A Qualitative Study of Health and Safety (H&S) Construction Practices in Lagos

2017 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Patricia Omega Kukoyi ◽  
John Julian Smallwood
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Study ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Religious Beliefs ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Productive Activities

Projects in the construction sector are reputed for poor H&S records when compared to other similar industries. This can be attributed among other things to an uncontrolled working environment, risk, workers' behaviour in relation to H&S commitment, cultural and religious beliefs, and uncertainties inherent in projects. Risk and hazards arising due to poor H&S practices result in injuries and fatalities in few cases. The aim of this study is to explore the perceptions of workers regarding H&S on construction sites. A combination of interviews and observations was conducted in the study. The participants in the study are mainly production workers (ironworkers, masons, carpenters, roofers, and electricians) engaged in construction projects. The findings of the study reveal that workers view productive activities on construction sites as hazardous and risky. However, lack of understanding the use of PPE affects its use. This perception may also be attributed to inadequate training, socio-economic realities, cultural and religious beliefs. Therefore, there is a need for a localised H&S certification and awareness programmes to foster a commitment to improving H&S at construction sites. Further research is required to understand the influence of stakeholders on H&S practices in the Nigerian construction industry.Keywords: Health and Safety, Nigeria, Perceptions, Workers.

scholarly journals Strategies for effective management of health and safety in confined site construction

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 50-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Spillane ◽  
Lukumon O. Oyedele
Keyword(s):  
Practical Implication ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Construction Site ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Effective Management ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Safety Issues ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
Site Design ◽  
Managerial Strategies

Purpose: The overall aim of this research is to identify and catalogue the numerous managerial strategies for effective management of health and safety on a confined, urban, construction site. Design/Methodology/Approach: This is achieved by utilising individual interviews, focus groups discussion on selected case studies of confined construction sites, coupled with a questionnaire survey. Findings: The top five key strategies include (1) Employ safe system of work plans to mitigate personnel health and safety issues; (2) Inform personnel, before starting on-site, of the potential issues using site inductions; (3) Effective communication among site personnel; (4) Draft and implement an effective design site layout prior to starting on-site; and (5) Use of banksman (traffic co-ordinator) to segregate personnel from vehicular traffic. Practical Implication: The construction sector is one of the leading industries in accident causation and with the continued development and regeneration of our urban centres, confined site construction is quickly becoming the norm - an environment which only fuels accident creation within the construction sector. Originality/Value: This research aids on-site management that requires direction and assistance in the identification and implementation of key strategies for the management of health and safety, particularly in confined construction site environments.

scholarly journals Assessment of Lean Construction Practice at Selected Construction Sites in Klang Valley

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4.35) ◽  
pp. 125
Author(s):  
Mohammed Elhaj Alsoufi Mohammed Ahmed ◽  
Leong Sing Wong
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Lean Construction ◽  
Building Construction ◽  
Total Quality ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Construction Techniques ◽  
Comprehensive Survey ◽  
Klang Valley

Lean construction is known to reduce costs, improve profit or increase competitiveness, increase business opportunity and customer base, improve health and safety, improve quality, yield higher employee salaries, shorten production timescales and increase customer satisfaction. With little attention on research of lean construction in Malaysia, it remains a problem of non-standardization in waste elimination strategies thereby sub optimizing waste management in Malaysian construction projects. The objective of this paper is to evaluate lean construction techniques and measure the feasibility in term of their applicability for construction at selected sites in Klang Valley, Malaysia. The study is novel and significant in a sense that it can help to develop reliable management strategies for implementing lean construction technologies at the construction sites. Case studies were carried out as a strategic method and comprehensive survey that covers both questionnaire and interview were adopted as a method of data collection. Likert scale 1 to 5 was used in the written questionnaire with workers in order to assess the level of awareness and acceptance on the need of lean construction techniques for eight construction sites in various places and with various categories (infrastructure and building construction projects) in Klang Valley, Malaysia. Later, semi structural interview was conducted with expert judgment to justify the factors which affect the implementation of lean construction at the construction sites. From the study outcome, it was discovered that both Total Quality Management (TQM) and Industrialized Building System (IBS) were rated by the respondents to be highly effective in both infrastructure and building construction projects.

scholarly journals Opportunities and Challenges for Construction Health and Safety Technologies under the COVID-19 Pandemic in Chinese Construction Projects

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (24) ◽  
pp. 13038
Author(s):  
Yang Yang ◽  
Albert P. C. Chan ◽  
Ming Shan ◽  
Ran Gao ◽  
Fengyu Bao ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Influence Factor ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
Influence Factors ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Information Modeling ◽  
Cost Overrun ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
The Government

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in significant delays and cost overrun in construction projects. The implementation of health and safety (H&S) technologies is one of the most important strategies to alleviate the adverse impacts of COVID-19 on the construction industry and help the industry adapt to the new normal. This study aims to evaluate the adoption of H&S technologies for pandemic management in the construction sector under the COVID-19 pandemic. Semi-structured interviews with eighteen practitioners engaged from construction companies and technology firms were conducted to collect their views on the driving forces and issues of the adoption of H&S technologies for pandemic management in Chinese construction projects. The results reveal that the major H&S technologies used included the health quick response (QR) code system, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered fever monitoring, and site access control system. These technologies were reported to be effective in preventing the spread of the pandemic in workplaces. The findings of the study amplify that the pandemic may serve as an acceleration of the adoption of H&S technologies in the construction sector. Other technologies, such as building information modeling, drones, AI-based safety monitoring, and robotics, however, were seldom used in the studied projects. The interviewees addressed several problems regarding the implementation of these technologies. High costs of technologies, a lack of client support, and disruptions to the normal work process were the main hurdles of the adoption of these technologies. The results indicated that the external influence factor—the COVID-19 pandemic—could considerably drive the use of H&S technologies, whereas the internal influence factors—cost and compatibility of technology—might be the major barriers to technology adoption. To encourage the wider use of H&S technologies in construction, the government is recommended to support the technology transformation by granting financial subsidies for costs involved in innovation adoption. Project owners may consider investing substantially in H&S technologies that can strengthen their resilient and innovative ability to adapt to the post-COVID-19 landscape. The present results will be useful to industry stakeholders and researchers interested in developing H&S technologies for combating the COVID-19 pandemic and future crises.

scholarly journals EVIDENCE‐BASED PREVENTION OF WORK‐RELATED MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURIES IN CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (4) ◽  
pp. 499-509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Romuald A. Rwamamara ◽  
Ove Lagerqvist ◽  
Thomas Olofsson ◽  
Bo M. Johansson ◽  
Kazys Algirdas Kaminskas
Keyword(s):  
Best Practices ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Planning Process ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Construction Workers ◽  
Musculoskeletal Health ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Safety Issues ◽  
Work Related

Many construction work tasks are physically very strenuous and the incidence of work‐related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) among construction workers is considerably higher than those in most other occupations. The aim of the study presented in this paper was to contribute to understanding a healthy construction site brought about by the best practices implemented by large construction sites to prevent WMSDs. A triangulation method made of interviews, site observations and studies on company's documents was used to identify the best practices in 13 several construction projects. A range of the best practices both in the pre‐construction and construction phases of the projects were identified in six different areas of the balance of the construction workplace system; however, there seems to be a significant need for good practices in the management of a systematic work environment. It is now established that Swedish construction industry has several best practices to protect work‐related musculoskeletal health. However, inadequate worker participation and the neglect of health and safety issues by designers in the planning process as well as the implications of some remuneration methods on the production schedule were perceived as detrimental to the musculoskeletal health of construction workers. Santrauka Daug statybos darbu yra fiziškai labai itempti, o su darbu susijusiu raumenu ir skeleto sistemos pažeidimu dažnis tarp statybininku yra kur kas aukštesnis negu tarp daugelio kitu profesiju. Šio tyrimo tikslas – pletoti supratima apie sveikatos būkle ir jos svarba dirbant statybu aikštelese, igyvendinant didelius statybos objektus, siekiant išvengti su darbu susijusiu raumenu ir skeleto sistemos pažeidimu. Tyrimams buvo taikytas interviu, pagristas trianguliacijos metodu, darbo procesu stebejimo statybos aikštelese metodas, buvo nagrineti statybos kompaniju dokumentai, siekiant identifikuoti 13 skirtingu statybos projektu. Geriausia praktika, prieš pradedant statybas ir jau statant, buvo nustatyta šešiuose skirtinguose statybu regionuose, tačiau tokia praktika yra svarbi darbo aplinkos vadyboje. Pripažinta, kad Švedijos statybos pramoneje taikomi keli būdai, kaip apsaugoti statybininkus nuo raumenu ir skeleto sistemos pažeidimu. Vis delto mažas darbininku domejimasis šia problema, sveikatos bei saugos problemu nepaisymas planavimo procese, kai kuriu atsilyginimo būdu itraukimas i gamybos veiksniu saraša buvo vertinti kaip faktoriai, žalingai veikiantys statybininku raumenu ir skeleto sistema.

