scholarly journals Issues of construction health and safety in developing countries: a case of Jordan

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 141-156 ◽  
Author(s):  
Suhair Zaid Alkilani ◽  
Julie Jupp ◽  
Anil Sawhney
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Current State ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Legal Constraints ◽  
And Performance

The construction industry is widely regarded as one of the most significant interms of its impact on health and safety (H&S). Recent findings suggestthat in developing countries H&S awareness and performance is low. In this paper,the current state of H&S on construction sites in Jordan was explored usinga two-part investigation. The first part introduces the area of research in aliterature based study of on-site safety. The second part is a case study onthe Jordanian construction industry and its current H&S practices. Primary datawas collected from field visits, expert interviews and semi-structuredquestionnaires. Supporting secondary data was collected from archival studiesand related research literature. The research findings highlight a lack of governmentcommitment exemplified by regulations, policies and legal constraints thatlimit the operational efficiency of those government departments responsiblefor H&S management, and hindering the development of good H&S practice.Research results also highlight the key constraints of good H&S practice fromthe perspective of construction contractors.The study concludes with discussion ofpotential solutions toimprove H&S performance on construction sites in Jordan.

scholarly journals The Sustainability of Health and Safety on Construction Sites in Zamfara State

2018 ◽  
Vol 65 ◽  
pp. 03003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ismaila Oladunni Muhammed ◽  
Adegbenga Raphael Ashiru
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Construction Workers ◽  
Annual Reports ◽  
Construction Site ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Infrastructural Development ◽  
State Construction ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
Descriptive Statistical Analysis

Construction industry has been attributed to be the growth of Nigerian economic and infrastructural development. Annual reports show that consistent accidents on construction sites in Zamfara State has affected substantial number of workers as they become temporarily or permanently disabled, thereby making many construction sites a death trap. It is as a result of high construction site accident currently experiencing in Zamfara state that this research was carried out to appraise the sustainability of health and safety of construction workers on sites. Subsequently, SPSS Version 20 was used to analyse descriptive statistical analysis. Furthermore, the findings highlighted that the performance and output of construction workers on construction sites depends on proper practice of health and safety. The research findings also recommended ways to enhance employers and employee’s compliance to existing laws guiding health and safety on Zamfara State construction sites.

scholarly journals Challenges for Occupational Health and Safety Enforcement in the Construction Industry in Ghana

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elijah Frimpong Boadu ◽  
Cynthia Changxin Wang ◽  
Riza Yosia Sunindijo
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Occupational Health ◽  
Literature Review ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Empirical Investigation ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Occupational Health And Safety ◽  
Extensive Literature ◽  
Research Findings

Many previous studies have reported that the occupational health and safety (OHS) enforcement is poor in developing countries, however these studies have mainly focused on the broader enforcement problems and not fully considered the challenges confronting the institutions responsible for enforcing OHS standards at workplaces.  In this study, twelve potential challenges were identified from an extensive literature review, then an empirical investigation was carried out via a questionnaire survey from OHS inspectors and professionals in the Ghanaian construction industry. The twelve challenges were confirmed and ranked. Also, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and correlation were used to determine the statistical significance of the responses and the relationships between the challenges. Based on these findings, this study provides practical strategies for government, OHS inspectors and other professionals within the construction industry to improve the OHS enforcement. The research findings can also be adopted as a basis to assess challenges confronting OHS institutions in other developing countries.

scholarly journals Safety Climate Perceptions in the Construction Industry of Saudi Arabia: The Current Situation

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (18) ◽  
pp. 6717 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ibrahim Mosly ◽  
Anas A. Makki
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Safety Climate ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Initial Step ◽  
Safety Education ◽  
Safety Behavior ◽  
Factors Influencing ◽  
Climate Perceptions ◽  
And Performance

