Introduction

CONSTRUCTION SITE SAFETY DIVISION AND CONSTRUCTION WORK SECTION

The Construction Site Safety Division (BKTB), DOSH Headquarters and the Construction Work Section (BKTB), State DOSH enforce safety, health and welfare laws on construction sites. Construction sites can be divided into two main categories, namely building operations and engineering construction works; and between the two there are a variety of activities and workplaces, as well as different risks. 

Essentially, employers have a significant legal responsibility to manage the safety and health risks of construction projects, which arise from their business activities. The BKTB and SKB are responsible for ensuring that employers on a construction project manage, effectively and proportionately, the safety and health of workers and other people on the construction site. To achieve this purpose, and the ultimate goal of preventing accidents on construction sites, the BKTB and SKB use a variety of legal actions (see Figure 1), to influence, encourage and advise employers and, where necessary, prosecute those who fail to fulfil their responsibilities. 

These legislative actions were used as a guide for BKTB and SKB to develop the Construction Industry OSH Strategic Plan (PSKKPIP), taking into account other critical factors such as industry size and demographics, accident statistics and risks. Nine legislative interventions were implemented at different times, according to the risk situation.  

Figure 1. Legislative actions

Based on these nine legislative interventions, annual work target activities (SKT) are set, focusing on the prevention principle, key risks and target groups. The activities determined to achieve the SKT will influence and trigger change, but the expected change is highly dependent on the actions of employers. This is because, in general, DOSH and in particular BKTB and SKB, alone cannot ensure safety and health, but depends on the reaction of all employers in the construction industry supply chain; and construction site inspections by DOSH alone will not be sufficient.  

BKTB and SKB continue to improve and enhance their efforts to influence and catalyze changes in employer behavior on construction projects. The initial impact can be seen in the more positive attitudes and awareness among workers (project managers, safety and health officers (SHOs), site safety supervisors (SSSs), crane operators and scaffolding operators) encountered during enforcement activities. In addition, more employers are aware and willing to take responsibility for OSH.

Punitive action is a catalyst for the process of changing the behavior of employers and workers. Every year, BKTB and SKB aspire to further improve the effectiveness of enforcement activities and punitive action. The positive results of punitive action are more employers practicing safe work systems, close cooperation between employers and workers in ensuring construction site safety and more effective management of major construction site hazards. 

BKTB and SKB are developing legal instruments (regulations, industry codes of practice and guidelines) that will require OSH management in construction projects to be led by the client and designer during the pre-construction phase, thus shifting the focus of OSH responsibility from the contractor during the construction phase to collaboration between the client, designer and contractor during the pre-construction, construction and post-construction phases. This legal instrument will be a key driver for a shift in the behaviour of employers in construction projects, thus improving the OSH performance of the construction industry.