In the ever-evolving landscape of the building and construction industry, the need for sustainable practices has never been more critical. As we stand on the precipice of a green revolution, the gap between the potential for sustainable impact and the current state of implementation widens, demanding immediate and innovative solutions. In this discussion, I delve into the challenges at hand and propose a strategic framework designed to bridge this gap, ensuring a sustainable (and viable) future for the industry.

Hazards aren’t real things; they don’t physically exist. A Hazard is just a potential failure mode of an Asset, or in the use of the Asset. A Hazard is therefore a property of the Asset itself and we only consider it in relation to the Asset.

n the previous parts of my Hazard Log series, I’ve talked about writing hazards, causes, and consequences, but now we’re into the real issue. The heart of any Hazard Log is making sure that you have identified the appropriate controls to manage the hazards. However, not all controls are created equal. This article will talk through the different types of control and what additional factors you need to bear in mind when considering them.

When Hazard Logs are set up as part of a complex set of interlinked processes you can find yourself trying to close out interdependent actions or even circular arguments. As I explain below the best Hazard Logs are simple Hazard Logs, where you use a process to close hazards out progressively, so that you do not find yourself in a Gordian knot at the end of a project.

There is surprisingly little guidance out there on what the ADC terms mean or how they are to be used. The definitions provided below are the ones that I use, but always check your client doesn’t have their own definitions that they have mandated in the contract. I will provide more context on how they are to be used later in the article:

Causes are the things that happen in our system, or to our system, that can lead to an unplanned event occurring. They can generally be categorised into one or more of the following categories: