Digital Occupational Safety and Health (D-OSH) Network

Project details

Full project title: Digital Occupational Safety and Health (D-OSH) Network: Connecting research, policy and practice in construction across continents

Duration: 1 July 2024-present

Funded by: Academy of Medical Sciences

Project team:

• Professor Patrick Manu, UWE Bristol
• University of Manchester
• University of Toronto
• Seoul National University
• Chung-Ang University

Project summary

Globally, the construction sector stands out for its high rates of work accidents and occupational diseases. Notably, the industry accounts for an average of 20% of job-related deaths in Canada (AWCBC 2021), 29.4% in the UK (HSE, 2023), and 29.6% in South Korea (Park et al., 2020). These troubling figures have prompted these nations to turn to digital technology for improved Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) outcomes. Despite individual efforts, these initiatives often end up being localized and fragmented, focusing on specific accidents or projects and thus limiting the scope and pace of OSH improvements.

This is where the Digital Occupational Safety and Health (D-OSH) network steps in, proposing an international academia-industry-government network that fosters a "cradle-to-cradle" model to address OSH risks, panning from the planning phase to the final demolition. The D-OSH's mission hinges on three principal objectives:

1. Identify the opportunities, challenges, and potential solutions to the implementation of digital technologies, thus enhancing "cradle-to-cradle" OSH management.
2. Develop a customized research proposal and roadmap that reflect the unique and collective OSH demands of the involved countries.
3. Establish durable partnerships for continuous international cooperation.

With a focus on knowledge sharing and pooling resources, the D-OSH network aspires to lower the number of construction-related incidents, laying the groundwork for safer and healthier workplaces in pursuit of long-term success. The project also envisions ongoing communication within its network, the realization of collaborative pilot projects, and securing further funding.