Is the construction site a safer place under the USACE or local government guidelines? The case of Afghanistan

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Hashim Ibrahimkhil ◽  
Laith Hadidi
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Safety Performance ◽  
Construction Site ◽  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Safety Practices ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to assess the safety level of construction sites in Afghanistan following the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) safety practices and compare this with other construction sites in Afghanistan that follow local government safety guidelines. The USACE oversees and funds many infrastructure projects in Afghanistan, and these projects are supposed to follow the same standards implemented in the USA, including safety standards. The local government of Afghanistan also funds infrastructure projects in Afghanistan; however, these do not follow USACE best practices. This research explores the question of whether the USACE standards provide a safer construction site. The effect of the USACE standards on safety practices in construction projects is also investigated in the Afghanistan construction industry.Design/methodology/approachA literature review and other safety checklists were used to develop a safety checklist containing 104 items (questions) in 17 categories. Subsequently, the checklist was used to assess the safety performance of 57 construction projects (25 USACE projects, and 32 governmental projects). Utilizing quantitative analysis, the Spearman rank correlation coefficient (Rho) and Mann–Whitney tests were carried out for correlation and statistical disparity between USACE and governmental projects.FindingsThe safety performance level of Afghan government projects was found to be poor in relation to other developing countries, while in USACE projects it was excellent. In addition, fire prevention, safety administration, PPE, heavy equipment, and handling and storage of materials for all types of contractors were the most overlooked aspects of Afghan Government projects.Practical implicationsThe findings clearly demonstrate the deficiencies in construction sites observed during this study and also support the adoption of USACE standards in Afghanistan projects.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the safety of construction sites in Afghanistan. The study also demonstrates the benefits of adopting international standards (USACE) to improve the safety of construction sites in a developing country such as Afghanistan. The findings provide evidence of the safety of the Afghanistan construction industry compared to other developing countries. These findings will contribute to the Afghan Government's efforts to track injury statistics.

Safety performance framework at construction site for self-regulation by building developers

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abubakar Sadiq Mahmoud ◽  
Mohd Hamdan Ahmad ◽  
Yahya Mohd Yatim ◽  
Yakubu Aminu Dodo
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Latent Variables ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Construction Safety ◽  
Safety Performance ◽  
Construction Site ◽  
Safety Practices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Response Feedback ◽  
Distinct Approach

PurposeThis study proposes a self-regulatory framework to enhance safety performance at the construction stage among building developers.Design/methodology/approachExtant literature identified 137 potential factors that influence the construction safety performances of building developers. Focus group discussions and interviews were conducted with 11 panels of experts and professionals. The Relative Importance Index (RII) was used to analyse the response feedback described in a similar paper. In this study, the survey tool used was set up with 40 variables grouped into eight latent variables in the framework, which were agreed and certified as “extremely important” by the panel. Based on random sampling, data were collected from 229 valid respondents. Structural equation modelling (SEM) technique using Smart PLS software was then used to analyse the respondent's feedback.FindingsThe results show that safety administration and processes, effective communication of safety behaviour, significantly influenced safety performance on a construction site with β values of 0.330 and 0.431 along with t values of 3.005 and 2.547 at p < 0.1, respectively. These factors, among others, provide a distinct approach to understanding and improving on-site construction safety. The study findings will potentially benefit building professionals and other stakeholders by improving awareness of safety practices.Research limitations/implicationsThe study may not have covered all possible factors that influence the construction safety performance of building developers. Also, the generalizability and transferability of the research outcome to the construction industry wide use is also limited when reference is made to the characteristics of the research respondents and/or participants. In addition, validation of the framework by five professionals is rather small.Practical implicationsTheoretically, the framework through the identified factors provide a distinct approach to understanding and improving on-site construction safety through voluntary adherence to self-regulatory standard where there are no enforceable laws and regulations to promote safety. The study findings will potentially benefit building professionals and other stakeholders by improving awareness of the health and safety practices of the construction industry.Originality/valueMany research efforts have developed frameworks and models for construction safety. However, the particularity of these frameworks to countries other than Nigeria requires similar research to be conducted to enhance the safety performance of building developers.

Comparing the levels of performance of small scale local government contractors in Northern Nigeria with international practice

2016 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 588-609 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nuru Gambo ◽  
Ilias Said ◽  
Radzi Ismail
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Performance Management ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
National Development ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Performance Levels ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Government Contractors

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to compare the performance levels of small scale local government contractors (SSLGCs) in northern part of Nigeria with international practice. Previous studies focused attention primarily on benchmarking the performance of contractors, but were mostly conceptual rather than from empirical findings. This continuous to pose a challenge to the sustainable development of the construction industry, particularly, in developing countries like Nigeria. There is therefore a need to identify, assess and compare performance practice levels of small scale contractors. Design/methodology/approach The performance of each contractor was evaluated using a five-point Likert scale used in obtaining mean performance levels in respect to three classes of performance practices. A questionnaire survey was administered to major parties in the industry; clients, contractors and consultants who were selected by using a proportionate stratified random sampling technique. The contractors’ performance was compared by using ANOVA with post hoc. Findings The results indicated that the SSLGCs in Nigeria were average performers and there were effects and differences among the various contractors’ levels of performance with international practice. Research limitations/implications The study is limited to SSLGCs in northern part of Nigeria. Practical implications The study provided the criteria for evaluation of SSLGCs’ performance in Nigeria and other developing countries that faced similar problems. Social implications The study created bases for self-evaluation and competition among small scale contractors in Nigeria for the enhancement of productivity particularly in rural areas and general national development. Originality/value This study emanated from the governmental reports and past researches in the area of performance management on the persistence of the poor performance of small scale contractors in construction industry.

Barriers to the adoption of value management in developing countries

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (7) ◽  
pp. 818-834 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas Omoregie Aghimien ◽  
Ayodeji Emmanuel Oke ◽  
Clinton Ohis Aigbavboa
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Survey Design ◽  
Value Management ◽  
Training And Education ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Level Of Knowledge ◽  
Readiness To Adopt ◽  
Design Construction

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine the barriers to the adoption of value management (VM) in the construction industry of developing countries with a view to providing possible measures in avoiding these barriers and increasing the usage of the system within the construction industry. Design/methodology/approach The level of knowledge and adoption of VM practices, as well as the barriers to its adoption in the construction industry were assessed through a survey design. Construction professionals were sampled from the six geo-political zones in Nigeria through the use of a structured questionnaire. Factor analysis was conducted on data gathered on the barriers of VM. Findings The study revealed a moderate level of knowledge of VM among construction professionals. This implies that the problem of VM is not that of awareness, but readiness to adopt the system. The study also reveals that the barriers to the adoption of VM can be categorised under the general stakeholder’s barriers, training and education barriers, client barriers and government/top management barriers. Practical implications This study was conducted across the six geo-political zones of the country as against common practice of selecting a particular region or states to represent the entire country. The findings therefore show a true reflection of the barriers to VM adoption in the country and its recommendations can to a large extent promote the adoption of VM in the country and also other developing countries where construction projects are executed through similar method, style and approach. Originality/value This paper highlights the possible barriers to the adoption of VM in Nigeria construction industry and provides ways to avoiding these barriers in order to achieve better quality construction and value for money.

scholarly journals A PRELIMINARY SURVEY ON SAFETY PRACTICES AT CONSTRUCTION SITE: TOWARDS SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR PUBLIC

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (26) ◽  
pp. 300-310
Author(s):  
Nurul Ain Shuhada Azil ◽  
Izatul Laili Jabar
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Public Safety ◽  
Occupational Safety ◽  
Occupational Safety And Health ◽  
Preliminary Survey ◽  
Construction Site ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Safety Practices ◽  
The Public ◽  
Safety And Health

