Health and Safety Management Practices in the Building Construction Industry in Akure, Nigeria

Abstract

Health and safety of construction workers on building construction sites in Nigeria have become necessary as a result of the hazardous nature of the practice. It is noteworthy to mention that accidents of any kind are bound to happen on these sites resulting into injuries that are sometimes fatal to site workers. Nevertheless, an evaluation of the health and safety management practices put in place by building contractors in the construction industry in Nigeria is the main thrust of this study. This paper discusses the different sources of accidents on construction sites. It also investigates the current state and adherence to health and safety practice in Nigeria. 110 questionnaires were used to extract information from respondents within the Akure metropolis. The safety precautions put in place by contractors for their site workers was also probed. Issues such as the post-accident treatment of site workers were also investigated. Data collected were analysed using descriptive statistics. The study found that construction workers are left to protect themselves in the line of duty and are largely responsible for any occurrence of accidents. As a result, a lot needs to be done to ensure the health and safety of site workers. Recommendations were made on possible solutions yearning for strict actions to be taken against defaulters by the respective site inspectors.