scholarly journals Framework for Improving Construction Health and Safety on Ghanaian Construction Sites

2021 ◽  
Vol 09 (02) ◽  
pp. 115-137
Author(s):  
D. Osei-Asibey ◽  
J. Ayarkwa ◽  
A. Acheampong ◽  
E. Adinyira ◽  
P. Amoah
2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ran-i Eom ◽  
Yejin Lee

PurposeThe use of shoulder protectors is strongly recommended when carrying objects on the shoulder to ensure the health and safety of workers. Thus, this study aimed to develop and verify an ergonomic shoulder protector that considers human body shape and carrying posture from an ergonomic perspective. Ultimately, this study will present a shoulder protector with enhanced fit and safety for carrying workers at construction sites.Design/methodology/approachThe shoulder protector was designed and printed using three-dimensional printing technology with variable side neck points and shoulder point heights to reflect the human body's shoulder line shape and to position the carried object stably on the shoulder. The developed shoulder protectors were evaluated in terms of their fit according to the work posture of the carrier, adherence upon motion and durability through structural analysis.FindingsThe design of the shoulder protector for carrying workers followed the shoulder line. It is best placed above the side neck point by 1.0 cm and above the shoulder point by 2.0 cm. Its length is slightly shorter than the human shoulder for superior fit and safety.Originality/valueThe final shoulder protector (FSP) for carrying workers reflects the body curvature while enhancing fit and safety by considering activity and protective factors. As functional studies and evaluations on the need for protectors are scarce, this study provides fundamental data in the evaluation of protective gears.


2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 50-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Spillane ◽  
Lukumon O. Oyedele

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.


2017 ◽  
Vol 15 (03) ◽  
pp. 341-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulkadir A. Ganah ◽  
Godfaurd A. John

Purpose The section of the research presented in this paper aims to review and explore health and safety (H&S) issues on construction sites. It has the sole intention of using better computer visualisation to meet the needs of site practitioners in understanding such H&S problems. Design/methodology/approach The methodology follows a traditional literature review approach to understand the development of building information modelling (BIM) technology up to its current status. A questionnaire survey was conducted to gather information on the embedding of H&S planning by site practitioners within the BIM environment. Findings BIM has the potential to be used in H&S planning procedures, particularly in those related to tasks on construction sites. A framework for an integrated visual tool is developed for better H&S practice on site. It may be used actively by all practitioners, starting with site induction and addresses, inter alia, personal hazard perception. Research limitations/implications This paper provides a foundation for developing a tool that helps construction personnel explore potential H&S risks on site before construction begins. By introducing a framework for integrating BIM and project planning, a prototype can be developed to demonstrate the application of the proposed framework. Originality/value The research presented in this paper introduces BIM usage during the construction stage as a tool that supports a H&S toolbox. The paper proposes the useful framework for better H&S practice on site that can be used actively by all practitioners. The intention is to find a way forward in addressing “real” H&S site issues that may not be easily understood by practitioners without the full aid of visualisation scenarios.


2015 ◽  
Vol 77 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurul Azita Salleh ◽  
Mohd Nasrun Mohd Nawi ◽  
Norazah Mohd Nordin ◽  
Abdul Khalim Abdul Rashid

This paper focuses on the discussion of the impact of IM-SmartSAFETY courseware on foreign workers in the construction industry. This courseware was developed as an alternative media of information delivery in bilingual multimedia and two directional teaching aids for foreign workers in Health and Safety Induction Course (HSIC). The study discovered that the IM-SmartSAFETY courseware have contributed a great impact and meets the needs of the foreign workers on construction sites as well as one of the mechanism to help tackle the language problem. The study was conducted quantitative research methods supported by qualitative research is found a parallel in terms of data acquisition which is seen IM-SmartSAFETY courseware has helped meet the needs of foreign workers regarding personal protective equipment (PPE) in terms of knowledge about the types and uses of PPE, safety regulations related to PPE, proper wear of PPE and the effect of the proper usage of PPE which include safety helmets, safety boots, protective clothing or safety jackets, ear protection, eye and face protection, safety belts, protective glove and protective breathing after using the courseware. The findings also exhibits that the overall of helpfulness of courseware also found that language issues have been resolved. In fact, the acquisition of knowledge foreign workers on safety at construction sites and the way of delivery information by the trainers to foreign workers have been enhanced while reducing the rate of accidents on construction sites and increase foreign workers awareness about the hazard and improve occupational safety of foreign workers in Malaysia.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4.35) ◽  
pp. 125
Author(s):  
Mohammed Elhaj Alsoufi Mohammed Ahmed ◽  
Leong Sing Wong

