Overview of Building Construction Safety and Legislations in Nigeria

Abstract

The building construction sector in Nigeria lacks formal safety management systems, effective safety regulations are also lacking. The research methodology adopted was a comprehensive literature review undertaken on topics related to safety in order to have a sound knowledge of the topic. Research journals, academic thesis and conference papers were the main sources of the secondary data gathered. The research showed that Though this sector is a vital contributor to economic growth of the nation, virtually all available labour laws in Nigeria do not apply to this sector. The lack of such laws makes enforcement of safety norms and procedures on Nigerian building sites difficult, the workers as a result of this unfortunate scenario are left vulnerable and unprotected. No comprehensive law as regards to Occupational Health and Safety exists in Nigeria. Virtually all existing regulations in Nigeria today which relate to health and safety emanated from foreign countries, hence we need to domesticate our legislation to reflect our peculiarities.