Health and Safety Challenges on South African Regional Public Sector Projects

The South African construction industry has a poor health and safety (H&S) record, and continues to be noted for H&S non-compliance, injuries, and fatalities. The aim of the study reported on was to evolve a strategy to mitigate H&S non-compliance, injuries including fatalities, design originated hazards, and recurring H&S problems experienced on a provincial Department of Public Works’ (DPW) projects. The study adopted a quantitative approach and focused on seven school construction projects, and included, inter alia, construction project managers (CPMs) based in the provincial DPWs’ project management department that were involved with the projects. The CPMs were surveyed using a selfadministered questionnaire. The study determined that inadequate H&S knowledge and awareness, inadequate H&S management and supervision on site, inadequate worker participation, inadequate H&S training, inadequate designer ‘report’, negligence, unsafe acts and conditions, H&S non-compliance, inadequate Safe Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Safe Working Procedures (SWPs), inadequate commitment of various project stakeholders, ignorance, and poor client H&S leadership are the primary causes of H&S non-compliance, injuries including fatalities, design originated hazards, and recurring H&S problems. Recommendations include: H&S must be included as a project value; H&S must be integrated within the Department’s internal project systems from project inception to project close out, and all stakeholders’ H&S competencies must be enhanced. © 2020 The Authors. Published by Budapest University of Technology and Economics & Diamond Congress Ltd Peer-review under responsibility of the Scientific Committee of the Creative Construction Conference 2020.