data on accident ratios at the Thames Barrier and compares these results with data from a small number of other civil engineering projects.