The construction industry is globally known as one of the most hazardous workplaces. Companies in the construction sector are undeniably often focused on completing projects on time, which results in tight work schedules and increases the risks of regular construction site activities, especially for the public who lives in the area. Inadequate rules and regulations in public safety and construction sites not practicing the safety practices to protect the public from harm are potential to cause public accidents to happen. Additionally, little improvement in safety practices at the construction sites and lack of awareness in implementing proper safety practices at a construction site could cause the increasing the rate of public accidents too. This study merely aims to explore the safety practices to be implemented at a construction site in a way to prevent public accidents from occurring. In order to achieve the aim, this study has two (2) objectives; 1: to determine the experience in handling accident cases involving the public at a construction site, and, objective 2: to explore the safety practices to be implemented at the construction site. For this preliminary survey, the qualitative research design was selected and the total number of five (5) professional individuals specialized in safety and health in construction sites were chosen as interviewees based on their experiences in handling public safety issues in construction sites. The results show the most recommended safety practices that need to be implemented which is barricade all entrances and exits of the construction site to prevent access from the public. This study provides good insights to the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), and Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) in identifying the need for safety practices to prevent public accidents at the construction site in congested urban areas.

scholarly journals Developing a Culture of Health and Safety on Construction Projects Framework in Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (7) ◽  
pp. 1019-1022
Author(s):  
Fatemeh Nouban ◽  
Serah Onuh John
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Security Framework ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Health Security ◽  
Safety Practices ◽  
Construction Companies ◽  
Government Construction ◽  
Construction Works

Managing health and safety on construction sites has always been a challenging issue faced by the Nigerian construction industry. Safety conditions on the construction sites depends on type or nature of work to be carried out and the management make commitment to implement safety projects concerning construction. There are no requirements assigned for implementing a security management system by the Nigerian government. Construction industries lacked a framework to implement security regarding projects on construction sites. Developing a Safety Framework can help professionals involved in carrying out construction works, implement and improve safety practices in executing their projects on sites. This study presents the development of a structure for implementing an effective health security on construction sites. An extensive review of the literature was carried out to design an appropriate security framework. The results underscore the requirement for competent personnel who must be appointed to ensure safety on construction sites. Finally, a security framework was developed in which companies can accept and adhere. The results of this research will help Nigerian construction companies to improve safety on construction sites.

scholarly journals Factors affecting safety performance on construction sites: An overview

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 32-37
Author(s):  
Nour Eldeen Abo Nassar
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Safety Performance ◽  
Worker Safety ◽  
Construction Site ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Safety Issues ◽  
Health And Safety Issues ◽  
Made In

The construction industry is one of the most significant industries that contribute greatly to achieving economic development. However, it is also considered one of the industries that is always exposed to a high risk of hazards in addition to being full of risky activities. Accidents that occurred in construction industries have caused many defects in project progress, for example, delays in completing the project, increasing project cost, reducing productivity, and creating negative impressions about the company. The major reason for the accidents is poor worker safety performance, with a host of contributing causes. For improving safety performance, the root causes of incidents that occur in construction as well as the factors influencing them must be studied. Health and safety issues are the main problem and concerns in the building industry. Though much development has been made in construction safety, the industry still lacks a lag behind most other industries in terms of safety. The aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the factors that could affect the safety performance of a construction site to reduce the frequency of accidents.

