AN APPRAISAL OF HEALTH AND SAFETY TRAINING PRACTICES OF SMALL AND MEDIUM CONSTRUCTION FIRMS
AN APPRAISAL OF HEALTH AND SAFETY TRAINING PRACTICES OF SMALL AND MEDIUM CONSTRUCTION FIRMS
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Date
2019-08-08
Authors
ABUBAKAR, Muawiya DODO, Mansir ZAILANI, Muhammad Bello KAISIH, Ezekiel
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Abstract
Small and Medium construction firms constitute a large percentage of construction firms in
developing countries, who in turn are the highest employers of construction labour. The safety of
construction wokers on site is paramount to the overall success of the project as only when workers
are in a sound state of mind and are physically healthy that work can go on efficiently. Safety training
has been identified as one of the factors influencing safety performance in the construction industry.
However, despite the emphasis on the need for effective health and safety practices, poor safety
training practices in some segments of the construction industry have been observed by previous
studies. This paper therefore, aims to appraise the health and safety training practices of small and
medium construction firms in Nigeria. A purposive sampling technique was used to sample the study
population. A quantitative research approach was adopted for this study. The tool used for data
collection was a structured questionnaire which was distributed to safety managers and project
managers in small and medium construction firms. Data colected was analysed using descriptive
statistics whereby the mean was used as a basis to rank the factors studied. Results from analysis
shows that despite these construction firms not having a written health and safety policy, they do
actually engage in health and safety trainings. Furthermore, training for non-managers has been
found to be given more priority in both small and medium construction firms studied as against
training for managers. Training employees on the use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)"
ranked top amongst the most practiced safety training in both small and medium constructon firms.
Small firms ranked PPE training. Orientation for all new hire as well as conducting training for every
new job to be executed were both ranked high by small firms but ranked low by medium firms. The
paper ultimately adds to the existing body of knowledge, and provides an insight to the practices of
health and safety training in small and medium construction firms in Nigeria
Description
'Department of Building, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.