scholarly journals PRELIMINARY STUDY ON THE IDENTIFICATION OF SAFETY RISKS FACTORS IN THE HIGH RISE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

2016 ◽  
Vol 78 (5-3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurzawani Md Sofwan ◽  
Afzan Ahmad Zaini ◽  
Siti Akhtar Mahayuddin
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Assessment Tool ◽  
Risk Model ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Building Construction ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Safety Issues ◽  
High Rise ◽  
High Rise Building ◽  
Safety Risks

The construction industry is one of the risky workplaces attributable to its complexity and dynamic nature of construction activities. High rise building construction remains predominant for high accident rates counted yearly. A site-specific assessment tool that considers the characteristics and changeable conditions of the currently managed construction site is necessary to precisely assess safety risks. Therefore, this study aims to address the significant safety risks and principal factors associated with the high rise building construction projects in Malaysia. Responses obtained within the construction management personnel are evaluated using factor analysis to understand the latent critical risk factors. Preliminary findings suggest that all safety risks are significant and working environment is identified as the most critical principal factor which consists of diverse underlying safety risks with high loading factors. Successful investigations of the study will lead to the development of a high rise building construction safety and health risk model. From the practical view, these findings should assist the high rise construction project participants to be more attentive to health and safety issues. 

scholarly journals Análisis de la gestión de la seguridad y salud en las obras de construcción en Sudáfrica. Nueva regulación en materia preventiva, nuevos desafíos, nuevas oportunidades = Management analysis of Health and Safety on construction sites in South Africa, New c

2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 49
Author(s):  
Jesús Esteban Gabriela ◽  
Iván Martín Pérez
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Risk Assessment ◽  
South African ◽  
Construction Management ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
South African Council ◽  
Safety Specification ◽  
Fall Protection

Sudáfrica se enfrenta en la actualidad a nuevos retos en el sector de la construcción. Por un lado, la necesidad de un nuevo modelo de sector energético que ayude al crecimiento sostenible del país así como a su modernización, y por otro lado la necesidad urgente de mejorar las altas cifras de siniestralidad que el sector de la construcción sigue teniendo a fecha de hoy. Para ello, en febrero del año pasado, 2014, el Ministerio de Trabajo sudafricano publicó un nuevo texto legal – Construction Regulations 2014 -, modificando al que ya existía en vigor– Construction Regulations 2003, regulando las nuevas obligaciones en materia de seguridad y salud de todos los intervinientes haciendo especial hincapié en la figura del Promotor (“client”) como eje vertebrador de la promoción de la seguridad y salud en las obras de construcción. La aparición de la designación obligatoria de nuevos profesionales en materia de seguridad y salud tanto para el promotor como para las empresas participantes (“principal contractor” y “contractor) dotan a la actual organización preventiva de obra de una mayor estructuración y claridad a la hora de acometer la implantación de los principios básicos de la gestión preventiva a través del seguimiento de los trabajos por parte de dichos profesionales basándose en documentos de gestión preventiva establecidos de igual forma (“risk assessment”, “health and safety specification”, “fall protection plan” y el “health and safety file”). El registro de dichos profesionales ante la SACPCMP - “South African Council for Project and Construction Management Professions”, obligatorio a partir del 6 de agosto de 2015, dotará de una mayor profesionalización de los técnicos que desempeñen dichas funciones; cuestión fundamental para seguir trabajando en la mejora de los índices de siniestralidad del sector de la construcción en Sudáfrica. Abstract South Africa is currently facing new challenges in the construction sector. On the one hand, the need for a new model of energy sector to assist the sustainable growth of the country and its modernization, and secondly the urgent need to improve the high number of accidents rates that the construction sector still keeps to date. On last February, 2014, the Ministry of Labor released a new construction regulations – construction regulations 2014 – modifying to Construction Regulations 2003, regulating the new duties and obligations on health and safety belong to all agents involved with special emphasis on the role of “Client” as the backbone of promoting the health and safety matters on construction sites. The emergence of new mandatory professionals appointments on health and safety both for client and principal contractor – contractor, endow to current safety organizational chart on site with a better structure and clarity to undertake the implementation of the basic principles of preventive safety management through monitoring by these professionals based in all new safety documents established likewise ("risk assessment", "health and safety specification", "fall protection plan "and" health and safety file "). The register of these new safety roles through SACPCMP - “South African Council for Project and Construction Management Professions”, will come into in force on 6th august, 2015. This register will provide better professionalism of technicians who perform those duties, essential point to keep improving the accidents – incidents rates on construction sector in South Africa.

