275 research outputs found
Profiling the health and safety risk associated with construction projects at the pre-construction stage
No full textThis book chapter in "Valuing People in Construction" (edited by Emuze, F. and Smallwood, J.) presents an assessment of the degree of H&S risk associated with construction project features (CPFs) and the subsequent development of a simple tool (nicknamed, “CRiMT”) for profiling the H&S risk of construction projects. The main highlight of the chapter is that: the CPFs examined are generally associated with medium risk or high risk implying a medium likelihood or a high likelihood of occurrence of accident/harm where such features apply on projects. CRiMT provides a simple and sound means by which project participants (e.g. clients and their design and project management teams) can ascertain the H&S risk associated with a project at pre-construction, and to also consider relevant risk controls
A model of how features of construction projects influence accident occurrence
No full textThis book chapter in "Valuing People in Construction" (edited by Emuze, F. and Smallwood, J.) presents a study which sought empirical verification of a model of how construction project features (CPFs) influence accident occurrence. A qualitative strategy, in particular phenomenology, involving a range of in-depth interviews with practitioners was used and the findings were subsequently validated using a credibility check involving a survey. Altogether, the findings of the interviews and credibility check confirm the model as a realistic explanation of the mechanism by which CPFs influence accident occurrence. The model has the potential of facilitating the devising and implementation of accident prevention measures by pre-construction project participants to mitigate the H&S impact of CPFs. The model also has the potential of facilitating accident investigation on projects, particularly root cause analysis, thus enabling the contribution of CPFs and hence the contribution of pre-construction project participants in accident occurrence to be ascertained. Further research in this area is also encouraged to augment the utility of the model in supporting pre-construction H&S risk mitigation
An introduction to construction health and safety in developing countries
No full textIn many countries, the construction industry has an unenviable reputationin terms of the occupational safety and health of the workforce. Occupational injuries and illnesses are highly prevalent in the construction industry compared to other industries. The situation in developing countries is worse than in developed countries. However, the bulk of construction occupational safety and health (OSH) literature has focused on issues in developedcountries. Seeking to address this imbalance, this edited collection, which is the first of its kind, focuses on construction OSH in developing countries. This introductory chapter highlights the disparity in OSH performance in developed and developing countries, and juxtaposes this against the limited body of research on construction OSH in developing countries. The chapter presents some benefits, challenges and opportunities regarding construction OSH in developing countries and then closes with a summary of the chapters in the book
PAPER 10 - QUALITATIVE VIEW OF SAFETY INSTRUCTION PROTECTION IN CONSTRUCTION
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Lesiba George Mollo, Fidelis Emuze and John Smallwoo
PAPER 47: OBSERVED FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO HUMAN ERROR ON CONSTRUCTION SITES
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"Lesiba George Mollo, Fidelis Emuze, John Smallwood
Construction safety through housekeeping: The Hawthorne effect
Get PDFClean and tidy sites have often been associated with positive safety cultures in construction. Poor housekeeping can result in the creation of additional hazards and dangers in the form of protruding objects which may also be sharp, and increase in situations that can lead to slips, trips and falls on sites. They also create uneven ground levels, debris, and muddy conditions, which can all lead to an increase in accidents. Housekeeping also contributes to projects being finished in a timely manner due to the fewer distractions created by the chaos. However, maintaining good housekeeping practices on site have been known to be challenging due to the rapid and complex nature of construction projects. In a research that was initiated to explore the question of ‘why is housekeeping a continuing challenge in Lesotho construction?’, the final outcome of site visits and observations revealed the classic phenomenon of the Hawthorne effect. Without deliberate or intentional 'interventionary' measures or demand for regulatory adherence, subsequent visits revealed a transformation in site practices specifically on housekeeping. The Hawthorne effect refers to the alteration of behaviour by the subjects of a study due to their awareness of being observed. This effect does not necessarily refer to positive or negative outcome. In this paper, the transformation that occurred with regard to the workers’ practices is discussed critically in the context of this phenomenon. A key outcome of this discussion is whether housekeeping can be encouraged or improved using the notion of being observed. Finally, the ethical stance of carrying out overt or covert observations is deliberated
Construction safety, health and well-being in the COVID-19 era:An introduction