Workers’ wellbeing and safety is important in the construction industry due to the high risk of accidents. Safety climate development is a positive initial step toward raising the safety levels of construction practitioners. This study aims at revealing the factors influencing safety climate perceptions in the construction industry of Saudi Arabia. A set of extracted factors from the literature was validated and used to design a comprehensive questionnaire survey. Data was collected from 401 personnel working on 3 large construction project sites in Saudi Arabia. Descriptive statistics and the crosstabulation algorithm, Kendall’s tau-b correlation test, were used to analyze the data. The study revealed a set of 13 factors influencing safety climate perceptions, which are: Supervision, guidance and inspection, appraisal of risks and hazards, social security and health insurance, workmate influences, management safety justice, management commitment to safety, education and training, communication, workers’ safety commitment, workers’ attitude toward health and safety, workers’ involvement, supportive environment, and competence. The results also indicate the significant and anticipated role of top management in safety climate at sites. Implications of this study include assisting construction industry stakeholders to better understand and enhance safety climate, which in turn will lead to improved safety behavior, culture, motivation, and performance.

A STUDY OF IM-SMARTSAFETY COURSEWARE DEVELOPMENT FOR FOREIGN WORKERS IN SAFETY COURSE MALAYSIA CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

2015 ◽  
Vol 77 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nurul Azita Salleh ◽  
Faizatul Akmar Abdul Nifa ◽  
Muhammad Nazrin Shah Zakaria ◽  
Norazah Mohd Nordin ◽  
Abdul Khalim Abdul Rashid
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Social Theory ◽  
Development Process ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Learning Theories ◽  
Foreign Workers ◽  
Negative Behavior ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
New Knowledge ◽  
Text Information

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.

scholarly journals Critical Review of Construction Accident Causation Theories and Models: The Need for Improved Models

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Opeyemi Samuel Williams ◽  
Razali Adul Hamid ◽  
Mohd Saidin Misnan
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Building Construction ◽  
Review Of Literature ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Occupational Risks ◽  
Accident Causation ◽  
Improved Model ◽  
Construction Accidents

Construction industry is recognized and best described as an accident-prone industry, being characterized with a plethora of occupational risks. Review of literature on construction accidents revealed that a copious number of theories have been propounded over the years by different theorists, though some of these theories were criticized. In addition to this were the multifarious models developed by different proponents at different times. However, accidents are an unplanned event that are common on the building construction sites, involving materials, objects and people with attendant damages, loses and injuries. Moreover, existing models were developed to investigate the causations of accident with the aim of preventing its occurrence. Effort to analyze the existing models, with criticism in view, was the aim of this research, which was accomplished by pointing out the limitations of applicability of the models and ascertaining the need for an improved model. A major gap was discovered, in that most of these models concentrated on accident causations and investigations with little or no emphasis on preventive measures via the duties of the construction stakeholders (client, consultant, contractor, health and safety agency) at the preconstruction and during construction stages. Having considered the strengths and weaknesses of the existing models, it was discovered that another, but improved, model was needed and such model will consequently enable construction stakeholders in putting up and implementing accident preventive measures on the building construction sites, as all stakeholders have significant roles to play in preventing accident.

Strategies for Engendering Health and Safety Culture in Construction Firms in Abuja, Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jimoh R.A. ◽  
◽  
Oyewobi L.O. ◽  
Uthman N.L. ◽  
Ibrahim K. ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Safety Culture ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Construction Firms ◽  
Varied Degree ◽  
Level Of Motivation ◽  
Construction Works ◽  
Civil Engineers

Many countries have put in place policies and legislation to reduce accidents and diseases on construction sites though having varied degree of comprehensiveness, the extent of implementation, will and capacity of enforcement. In spite of these efforts, it has been revealed that the increase in the rate of unsafe acts and rate of fatalities in the construction industry is significant due to poor safety culture. Hence, this study assessed the level of health and safety (H&S) culture in construction firms in Abuja by self-administering a total of 152 questionnaires on H&S issues to construction professionals. It included Builders, Quantity Surveyors, Architects, Civil Engineers, and Project Managers/supervisors who were involved in construction works. The data obtained were analysed using percentages and mean scores. It was discovered that despite the increasing growth in the construction firms in Nigeria, the H&S culture practice in construction firms is highly fragmented and poorly implemented. It is recommended among others that there should be high commitment from the top of organisations which will in turn produce higher level of motivation and commitment throughout the organisations.