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.

A BIBLIOMETRIC REVIEW OF TRENDS IN CONSTRUCTION SAFETY TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariam Akinlolu ◽  
Theodore Conrad Haupt
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Technology Development ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Digital Technologies ◽  
Construction Safety ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Emerging Trends ◽  
Bibliometric Review ◽  
Structure Evaluation

This paper provides a bibliometric review of technologies for safety on construction sites to explore the evolution and research trends on digital technologies for the management of construction safety. A comprehensive bibliometric review adopting a two-step literature selection method was conducted to compile relevant publications from the Scopus database. In total, 240 related papers were examined. VOSviewer was used to develop a co-occurrence network based on the bibliographic data obtained. The analysis focused on the trend of research topics on technologies for construction safety. Emerging trends in construction safety technologies research were project safety design and planning, visualization and image processing for construction projects, digital technologies for project monitoring, information management and Internet of Things, automation and robotic systems, safety and accident prevention, and structure evaluation. This study provides insights into technology development and application and identifies trends for future research, which is crucial for the construction health and safety stakeholders to share and access research findings.

scholarly journals The Opportunities and Challenges Associated with the Implementation of Fourth Industrial Revolution Technologies to Manage Health and Safety

2022 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 846
Author(s):  
Reneiloe Malomane ◽  
Innocent Musonda ◽  
Chioma Sylvia Okoro
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Poor Quality ◽  
Project Delivery ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Fourth Industrial Revolution ◽  
Negative Perceptions

The fourth industrial revolution (4iR) technologies offer an opportunity for the construction industry to improve health and safety (H&S) compliance. Therefore, implementing the technologies is of top priority to improve the endless H&S incidents in construction projects, which lead to poor quality of work, late project delivery, and increased labour injury claims. Central to improving the nature of work and other industrial processes, the 4iR technologies have emerged. Concurrent with this trend is the importance of 4iR technologies in enhancing health and safety performance on construction sites. However, the implementation of 4iR technologies in the construction industry is faced with various challenges. Therefore, this paper reports on a study aimed at examining the challenges associated with implementing 4iR technologies in the construction sector in South Africa towards effective management of H&S. The study followed a systematic literature review, data collection using a questionnaire survey and thereafter, descriptive, and inferential analyses were conducted. The findings revealed that the implementation of 4iR technologies is challenged by a lack of adequate relevant skills, the unavailability of training capacities, expensive technologies, and negative perceptions such as fear of job loss by industry professionals. The findings are essential for the advancement of H&S research and implementation. In addition, the findings are important to industry decision-makers in order to elevate their awareness and promote the use of 4iR technologies to manage construction activities. The study implications include the need for the construction industry to collaborate with higher education institutions to conduct research and include 4iR in the curriculum.

scholarly journals ‘Safety Matters Have Become Too Important for Management to Leave it Up to the Workers’ –The Nordic OSH Model Between Implicit and Explicit Frameworks

2011 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johnny Dyreborg
Keyword(s):  
Construction Projects ◽  
Institutional Environment ◽  
The State ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
Institutional Changes ◽  
Construction Sector ◽  
Construction Companies ◽  
Globalized Economy ◽  
Societal Level ◽  
Implicit And Explicit

In a globalized economy it is relevant to question whether the Nordic Working Environment (WE) model will remain as the basic and implicit framework for the governance of the WE. This paper explores institutional changes in the governance of the WE, and critically examines how a more explicit and market-oriented framework might influence the governance of the WE in the Nordic countries. Firstly, the paper examines the changes in the governance of the WE at the societal level (Denmark) for the period 1954 - 2007, and identifies institutional logics informing these changes. Secondly, the paper examines changes in the governance of the WE at the level of the construction sector, using case material from four of the largest construction projects completed in Denmark in recent years. The analyses reveal three discrete periods, representing distinct logics influencing the governance of the WE, i.e., the logic of the state, the logic of democracy and the logic of the market. The logic of the state and the logic of democracy represent an implicit framework, whereas the logic of the market entails a shift to a more explicit framework. The shift to a more explicit framework for the governance of the WE, is also identified at the level of the construction sector. This leads to a pivotal shift in the clients' and the construction companies' relationship with the institutional environment in the four large construction projects. From worker representatives being the primary stakeholders, to a shift where the fulcrum of the development of the WE lies between management, the state and stakeholders in the companies' environment. This shift opens up a range of new and more market-oriented approaches to the governance of the WE that seems to challenge the extant Nordic WE model.

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