Risk assessment for hazard exposure and its consequences on housing construction sites in Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Despite housing construction’s economic contribution, the nature of work done is well acknowledged as risky to execute because of the
occupational accidents and work-related hazards to which workers are exposed. Most of the workers experience hazards, owing largely to inadequate or lack of safety infrastructure and mechanisms for protective gear. This article examines varying levels of hazards to which workers are exposed at housing construction sites in Lagos, Nigeria. A mixed methods research was used to collect the  necessary data for the study. From the total number of 511 residential building construction sites identified, simple random sampling technique was used to select 255 (50%) of the buildings. A questionnaire was administered to the supervisors on each site to obtain  information on the exposure of hazards on housing construction sites. In addition, one month’s data on incidents of near miss, accident and fatal cases were obtained from construction managers/supervisors for each site. The data was analysed with frequencies,
percentages and inferential statistics. Construction workers are exposed to multifaceted hazards. Roughly 91% of the respondents had witnessed hazards of varying degrees. Paired t-test values showed that, on average, 25.3 more near misses and 12.4 more accidents happened monthly on sites supervised by individuals/ owners than on sites supervised by trained supervisors. The Pearson’s r test (r = -0.705) showed that not enough first-aid kits were provided on sites to meet the needs of workers. Proper safety mechanisms to ensure strict adherence to safety rules and regulations at construction sites must be developed and enforced.

Keywords: Hazards, construction health and safety, housing construction, risks assessment matrix, Lagos

Ondanks die ekonomiese bydrae van behuisingskonstruksie, word die aard van die werk wat gedoen word, as riskant beskou omdat daar werksongelukke en gevare is waaraan werkers blootgestel word. Die meeste werkers ervaar gevare weens grootliks onvoldoende of gebrek aan veiligheidsinfrastruktuur en meganismes vir beskermingsuitrustings. Hierdie artikel ondersoek verskillende vlakke van gevare waaraan werknemers op die konstruksieterreine in Lagos, Nigerië, blootgestel word. Navorsing met gemengde metodes is gebruik om die nodige gegewens vir die studie te versamel. Uit die 511 geïdentifiseerde konstruksieterreine vir residensiële geboue, is ’n eenvoudige ewekansige steekproefnemingstegniek gebruik om 255 (50%) van die geboue te selekteer. ’n Vraelys is aan die  toesighouers op elke terrein gegee om inligting te bekom oor die blootstelling van gevare op behuisingskonstruksieterreine. Ook een  maand se data oor voorvalle van byna-misse, ongelukke en noodlottige gevalle is verkry van elke deelnemende  konstruksiebestuurder/toesighouer. Die data is geanaliseer met frekwensies, persentasies en inferensiële statistieke.  Konstruksiewerkers word blootgestel aan veelsydige gevare. Ongeveer 91% van die respondente het in verskillende mate gevare gesien. Gepaarde t-toetswaardes het getoon dat gemiddeld 25.3 meer byna-misse en 12.4 meer ongelukke maandeliks plaasgevind het op persele wat deur individue/eienaars onder toesig was as op terreine onder toesig van opgeleide toesighouers. Die Pearson r-toets (r = -0.705) het getoon dat daar nie genoeg noodhulpkissies op die terrein beskikbaar is om in die behoeftes van werkers te voorsien nie. Behoorlike veiligheidsmeganismes om streng nakoming van veiligheidsreëls en regulering op konstruksieterreine te verseker, moet
ontwikkel en toegepas word.

Sleutelwoorde: Gevare, konstruksie-gesondheid en -veiligheid, konstruksie van huise, risiko-assesseringsmatriks, Lagos