How authority-to-work solutions are transforming the built environment sector

Construction sites can be dangerous places to work. In 2022/23, UK construction workplaces reported 53,000 non-fatal injuries and 45 fatalities - a staggering number for an industry that adheres to rigorous safety measures.

What causes such tragedies? The human factor is important. Four accidents in ten were caused by shortfalls in knowledge and skills, according to a report by The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), in collaboration with Loughborough University and the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST).

Industry leaders are waking up to the reality that poorly trained and tired workers are a real safety risk, potentially jeopardising the well-being of staff and leading to severe legal consequences. The numbers are too high to ignore, suggesting that traditional construction site safety practices in the built environment sector need an emergency upgrade. 

In this article, we’ll look at how authority-to-work solutions are being used by some of the built environment sector's leading businesses to ensure site staff are fit for work and that safety standards are rigorously maintained at all times.

The problem with traditional onboarding and construction site access control practices 

With the size of the modern construction workforce, ”traditional methods of verifying worker credentials can be manual, time-consuming, and prone to error,” as stated by Lighthouse Advisory Partners, in partnership with construction leaders, in Unlocking Efficiency and Compliance: The Impact of Authority-to-Work Solutions in the Construction Industry.

Paper-based and in-person methods of construction onboarding and checking fitness for work involve multiple streams of disparate data that can easily be lost and misinterpreted. The number of different systems and processes needed to hold this to a high standard are mind-boggling, and often unsustainable when teams and projects scale up. This bottleneck then becomes potentially very risky and costly. 

On the other hand, new digitised authority-to-work solutions, such as the Highways Passport, offer a powerful, efficient, and secure way to verify worker competence and improve site safety.

When implemented correctly, authority-to-work systems can empower your site managers to:

• Verify workers in real time with instant access to certifications, qualifications and training records. 
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and industry standards. 
• Perform automated checks to eliminate manual, paper-based admin.
• Allow site access to only specific personnel - those qualified and assigned to that stage of the project, thereby improving safety.
• Build and maintain an up-to-date, centralised data management system where all worker records can be accessed within seconds. 

How National Highways are using authority-to-work solutions to maintain high standards and ensure worker safety

National Highways is a government-owned company responsible for operating, maintaining, and improving the UK's motorways and A-roads. It has adopted an authority-to-work solution, powered by Causeway SkillGuard, to ensure that everyone working on National Highways sites or projects is competent, trained and fit to work.

Each individual is issued a smartcard, which contains all of their professional data, including training, qualifications, and key competencies. This data is stored on a centralised database and can be accessed at any time by site managers to ensure fitness for work and distribute project communications.

This innovative data-led system allows National Highways to:

• Ensure workers are trained and qualified for the job at hand, reducing the risk of workplace injuries. 
• Eliminate the need for paper-based workstreams, such as verifying credentials and certificates. 
• Reduce the cost of training and administration, including duplicating training already done.
• Create a transferrable record of experience and qualifications for workers, allowing them to find and move between jobs and contractors more easily.
• The Highways Passport is currently being used by 30,000 workers and 750 companies in the UK highways industry. A growing number of local authorities are also adopting it for their road networks. 

How to get started with authority-to-work solutions 

Causeway SkillGuard is a comprehensive authority-to-work solution used by many of the leading players in the built environment sector. It digitises and streamlines the paperwork surrounding their projects and people. Working in the background as you do the heavy lifting, it can help you:

• Improve site safety - Ensure only qualified personnel access the site, reducing the risk of accidents.
  
• Make admin tasks more efficient - Minimise the time and effort required for verifying worker credentials.
• Verify workers in real-time - Get instant validation of training, qualifications, and health status.
• Automate compliance and regulatory standards - Help maintain up-to-date certifications, avoiding fines and enhancing compliance.
• Centralise and file important records - Simplify the management of training and skills, ensuring all personnel are adequately trained.

If you’d like to learn more about digital ID and its numerous uses in a modern construction environment, download our free ebook: The benefits of deploying advanced digital ID in the construction industry.