Bachelor of Science Honours in Construction Health and Safety Management

Purpose

Overall, the purpose of the qualification is to develop the necessary knowledge, understanding, abilities, and skills required for practicing as a Construction Health and Safety Agent, and a Construction Health and Safety (H and S) Manager.

The qualifying learners will gain high levels of conceptual understanding required by the broadly defined challenges and problem solving skills required. Furthermore, adaptability to new challenges and technologies relies heavily on the understanding and the ability to apply fundamental conceptual knowledge and critical thinking skills. The aforementioned constitute a range of challenges in terms of managing construction H and S within the business of construction and on projects, and within the context of project management.

Rationale

The Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) industry report Construction Health and Safety Status and Recommendations highlighted the significant number of accidents, fatalities, and other injuries that are prevalent in the construction industry. This is attributed to a lack of compliance with Health and Safety (H and S) legislative requirements, which is indicative of a deficiency of effective management and supervision of H and S on construction sites as well as in advance planning from the inception/conception of projects within the context of project management. It is also evident that there is a lack of sufficiently skilled, experienced, and knowledgeable persons to manage H and S on construction sites. The report also indicated the need for professional registration of construction H and S practitioners due to, among other, the finding that there was a lack of competencies, and no formal registration process.

The Council for the Built Environment (CBE) then mandated the South African Council for the Project and Construction Management Professions (SACPCMP) register construction H and S professionals. This in turn led to the identification of three such categories of registration, namely Professional Construction Health and Safety Agent (Pr CHSA), Construction Health and Safety Manager (CHSM), and Construction Health and Safety Officer (CHSO).

This qualification will support and assist the built environment including the construction industry in terms of realising compliance with H and S legislation and regulations, and reducing the incidence of fatalities, other injuries, and disease in the industry. This will be possible due to the inclusion of H&S as a component of the subject Construction Management, the conducting of extensive research, including numerous Honours, Masters, and Doctoral studies and publishing relative to H and S.

Finally, there is recognition by and collaboration with government, industry, tertiary institutions, and professional associations, and more recently a statutory council in the form of the SACPCMP. This recognition is based upon the delivery of related professional vocational education, community engagement, and research. With respect to the broad built environment and construction industry, the harnessing of multi-stakeholder contributions with respect to construction H and S, the advent of large and also complex projects, along with the encompassing political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal (PESTEL) framework within which projects have to be undertaken, has necessitated the advent of this qualification.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

Applicants who do not meet the direct admission requirements are required to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the institution that they have a qualification plus suitable experiential- or work-based learning, which has taken the applicant to the equivalent of the entry level of the qualification specified above. Such learners may be considered for admission through RPL after assessment via a portfolio of evidence, which indicates that the prior learning has been done. Applicants who, after such assessment, are deemed to have sufficient potential, but are in need of further academic development, may be required to broaden their curriculum by enrolling for preliminary modules prior to admission or parallel modules after admission. This would be expedited according to the institution's RPL Policy.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• A Bachelor of Science in Construction Studies or a relevant qualification.

Or

• A Bachelor qualification in one of the built environment or engineering disciplines.

This qualification consists of compulsory modules at Level, totalling 125 Credits.

Compulsory Modules: 125 Credits

• Construction Health and Safety Management 4A, 15 Credits.
• Construction Health and Safety Management 4B, 15 Credits.
• Construction Environmental Management 4, 10 Credits.
• Construction Risk Management 4, 10 Credits.
• Design Management 4, 10 Credits.
• Project Management 4, 10 Credits.
• Professional Practice for Construction Management A, 10 Credits.
• Professional Practice for Construction Management B, 10 Credits.
• Construction Health and Safety Management Treatise 4, 35 Credits.

1. Undertake broadly defined construction Health and Safety (H and S) planning and coordination.
2. Manage the function of construction H and S.
3. Contribute to the development of the project documentation in terms of H and S in the capacity as a Construction H and S Agent.
4. Review project documentation, designs, details, and specifications.
5. Conduct a research project and compile a treatise within a related Construction Health and Safety Management discipline area.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Organise, lead and control, and plan to meet desired business and project Health and Safety (H and S) outcomes.
• Use construction business functions and construction resources (Construction H and S Manager).
• Apply project design, procurement, and construction H and S outcomes (Construction H and S Agent).
• Do planning and coordination within applicable legislation, regulations, standards, and codes of practice.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Use the functions and activities of management work to meet desired business and project H and S outcomes.
• Apply the nine business functions within defined parameters, applicable legislation, regulations, and standards.
• Do interfacing as defined by the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) or the Principal Agent over the six stages of projects, from project initiation and briefing to project close out.
• Apply the ten project management knowledge areas and five project management processes, within applicable legislation, regulations, standards, and codes of practice to meet desired project H and S outcomes.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Develop the client brief according to standard criteria.
• Do a project viability and feasibility assessment that includes H and S.
• Draft a project estimate that includes financial provision for H and S.
• Produce a project qualification that flags key H and S issues.
• Monitor H and S throughout design delivery.
• Develop tender documentation that includes H and S.
• Procure contractors considering H and S.
• Develop construction contracts and processes, which includes reference to H and S.
• Put project H and S reports in place.
• Address H and S commissioning.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Review the design in terms of 'designing for construction H and S' principles
• Review constructability and appropriateness.
• Provide alternatives where required and where reasonably practicable.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Apply knowledge and skills related to the research process.
• Formulate a motivation for the need for a research project.
• Plan a research design.
• Develop a research proposal.
• Implement the research design, collect and interpret data.
• Produce and submit a treatise.

Integrated Assessment

The assessments involve, in most instances, continuously assessed course work using combinations of unseen examinations, marked reports, skills tests, and presentations. The assessment method used in each case/module is chosen in the light of the expected outcomes. Feedback is given immediately after the completion of evaluation of the assessments. Supplementary and/or re-assessments as the case may be, are given to qualifying learner.

Formative assessments include tutorials, assignments, and presentations, which enable immediate or relative immediate feedback and the opportunity for learners to improve their performance, but which also contribute to the module mark. Summative assessments include a combination of 'continuous assessment' assessments and unseen examinations. A further such assessment being the integrative project reports in the form of the development of a business plan for a proposed business and solo presentations.

The assessment of the 12 000 to 15 000 word CHSM Treatise is conducted by the supervisor assigned to the learner (internal examiner) and an external examiner appointed as per the standard institutional procedure for the appointment of examiners of treatises, dissertations, and theses.