Factors affecting hazard recognition in construction site operations in Nigeria

Abstract

Identifying hazards is necessary for preventing accidents in construction site operations. In light of this assertion, construction professionals must recognise hazards in site operation. However, recognising hazards remains an issue of concern in the construction industry. Invariably, it is expedient that factors affecting hazard recognition be investigated. The study, therefore, aims to examine the factors affecting hazard recognition in construction site operations and test this hypothesis: ‘there is no significant difference in factors affecting hazard recognition among construction professionals based on their work experience’. Adopting a quantitative research design and cross-sectional research strategy, a questionnaire with 13 factors adapted from literature was used to elicit information from construction professionals. From the median calculated, the factor with the highest value was “multiple hazards associated with a single source of the task”. Furthermore, the study discovered a significant difference in six of the thirteen factors affecting hazard recognition. Because of this, it was concluded that the experience of construction professionals affects their perception of the factors affecting hazard recognition for the six factors. All these issues taken into account, safety experts in construction industry responsible for health and safety training should consider the experiences of construction professionals when developing curriculum on hazard recognition.