Design for occupational safety and health of workers in construction in developing countries: a study of architects in Nigeria

Abstract

The findings are thus symptomatic of the prevalence of influential DfS implementation barriers within the construction sector. Industry stakeholders should seek to raise the profile of DfS practice within the sector. Furthermore, similar empirical studies in the construction sector of other developing countries would be useful in shedding light on the status of DfS in these countries.

Design for safety implementation among design professionals in construction: The context of Palestine

“…Despite the socio-economic importance of the construction sector, the sector is infamous for being responsible for an alarming number of occupational fatalities, injuries and illnesses around the world (Atkinson and Westall, 2010;Votano and Sunindijo, 2014;Manu et al, 2019). A study by Martínez Aires et al (2016) showed that workers in the construction sector are more exposed than workers in other sectors to chemical and biological risks, as well as noise and temperature hazards.…”

“…This argument is in line with the findings by Ling et al (2009) that pressurising the workers to finish the job quickly increases the probability of accidents occurrence. In view of the expected increase in global construction output by 85% by 2030 (Global Construction Perspectives and Oxford Economics, 2015), Manu et al (2019) hinted that the existing poor construction OSH profile in developing countries might even deteriorate unless appropriate actions are implemented. Design for safety is one of such actions/mechanisms by which occupational accidents, injuries and illnesses can be mitigated in construction (Behm, 2005, Gibb et al, 2006.…”

“…Despite the importance of the construction sector, it has been established that the construction sector is responsible for one of the highest rates of work-related fatalities, injuries, and illnesses around the world (Huang and Hinze, 2006;Atkinson and Westall, 2010;Manu et al, 2019). While occupational accidents are common in the construction industry around the world, the situation is dire in developing countries compared with developed countries (Takala et al, 2014).…”

“…While the vast majority of DfS studies have focused on developed countries, there is a research gap regarding DfS studies in developing countries (Manu et al, 2018a(Manu et al, , 2019, and especially in Palestine (Al-Sari' and Al-Khatib, 2012) because the literature on health and safety in Palestine reveals that there has been very limited study on DfS implementation in the construction industry. Consequently, the level of DfS knowledge and awareness, as well as the extent of its implementation among designers, are unknown.…”

Fuzzy TOPSIS Application to Rank Determinants of Employee Retention in Construction Companies: South Korean Case

“…Consequently, construction workers have to change their working locations frequently. Researchers showed that workers in the construction industry normally suffer from high rates of mental health problems [10] and on-site accidents [11] but not all of them are offered sufficient health insurance [12]. Moreover, construction projects are becoming more complex and challenging [13].…”