EPSRC FIBE2 CDT PhD studentship with Laing O'Rourke: The development of a construction design (delivery and operation) Health & Safety benchmark metric

This is a four-year (1+3 MRes/PhD) studentship funded through the Cambridge EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Future Infrastructure and Built Environment: Resilience in a Changing World (FIBE2 CDT). The FIBE2 CDT aims to develop the next generation of infrastructure professionals who can create, shape and deliver the national vision for UK infrastructure, who will be equipped with a versatile and cross-disciplinary skill set to meet the most complex emerging challenges and contribute effectively to better infrastructure decision-making in the UK. See https://www.fibe-cdt.eng.cam.ac.uk/

This full-time project is funded in collaboration with Laing O'Rourke, an international engineering and construction company delivering state-of-the-art infrastructure and buildings projects for clients in the UK, Middle East and Australia.

Project Details:

The CDM 2015 Regulations and specifically the appointment of the Principal Designer, were put in place to eliminate foreseeable H&S risks to anyone affected by the work and or take steps to reduce or control those risks. However, this is inconsistently achieved, due to a lack of a structured, quantitative system for measuring a designer's performance against such requirements. The Construction industry needs to develop its own performance benchmark, in order to accelerate improvement in this field.

This project has the potential to offer a step change in industry, by quantifiably influencing design decisions, based on Safety and Wellbeing lifecycle impacts. Like NCAP ratings in the car industry, a benchmark measure based on objective criteria and data, would aim to transform safety and wellbeing outcomes for those in the construction industry and those that manage and maintain assets in operation. The work will need to have an appreciation of modern, healthier, and safer alternatives to construction, focusing on human risk factors and associated ergonomics. The project is unique, in that its intended output has the potential for real life application.

Informal enquires about this post can be made to Dr Rob Foster (rmf41@cam.ac.uk )

For general enquiries, please email cdtcivil-courseadmin@eng.cam.ac.uk.

Applicants should possess a Bachelor or Masters degree in civil engineering and have a good record of academic achievement. They should have good written and spoken communication skills in English. Finally, they should be highly self-motivated. Training or experience in construction would be beneficial but is not essential. A passion to make a significant impact in Safety and Wellbeing and to make meaningful change and collaborate with Industry is highly desirable.

The FIBE2 CDT studentships are fully-funded (fees and maintenance) for UK students. A small number of funded places may be available for excellent EU/international students. Further details about eligibility and funding can be found at:

https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/finance/fees

https://www.cambridgetrust.org/scholarships/

Applications should be made online on https://www.postgraduate.study.cam.ac.uk/courses/directory/egegpdfib with The development of a construction design (delivery and operation) Health & Safety benchmark metric with Supervisor Dr Rob Foster stated on the form

The University actively supports equality, diversity and inclusion and encourages applications from all sections of society.

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