VERIFICATION OF THE HYPOTHESIS OF ANALYSIS OF THE ECONOMIC EFFICIENCY OF PROFESSIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES

2021 ◽  
Vol 4 (8) ◽  
pp. 63-81
Author(s):  
Aziz Zikrieev ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Occupational Diseases ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
Econometric Analysis ◽  
Economic Losses ◽  
Human Capital Development ◽  
Construction Companies ◽  
Current State ◽  
Professional Health ◽  
Capital Development

This study is an econometric analysis of the effectiveness of labor protection in construction companies in the country. It also explores the prospects for human capital development as a result of hypothesis testing of the regression equation, including normal distribution, multicollinearity, autocorrelation, heteroscedasticity, and model stability.The purpose of the study is to strengthen the model by studying the errors observed in the process of econometric analysis of economic losses of organizations as a result of accidents and occupational diseases in the construction industry of Uzbekistan in the process of labor protection.Scientific novelty of the research:1. Econometric analysis of the current state of significance of the economic losses of construction contractors;

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.

Assessment of health and safety culture maturity in the construction industry in developing economies

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 865-881
Author(s):  
Justice Williams ◽  
Frank Fugar ◽  
Emmanuel Adinyira
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Safety Culture ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Health And Safety ◽  
The State ◽  
Actual State ◽  
State Of Health ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Construction Companies

Purpose The degree to which accidents happen or are prevented in any organisation is the function of both the health and safety culture and the safety culture maturity level of the organisation. Therefore, this paper aims to determine the state of health and safety culture in the construction industry in developing economies and to assess their category on the safety maturity ladder using the Ghanaian construction industry as an example. This is to help construction companies in developing countries become conscious of the state of health and safety in the industry so they can be motivated to improve along the ladder. Design/methodology/approach In total, 250 contractors made up of 155 building contractor,s and 95 road contractors took part in the survey. The sample size was determined by Yamane’s (1967) formula with stratified simple random sampling technique adopted in selecting the companies in the survey. This paper also uses (Guttman Scale) Scalogram analysis to measure the state of health and safety culture in the Ghanaian construction industry. Findings The results show that health and safety culture of the Ghanaian construction industry is at the first level, the pathological stage. Even though Ghanaian contractors have health and safety policies and codes of conduct in place, safety is not seen as a key business risk. Consequently, management and most frontline staff do not emphasise the importance of integration of safety measures in the various activities on the site. Thus, safety is not seen as unavoidable and a part of the construction activity. Practical implications The findings of this study inform state authorities, consultants and contractors of areas that they need to focus more on improving health and safety culture in developing countries. This would go a long way in protecting construction workers in the industry. Originality/value This study, to the best of the authors’ current knowledge, is the first of its kind in the Ghanaian construction industry. The study brings to the fore the actual state of health and safety in the construction industry in developing countries such as Ghana. The value of the findings lies in the fact that it will provide the motivation for construction companies in developing countries to develop a commitment to safety, and to provide appropriate and effective safety improvement techniques to progress to the subsequent stages of the safety culture maturity ladder.

scholarly journals Current State of Off-Site Manufacturing in Australian and Chinese Residential Construction

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malik M. A. Khalfan ◽  
Tayyab Maqsood
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Total Duration ◽  
Construction Cost ◽  
Residential Construction ◽  
Research Projects ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Research Gaps ◽  
Residential Sector ◽  
Current State

Many techniques have been implemented to make construction industry more productive. The key focus is on reduction of total duration, reduction in construction cost, improvements in the quality, achieving more sustainable development, and safer construction sites. One of the techniques, which is emerging in the last two decades, is the use of off-site manufacturing (OSM) within the construction industry. Several research projects and industry initiatives have reported the benefits and challenges of implementation of OSM. The focus of this paper is Australian and Chinese residential construction industry and the uptake of the OSM concepts. The paper presents a brief review of the current state of OSM in the last five to seven years with the context of the above-mentioned two countries. The paper concludes that the construction industry, both in Australia and China, needs to start walking the talk with regard to OSM adoption. The paper also highlights some of the research gaps in the OSM area, especially within the housing and residential sector.

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