Effective Regulation and Level of Awareness: An Exposé of the Nigeria’s Construction Industry

Abstract

The preparedness of any organization to minimize the frequency and severity of work related accidents, ill-health, and damage to property is demonstrated by the adoption of a health and safety management system. By its nature, a health and safety management system through its provisions and demands, not only highlights the impact of poor health and safety standards on organizational performance but also encourages greater awareness of health and safety issues and responsibilities. Quite unfortunately, in Nigeria (as in many developing economies) statutory regulation, capable of ensuring the adoption and implementation of health and safety management systems by organizations, seems inadequate or ineffective. The impact of this, as demonstrated by the outcome of survey and literature review, is a general lack of awareness on important health and safety issues among Nigerian construction workers. Equally, there is an inability and or unwillingness by organizations to pay adequate attention to health and safety management. Consequently, the overall health and safety standard, operational capability and corporate image of Nigeria's construction industry have been affected.

Barriers to Construction Health and Safety Self-regulation: A Scoping Case of Nigeria

“…Consequently, they are impracticable in Nigeria [22] failing to address the issues relating to Nigeria. Worse still, the Factories Act is characterized with significant anomalies; thus, authors conclude that it is grossly inadequate [1,2,5,6]. Such anomalies are not limited to the fact that the Factories Act does not cover construction sites and activities, thus the industry is reported as unregulated [1,2,5].…”

“…Worse still, the Factories Act is characterized with significant anomalies; thus, authors conclude that it is grossly inadequate [1,2,5,6]. Such anomalies are not limited to the fact that the Factories Act does not cover construction sites and activities, thus the industry is reported as unregulated [1,2,5]. As a result, some construction contractors adopt and enforce H&S standards, policies and programmes from developed countries [1].…”

“…According to authors, the unregulated nature of the Nigerian construction industry in terms of H&S remains among the factors responsible for the poor state of construction H&S in Nigeria [1,2,5,6]. This is where there is no local H&S legislation covering the Nigerian construction industry [1,5], thus contractors adopt and implement H&S laws and standards from developed countries [1], the local National Building Code [7] which has no legislative backing [8], and the H&S standards set by the oil and gas sector.…”

Nigerian Professional Female Construction Workers in Vocational Occupations: Diversification or Deviation?

“…Therefore, the construction industry is an important sector. Diugwu et al (2012) agree that the construction industry is regarded as the pillar of the domestic economy in many countries.…”

The Need for Environmental and Safety Consciousness for Sustainable Industrial Development in Nigeria: A Review

“…But the reality is that throughout the world, many thousands of people die from their work activities every day, and numerous fatalities are unreported or ignored (ILO, 2014). Out of about 75 percent of hospitalized and ambulatory primary care patients that reported hazardous exposures, 17 percent suspect that their illness is linked to their jobs (Schwartz et al, 1991;Newman, 1995 Diugwu et al (2012) that the failed occupational safety and health (OSH) management system in Nigeria is due to the non-functional OSH regulations and provisions. However, it is argued that enforcement and compliance with OSH regulations are not the stand-alone steps for improving OSH, as improving organisational culture can also improve OSH.…”