Businesses can learn from Olympics

Communication techniques that helped to prevent worker deaths during the Olympic build could be harnessed to benefit other construction projects - a research study has found.

Safe and healthy behaviour was encouraged across the Olympic Park, leading to an unprecedented zero fatalities during the construction phase of the Games. The Institute of Occupational Safety and Health and the Health and Safety Executive jointly commissioned Loughborough University to investigate how safety techniques were communicated, along with their impact on multiple contractors during the Olympic build. They found that workers really appreciated feedback and liked that site managers were accessible, listened to concerns and, where possible, acted on them. From the findings, IOSH highlights five key areas which companies in the sector could use to help reduce injury and ill-health in their own workforces:

• Lead from the top: The ODA set standards and also visibly engaged with the workforce to direct, motivate and change behaviour by focusing on its long-term goals.

• Develop competent supervisors: The positive impact of technically knowledgeable supervisors upon health and safety was understood, as well as softer communication skills to influence understanding and behaviour.

Foster an open, positive safety culture: Safety was a dominating factor of the culture. If workers are engaged and feel managers care for their wellbeing, they're more likely to get involved with the health and safety process.

• Reward good behaviour: Incentives and rewards helped to promote and encourage safe behaviour. In many cases positive feedback was the real reward, as it boosted morale.

• Review and learn: Any problems were constantly reviewed and communicated across the organisation. Most crucially, they were learnt from to improve health and safety.