Project – Evaluation of safety performance level on building construction firms

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The building construction firm, which is vital to growth and development, is one of the oldest in the world, indeed as old as civilization itself. Construction activity forecasts the general direction of an economy and for this reason; the industry is often described as a leading economic sector. This indicates the significance of construction industry across generations and developmental stages. Nigeria’s construction sector accounts for 1.4% of its GDP. Even though growth has been observed in the construction sector output, its contribution to total GDP has remained at abysmally low levels. In 1981, the construction sector accounted for 5.8% of Nigeria’s GDP and in the last three decades, Nigeria’s total GDP has raised to approximately 495 times its size. On the contrary, construction sector GDP has only grown to 125 times its size in 1981. It is quite evident that Nigeria is away below realizing its potentials in construction industry despite huge deficit in infrastructure due to the inability of the government to train the indigenous firms. It is the responsibility of every nation to nurture, develop and equip her contractors with the available projects to have the required experience with which to execute all complexities of national construction challenges. In recent years the concept of safety culture has attracted considerable attention especially in the dangerous industries, such as the nuclear industry and off-shore oil industry. The construction industry is regarded as a dangerous industry due to two characteristics; decentralization and mobility. The meaning of decentralization is that the employees are separated by sites. Although regulations and plans are available, they still have to make decision by themselves when facing specific problems. Mobility implies that employees in the construction industry move among the companies, sites, and positions more frequently than those in their traditional industries. Because of these two characteristics, while the promotion of safety management and working condition is achieved in a manner that is used by several industries to consciously improve safety performance, they are inadequate in the construction industry .This is due to decentralization and mobility of the work force. One of the reasons is that in the construction industry, safety performance is more relevant to the human factors. It is especially important for a construction company to improve its safety culture to achieve better safety performance. A positive safety culture means the safety attitude and values of the company are totally accepted by its employees.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

In the developed as well as developing part of the world, construction industry is considered to be one of the most significant industries in terms of contributing to GDP and also in terms of its impact on health and safety of the working population. Construction industry is both economically and socially important. However, the construction industry, at the same time, is also recognized to be the most hazardous. Although dramatic improvements have taken place in recent decades, the safety record in the construction industry continues to be one of the poorest. Research shows that the major causes of accidents are related to the unique nature of the industry, human behavior, difficult work site conditions, and poor safety management, which result in unsafe work methods, equipment and procedures. Emphasis in both developing and developed countries needs to be placed on training and the utilization of comprehensive safety programs.

1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The aim of this project is to evaluate the safety performance level of building construction firms in Owerri, Imo state Nigeria. The specific objectives are;

1. To explore the existing safety procedures, regulations, policies and employee values, attitudes and perception about safety climate of the construction companies.
2. To find safety performance measurement of various construction firms in and around of Owerri zone
3. To understand the safety problems that occurs in the building construction
4. To identify the roots of construction safety problems
5. To give suggestion and recommendation to enhance the safety procedures
6. To develop a strategy that makes safety an integral part

1.4 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study enable the researcher share his experience with others in this aspect of the profession. The building construction firms will see the importance of setting up safety inspection agents who will make routine visit to building construction firms especially public buildings with a view to inculcating a good safety policy on the managers/workers of those building firms. More so, the key determinants of safety performance level among workers are of importance to the human resource manager. This critical evaluation of this relationship between safety performance level and welfare of workers is therefore justifiable and significant because of its effect on the realization of organizational goals. It is also significant because it will guide the management of building construction firms in Owerri and the general public on how to improve the safety and welfare conditions of workers as a means of improving job productivity.

1.5 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

1. This project provides information about various works involved in the construction industry and the safety measures adopted by the companies
2. To make the employee aware of the safety norms and procedures of their companies
3. In a country like Nigeria, safety is all the more important because of lack of social security to the family left behind. Thus, it becomes necessary to consider certain safety measures to prevent accidents

1.6 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Evaluation:  Evaluation is the act or result of evaluating: determination of the value, nature, character, or quality of something or someone.

Safety: Safety is the state of being &quote; safe & quote, the condition of being protected from harm or other danger. Safety can also refer to the control of recognized hazards.

Performance: Performance means the act of doing something, such as your job

Building:  this is a relatively permanent enclosed construction over a plot of land, having a roof and usually windows and often more than one level,

Construction: Construction means the process of building, altering, repairing, remodeling, improving, or demolishing a public infrastructure facility, including any public structure, public building, or other public improvements of any kind to real property. It does not include the routine operation, routine repair, or routine maintenance of an existing public infrastructure facility, including structures, buildings, or real property.

Firms: A firm is an organization which sells or produces something or which provides a service which people pay for. The firm & employees were expecting large bonuses.

Project – Evaluation of safety performance level on building construction firms