Evaluating how management safety empowerment influences health and safety compliance on construction sites

F. E. Emuze, T. S. Jatau, J. J. Smallwood

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaperpeer-review

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Abstract

Construction management is often blamed for the poor application and enforcement of safety policies and regulations on worksites. The concept of management safety empowerment (MSE) involves conferring some level of authority on workers, which enable them to communicate safety concerns on their worksites and even stop work when they confirm that their health and safety (H&S) is at risk. This study assesses the level of MSE among construction professionals in Nigeria and South Africa. Data were collected using an explanatory-sequential mixed methods approach. The quantitative data were collected using the MSE dimension on the Nordic occupational safety questionnaire (NOSACQ-50), while questions for the qualitative data were developed from survey findings. A total of 280 responses were subjected to analysis, which reveals low perception levels in both countries, implying that factors such as error reporting, safety voice, H&S knowledge and job satisfaction levels are either non-existent or require improvement. The study concludes that there is a major potential for management to promote H&S compliance through MSE in favour of improved performance. It is recommended that management ensures that the work environment enables error reporting and H&S voice by improving required knowledge among workers.
Original languageEnglish
Publication statusPublished - 7 Dec 2022
Externally publishedYes
Event22nd CIB World Building Congress - RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia
Duration: 26 Jun 202230 Jun 2022

Conference

Conference22nd CIB World Building Congress
Abbreviated titleWBC2022
Country/TerritoryAustralia
CityMelbourne
Period26/06/2230/06/22

Keywords

  • construction
  • empowerment
  • health and safety
  • management
  • communication

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