Identification and ordering of safety performance indicators using fuzzy TOPSIS: a case study in Indian construction company

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Arpit Singh ◽  
Subhas C. Misra ◽  
Vinod Kumar ◽  
Uma Kumar
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Performance Indicators ◽  
Fuzzy Topsis ◽  
Safety Performance ◽  
Safety Equipment ◽  
Safety Practices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Order Assignment ◽  
Topsis Technique

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to propose a practical framework to measure the safety performance of workers in the Indian construction industry. The key safety performance indicators are identified and ordered on the premise that the higher order assignment of an indicator implies a strong indication of an effective safety performance.Design/methodology/approachVarious indicators of safety performance in the construction industry were identified from extant literature review combined with author's personal viewpoint. The identified variables were inquired for appropriateness for the Indian construction scenario by consultation with experts. Fuzzy Technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) technique was considered for the ranking of the indicators from most to least important.FindingsThe most important highlight of the study was the importance of the role of management by participating in informing workers about the safety rules and compliance toward safety measures. Proper and timely safety training to the workers and equipping them with sophisticated safety equipment for daily activities is perceived to be highly important in ensuring a safe and healthy workplace environment. Controlling the absenteeism rate reduces the burden of extra work on the employees, thereby, encouraging safe work-related behavior.Originality/valueSenior management should make safety induction programs compulsory at the time of joining of the employees. The guidelines for safety practices, rules and information about the safety equipment should be properly documented and arranged in safety manuals. Periodical drills involving visual demonstration of the safety practices should be followed to ensure safety at workplace.

Job stress, job burnout and safety performance in the Palestinian construction industry

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 170-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adnan Enshassi ◽  
Yasmine El-Rayyes ◽  
Suhair Alkilani
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Job Stress ◽  
Gaza Strip ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Job Burnout ◽  
Safety Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Construction Organizations ◽  
The Gaza Strip

Purpose – The purposes of this paper are to identify the most significant job-related stressors that influence construction project professionals’ safety, identify the form of stresses and job burnout experienced by construction professionals and investigate the impact of stress and job burnout on safety performance from the perception of construction project professionals in the Gaza Strip construction industry. Construction is characterized as a stressful industry, which influences the safety performance of construction personnel, especially when the stress transfers into burnout. Design/methodology/approach – The views of a variety of construction professionals operating in Gaza Strip were sought using a questionnaire survey. Project managers, project coordinators and site engineers were targeted. Of the 45 questionnaires distributed, 33 were returned. Data were analyzed using the relative importance index (RII), Pearson correlation and regression analysis that used one-way ANOVA test. Findings – Findings revealed that an organizational stressor is the major contributor to physical stress, behavioral stress and job burnout. In addition, the findings showed that construction professionals suffered from emotional stress and invisible burnout. Of significance, the findings revealed that job stresses and job burnout did not affect safety performance in the Gaza Strip construction industry because the first priority for most construction professionals was to maintain permanent employment and, therefore, stresses were often hidden. Research limitations/implications – This study is limited by its small sample size. However, the findings represent novel results, which can be taken into consideration by construction organizations. Practical implications – The findings may help construction organizations in the Gaza Strip to understand job stressors’ factors, which affect construction project professionals to help minimize or eliminate their impact on safety performance and, hence, improve productivity in construction projects. Furthermore, the study promotes personnel health and safety and enhancement of the quality of work and construction workers’ personal life. The recommendation of this study may also apply to other developing countries. Originality/value – The study contributes to the overall body of knowledge relevant to job stress and burnout in the construction industry of developing countries. It draws attention to the interrelationship between stressors, stresses, burnout and safety performance, and it illustrates a new form of burnout that is invisible burnout.

scholarly journals Applications of drones for safety inspection in the Gulf Cooperation Council construction

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tariq Umar
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Safety ◽  
Safety Performance ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Industrial Sectors ◽  
Safety Improvement ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Important Barrier ◽  
Structured Questionnaire

