Engineering institutions & safer construction: the link between them: an overview of evidence
The report focuses on Nepal and uses the UK professional engineering institutions framework as a reference
Abstract
The objective of this report is to identify the evidence, and apparent gaps in evidence, to link professionalised engineering institutions with safer construction. The report has a particular interest in Nepal and has used the example of the UK professional engineering institutions framework as a reference.
The report sets out the terminology, roles and the key organisations in Nepal, the UK and international in the engineering profession. The selection of key organisations was based on their relevance to improved construction and safer buildings.
Before discussing how professional organisations and trade unions support improvements in health and safety, the report makes the case that the engineering and construction sector is a complex eco-system that is highly interconnected. This calls for systemic approaches such as the promotion of a health and safety culture – rather than, say, just strengthening regulations. Professional engineering institutions and trade unions are shown to be instrumental in promoting a systemic cultural shift towards improved health and safety – they achieve this by promoting this culture to their members and by informing standards. Contributors also made some important points on the current context in Nepal.
A gap was identified in any hard evidence to show whether improved professional organisations result in improved construction. Instead, the views of leading figures in UK engineering and construction and historical experience were taken as sufficient evidence for the purpose of this report. Finally, examples from DFID’s work in Bangladesh and Tanzania highlights the broad acceptance of this relationship.
This report has been produced for Evidence on Demand with the assistance of the UK Department for International Development (DFID).
Citation
Lamb, A. Engineering institutions & safer construction. The link between them: an overview of evidence. Evidence on Demand, UK (2015) iii + 31 pp. [DOI: 10.12774/eod_hd.october2015.lamba]
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