The role of health and safety coordinator in Sweden and Italy construction industry

Despite rigorous efforts to improve the construction working environment in the European Union, the fatal accident rate is approximately 13 workers per 100,000 as against 5 per 100,000 for the all sectors average. Although the accident rates have declined steadily and steeply since 1994, it still remains unacceptably high. Thousands of construction workers still suffer severe injury and even death every year that otherwise may have been preventable. Hislop (1995) argued that one factor that provides the most effective and positive impact on a site is the definition of accountability and responsibility. Defining the line of accountability and responsibility on site is complex and often fuzzy. Debate on transferring the accountability and responsibility for safety to others are high on the main agenda. Therefore only by clearly defining the accountability and authorizing responsibilities can injuries and other accident-related losses be controlled. One of the key players on site is the health and safety coordinator (HSC) whose duty is to coordinate and manage health and safety from the planning through to the completion stage. Since both Sweden and Italy are bounded by the European Union Framework Directive (89/391/EEC) and the Construction Site Directive (CSD) (92/57/EEC), therefore it would be beneficial to examine how both countries define and interpret the roles of HSC on site. Since the directive is legally binding, the members had transposed this directive into their national law. In Sweden the appointment of HSC is stipulated in the Working Environment Act (AML 1/1 2009) while in Italy is established in D.lgs 81/08. This paper will examine and compare the role of HSC on site according to the legislation from both Sweden and Italy while simultaneously defining the responsibilities and establishing accountabilities. Results demonstrate how these two countries had transposed the CSD 92/57/EEC diligently into the national law and provisions. Both countries defined the responsibilities of HSC for two stages of construction project: during the planning and project preparation stage and during project execution stage.