No full textGlobally, the construction sector is notorious for its enormous contribution to the occurrence of occupational accidents, injuries, and illnesses. The poor outlook of occupational safety, health, and well-being (OSHW) of the construction workforce sector is further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, although the pandemic has also triggered some opportunities for improvement. While there is growing interest in and literature about the OSHW impacts and implications arising from the pandemic within the construction domain, there is no single comprehensive compendium of text that offers adequate coverage of the subject, especially from the perspective of several countries or regions of the world. Seeking to address this gap, this book, which is the first of its kind, offers a global perspective on the OSHW implications of COVID-19 in the construction industry. The insights and lessons from the pandemic, which are captured by the book, have implications for the adjustment of OSHW practices, as well as construction project management in general both during and after the pandemic. In this introductory chapter, the poor status of OSHW in the construction sector is first highlighted. The chapter subsequently touches on the opportunities and challenges posed by the pandemic to the management of OSHW in the sector. The chapter finally closes with a summary of the chapters in the book
Qualitative content analysis from the lean construction perspective: A focus on supply chain management
Get PDFThe performance of projects in terms of targeted objectives has always been a very contentious issue in the construction industry. The constant issue at stake is the inability of projects to satisfactorily meet agreed delivery targets. In order to address this quagmire, performance improvement tools such as supply chain management (SCM) were introduced into the industry. The central theme of this discourse is thus concerned with the need to promote performance improvement in construction through the exploitation of the concepts inherent in SCM from the perspectives of lean construction researchers as documented in the annual International Group for Lean Construction (IGLC) conferences. The methodological approach adopted for the discourse is qualitative in nature as recent SCM literatures available on the IGLC web portal were subjected to a qualitative content analysis. The research outcomes, which have implications for South African construction, attempt to offer solutions to the mirage of performance-related project management and/or supply chain problems, especially in terms of improving ‘how organisations working together’ overcome complexities and deliver value to stakeholder
Competencies needed by construction project managers for BIM-enabled projects
No full textConstruction project manager (CPM) competency has been common place discussions over the years with the recognition of the importance of skills and knowledge to project success. With recent advancements in the application of digital technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM), it is imperative that CPMs develop new competencies that enable effective delivery of projects. The lack of clarity of the specific competencies needed by CPMs to deliver BIM-enabled projects, makes it important that the competencies required by CPMs for effective BIM-enabled project delivery be ascertained, such that this study addresses this gap. A sequential exploratory mixed method study is adopted to identify these competencies needed to effectively deliver BIM projects as well as validate the competencies of great value to BIM project delivery. Six key competency groups were identified as pertinent to BIM project delivery namely: Managerial and administrative; Strategic; Functional and operational; Leadership and people management; Technical and implementation; and Innate qualities. Overall, managerial and administrative competencies as well as leadership and people management competencies were regarded as being more crucial to the role of the CPM in BIM-enabled project delivery. This study provides useful guidance for development of training programmes as well as performance assessment systems for CPMs in the era of BIM based on the prioritisation of areas of competence
The effect of project success factors on project success criteria
No full textVarious studies on Project Success Factors (PSFs) and Project Success Criteria (PSC) have been conducted within the construction industry. However, studies on the influence that Project Success Factors (PSFs) may have on Project Success Criteria (PSC) in construction industry still remains elusive. A survey of UK construction professionals in management roles was undertaken in order to rank 15 PSFs in terms of their perceived influence on four key PSC: time performance; cost performance; quality; and customer satisfaction. Results indicate that nine of the 15 investigated PSFs were ranked as influential on time performance with six of the PSFs ranked as influential on quality performance. On the other hand, construction project cost performance was found to be influenced mainly by six of the PSFs while eight of the investigated PSFs have influence on customer satisfaction. Project managers and other project participants seeking to maximise the attainment of cost, time and quality performance as well as customer satisfaction would therefore need to pay attention to the specific PSFs that are relevant to the attainment of these PSC
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