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.


2015 ◽  
Vol 77 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurul Azita Salleh ◽  
Faizatul Akmar Abdul Nifa ◽  
Muhammad Nazrin Shah Zakaria ◽  
Norazah Mohd Nordin ◽  
Abdul Khalim Abdul Rashid

IM-SmartSAFETY is an application developed as a medium for delivering contents to foreign workers in response to language problem in Health and Safety Induction Course (HSIC). It is a compulsory initial course for all workers including local and foreign workers and professionals before entering into construction sites. In ensuring IM-SmartSAFETY meets the objective of the course, learning theories, particularly constructivism, social, and minimalism, have been applied along the development process. In accordance, this paper discusses the importance of applying learning theories in the IM-SmartSAFETY. Constructivism theory is important in IM-SmartSAFETY because it supports the creation of new knowledge through creative and critical thinking based on the existing knowledge while solving problems in existing cases. Meanwhile through social theory, emphasis on cognitive is deeper than on physical behavior in which visual representation of positive and negative behavior could be imitated. It also promotes social interaction among the peers and between the trainees and the trainers through activities provided in the application. Further, minimalism theory is important because it ensures the application is appealing in terms arrangement of text, information, graphic, color, and audio so that they never confuse the foreign workers, but make them understand.


Author(s):  
Renato Laganà

When considering the maintenance of buildings, the implementation of legislative codes for health and safety requires particular attention as early as in the design approach. Statistics indicate that accidents often occur during maintenance operations. The organization of the maintenance yard requires specific safety measures, which often depend on the choices related to the design and construction of a building. European Directive 57/1992 indicates that “the architectural and/or organizational measures are not enough. A poor design frequently causes work-related accidents in construction sites with significant damage to the community.” This statement, dating back 22 years, is still valid in Europe today. The introduction of the obligation to draw up the Safety File, to manage safety in the maintenance tasks of the building life cycle, is still valid. This paper refers to the maintenance tasks programmed by ensuring safety conditions. Particular focus is on the individuation of the types of risks in relation to design. The design choices, likewise, are made in order to have an effective plan of health and safety for the workers. The preventive identification of the most common natural risks, and the application of practice codes related to maintenance programs, are the most important strategic choices to ensure safety in interventions deferred over time.


Author(s):  
Agnes Kelm ◽  
Anica Meins-Becker ◽  
Manfred Helmus

Despite a slight decrease in the number of accidents at work on German construction sites, a large number of accidents on construction sites occurred as a result of the collision of different trades. An important potential is in the optimization of the safety and health by making available predefined information about work safety for all involved trades. The aim of the project is the application of the BIM-method and the use of RFID-technology and Augmented Reality to improve work safety in the real estate and construction industry. It has to identify, define, and standardize information relevant to work safety so that they can be used for prevention-measures with Building Information Modeling (BIM). To do so, a process map was developed to map all relevant occupational health and safety processes during the lifecycle phases of a building. Therefore, all work safety-relevant processes have to be identified and defined. Furthermore, a demonstrator was developed in order to show possibilities like the usage of Augmented Reality (AR) and a commercially available tablet with a web app, in combination with Bluetooth beacons and RFID technology, based on a common data base. This will lead to the possibility of cross-company planning regarding work safety-relevant processes with BIM as well as the optimization of work safety in additional use of AutoID-Technologies.


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