Purposeconstruction industry in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member countries is at the peak as the region is in the stage of developing its infrastructures. Apart from some positive sign of this boost, several other issues have also been developed in the region. One of such issues is the safety of workers at the construction sites. This article, based on a variety of applications of drones in other industrial sectors, considers the use of drones for construction safety improvement in the GCC countries. This article aimed to investigate the safety-related applications of drones considering technical features and barriers and enablers for safety-related tasks.Design/methodology/approachA mixed research approach using both qualitative and quantitative methods was adopted to achieve the aims and objectives of this research. Data were collected through a systematic literature review, semistructured interviews and using a structured questionnaire. A total of 37 relevant research items and 10 interviews were held with construction safety professionals, and 92 responses collected from the safety managers through a structured questionnaire was used to derive the conclusion of this research. The collected data were processed and analyzed using the Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) program. Descriptive analyses were carried out in which means and importance factors were calculated.Findings25.92% of participants confirmed that they or their company had used the drone in different activates. The most common application of drones reported by the respondents was photography for marketing purposes followed by surveying application and quality inspections. The camera movability was the top-rated technical feature required for safety-related inspections. Similarly, “Working near the corner or edge of unprotected opening” was the top-rated application of drone for safety-related tasks. The safety concerns of using drones at job sites were rated as the most important barrier by the participants. Technical challenges associated with the use of drones for safety improvement was rated as the second most important barrier by the participants.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough, the research presented in this article is based on the GCC construction industry, however, since the data collected through systematic review and semistructured interviews are not a regional base, therefore the finding of this research could also be useful in other regions. Further research however, needs to be conducted to reduce the implications of the barriers identified in this paper so that the drone can be effectively used for safety improvement in construction not only in the GCC region but also in other countries.Practical implicationsOnce the GCC construction industry will be able to overcome the challenges associated with the application of drones in safety improvement, the safety managers will be able to monitor the site more effectively which could be helpful to improve the safety performance of the construction organization.Social implicationsImproved safety performance in not only in the greater interest of the construction organizations as they can reduce the costs associated with poor safety but can also avoid the delay caused by construction accidents. Similarly, improved safety performance reduces the accidents at construction sites, and thus reduces injuries and disabilities caused by such accidents, making the construction workers a useful part of the society. The application of drones in safety-related tasks is one of the key solutions that can lead us to improved safety performance.Originality/valueAlthough, the use of drone technology has revolutionized a number of industrial sectors due to its variety of applications, the application in construction particularly in the GCC region is still very limited. As noted in the results of this research, only 21 participants (25.92%) expressed that they or their company had used the drone in different activates. This means that the industry is not getting the full advantage of the available drone technology. The results of this research will enable construction industry stakeholders to know the challenges associated with the application of drones for safety improvement and to develop strategies to overcome these challenges.

Cyber physical system for safety management in smart construction site

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Weiguang Jiang ◽  
Lieyun Ding ◽  
Cheng Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Physical System ◽  
Safety Management ◽  
Data Communication ◽  
Cyber Physical System ◽  
Construction Site ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Design Data ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Virtual Construction

PurposeConstruction safety has been a long-term problem in the development of the construction industry. An increasing number of smart construction sites have been designed using different techniques to reduce injuries caused by construction accidents and achieve proactive risk control. However, comprehensive smart construction site safety management solutions and applications have yet to be developed. Thus, this study proposes a smart construction site framework for safety management.Design/methodology/approachA safety management system based on a cyber-physical system is proposed. The system establishes risk data synchronization mapping between the virtual construction and physical construction sites through scene reconstruction design, data awareness, data communication and data processing modules. Personnel, mechanical and other risks on site will be warned and controlled.FindingsThe results of the case study have proved the management benefits of the system. On-site workers gradually realized that they should enter the construction site based on the standard process. And the number of people close to the construction hazard areas decreased.Research limitations/implicationsThere are some limitations in the technology of smart construction site. The modeling speed can be faster, the data collection can be timelier, and the identification of unsafe behavior can be integrated into the system. Construction quality and efficiency issues in a virtual construction site will also be solved in further research.Practical implicationsIn this paper, this system is actually applied in the mega project management process. More practical projects can use the management ideas and method of this paper to ensure on-site safety.Originality/valueThis study is among the first attempts to build a complete smart construction site based on CPS and apply it in practice. Personnel, mechanical, components, environment information will be displayed on the virtual construction site. It will greatly promote the development of the intellectualized construction industry in the future.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document