Top 3 health & safety benefits

3 min read | Matt Goff | November 2019

In recent years, there have been major improvements to health and safety in the construction industry. However, the industry still accounts for a high percentage of fatal and major injuries.

[1] Health and safety of staff and visitors is one of the most crucial factors on any construction project, but can often be overlooked.

Our Managing Director, Matthew Goff, believes that modular construction can help improve health and safety onsite, and shares his top three health and safety benefits of modular:

1.    Manufactured in a controlled environment

Traditional construction sites pose many health and safety risks to workers, from falls from height to equipment accidents. But with modular, the majority of the manufacturing process is carried out offsite using specialist machinery in a quality-controlled factory environment, resulting in reduced waste, increased quality control and a lower environmental impact.

Modular units are delivered to site, pre-fitted with electrics, plumbing, heating, doors and windows and in some cases fixtures and fittings, reducing the time spent onsite and accelerating the overall construction process. Risks can be easily managed in one setting, enhancing health and safety on site.

2.    Waste reduction

Modular construction ensures that materials are used more efficiently and accurately. Compared with traditional methods, 67% less energy is required to produce a modular building and up to 50% less time[2] is spent onsite. This results in up to 90% fewer vehicle movements and reduced carbon emissions.

The impact on the local environment is also reduced, with less noise, packaging and emissions. And when a modular building is built to comply with specific sustainability standards, such as BREEAM, buildings use resources more efficiently, and see a reduction in energy consumption and operational costs.

3.    Safer working conditions

Modular construction provides safer working conditions. A controlled factory environment enables safety requirements to be easily met and policed, leading to better quality through improved quality control procedures. Not only is there a reduced risk of slips, trips and falls, particularly as work at height is reduced, but there is also a reduction in onsite activity. Ensuring health and safety remains a top priority from start to finish.

Factory operations can continue 24/7 with less risk of noise and disruption to workers and projects are unaffected by the weather and other environmental delays, which results in a quick turnaround.

We pride ourselves on creating high-quality modular and portable solutions to meet your business needs, with continuous innovation at the forefront of our business. 


[1] http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/healthrisks/key-points.htm

[2] https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Modular_vs_traditional_construction

Off-site manufactured modular and relocatable cabins offer companies a flexible, efficient solution for boosting eco-credentials, as they can be readily adapted with sustainable features that enhance energy efficiency.


Thurston Group continues to prioritise sustainability, working towards our goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2040. Our 2023 Carbon Footprint Report, developed in partnership with Carbon.Climate.Certified, provides a detailed analysis of our environmental impact across three facilities in Wakefield, Catfoss, and Hull.