Architectural design interventions toward improvement of construction health, safety, and ergonomics in South Africa
- Authors: Goldswain, Craig Colin
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Construction industry -- Safety measures , Construction industry -- Accidents -- South Africa , Architectural design -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: vital:9717 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021060
- Description: The construction industry produces a high rate of accident statistics. Constructors are exposed to a range of construction hazards and risks which manifest themselves in accidents and lead to a high incidence of illnesses, injuries and fatalities. Despite evidence that up to 50 percent of construction accidents can be avoided through mitigation of hazards and risks in the design phase of construction projects, architectural designers do not adequately engage in designing for construction health, safety, and ergonomics. The research localises the problem in the context of South Africa and sets out to develop an architectural design oriented model toward a reduction of construction hazards and risks, which can be engendered through optimisation of tertiary architectural education and through continuing professional development (CPD) programmes. The ultimate aim is to realise a paradigm shift in architectural design relative to construction health, safety, and ergonomics as architectural designers in South Africa still view it as the constructor’s responsibility. The research intertwined a range of secondary data with four provisional studies undertaken in the Eastern Cape Province considered representative of South Africa. This involved both quantitative and qualitative methodologies and were directed at architectural designers registered with the South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP). The provisional studies were published in international conference proceedings and served to gradually provide local insight, and ultimately provided a line of structured questions for use in the main study. The main study was positioned in the action research (AR) paradigm and used focus group (FG) methodology to solicit a vast richness of qualitative data from SACAP registered architectural designers who participated in the FG proceedings. Synthesis of data with literature and the provisional studies gave rise to a provisional model comprising six main model components and a range of sub-components. The provisional model was validated and refined while simultaneously testing the research hypotheses by means of questionnaires directed at the SACAP registered FG participants. The evolved model includes a core model embedded in a greater process model, and implementation and use of the core model relies on appropriate knowledge of architectural designers. It is ultimately recommended that tertiary architectural education institutions and those involved in architectural CPD programmes take ‘upstream design ownership’ and use the model as a basis for designing and implementing appropriate tertiary architectural programmes and architectural CPD offerings. Ultimately the model is not considered as a complete means to an end, and further investigation is needed in order to design and implement the recommended programmes. Only then can we begin to realise a paradigm shift in architectural thinking and practice.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Goldswain, Craig Colin
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Construction industry -- Safety measures , Construction industry -- Accidents -- South Africa , Architectural design -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: vital:9717 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021060
- Description: The construction industry produces a high rate of accident statistics. Constructors are exposed to a range of construction hazards and risks which manifest themselves in accidents and lead to a high incidence of illnesses, injuries and fatalities. Despite evidence that up to 50 percent of construction accidents can be avoided through mitigation of hazards and risks in the design phase of construction projects, architectural designers do not adequately engage in designing for construction health, safety, and ergonomics. The research localises the problem in the context of South Africa and sets out to develop an architectural design oriented model toward a reduction of construction hazards and risks, which can be engendered through optimisation of tertiary architectural education and through continuing professional development (CPD) programmes. The ultimate aim is to realise a paradigm shift in architectural design relative to construction health, safety, and ergonomics as architectural designers in South Africa still view it as the constructor’s responsibility. The research intertwined a range of secondary data with four provisional studies undertaken in the Eastern Cape Province considered representative of South Africa. This involved both quantitative and qualitative methodologies and were directed at architectural designers registered with the South African Council for the Architectural Profession (SACAP). The provisional studies were published in international conference proceedings and served to gradually provide local insight, and ultimately provided a line of structured questions for use in the main study. The main study was positioned in the action research (AR) paradigm and used focus group (FG) methodology to solicit a vast richness of qualitative data from SACAP registered architectural designers who participated in the FG proceedings. Synthesis of data with literature and the provisional studies gave rise to a provisional model comprising six main model components and a range of sub-components. The provisional model was validated and refined while simultaneously testing the research hypotheses by means of questionnaires directed at the SACAP registered FG participants. The evolved model includes a core model embedded in a greater process model, and implementation and use of the core model relies on appropriate knowledge of architectural designers. It is ultimately recommended that tertiary architectural education institutions and those involved in architectural CPD programmes take ‘upstream design ownership’ and use the model as a basis for designing and implementing appropriate tertiary architectural programmes and architectural CPD offerings. Ultimately the model is not considered as a complete means to an end, and further investigation is needed in order to design and implement the recommended programmes. Only then can we begin to realise a paradigm shift in architectural thinking and practice.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
Behaviour-based health and safety management in construction: a leadership-focused approach
- Authors: Okorie, Victor Nnannaya
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Construction industry -- Safety measures , Construction industry -- Accidents -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: vital:9676 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021034
- Description: The construction industry remains a pillar in the South African economy, generating employment and wealth. Nonetheless, the industry is reportedly bedevilled by a high rate of accidents and serious injuries that often lead to permanent deformation and fatalities among workers and the general public. These accidents and injuries manifest due to poor construction health and safety (H&S) performance that is often related to poor H&S leadership of the key project leaders involved in the construction business. Shortcomings pertain to client leadership in terms of involvement and commitment to H&S and project H&S related decisions of professionals (designers, project managers, quantity surveyors and engineers). They also pertain to contractor related aspects such as H&S management systems and leadership at all levels of management. In addition, contractors’ inadequacies of H&S management relative to workplace planning and materials related issues have continued to marginalise H&S performance in construction. The H&S leadership of key project leaders is very important in creating a culture of H&S in the workplace. This study examined the H&S management practices and leadership of the key project leaders that contribute to at-risk work practices or unsafe behaviour of workers. Presently, there is limited or no research in South African construction on how the H&S leadership of the key project leaders contributes to at-risk work practices or unsafe behaviour of workers. The methodology employed in the study included an extensive review of relevant literature, which enabled the field work to proceed unhindered. The quantitative survey and qualitative inquiry was conducted with the key construction participants in South African construction. Focus group discussions and interviews were used in a complementary manner. Accordingly, the sampling technique for the study comprised simple random and purposive sampling. The study revealed apparent poor leadership and lack of involvement and commitment to workers’ H&S by the key project leaders. Notably, there is statistical evidence of poor H&S management practices among contractors in terms of top management commitment to and involvement in project H&S. This statistical evidence includes poor H&S education and training of workers and lack of workers’ involvement and participation in H&S matters, which is the tenet of behaviour-based H&S anagement. The model of leadership influence on worker H&S behaviour developed in this research constitutes an innovative contribution to construction H&S performance improvement through a leadership-focused approach. The study has established a basic level of awareness and understanding among key project leaders in that their upstream decisions during the project planning and construction phases have significant influence on workers’ safe or unsafe behaviour or at-risk work practices. The study strongly advocates transparent leadership, ethical behaviour among clients in public and private sectors, designers’ critical H&S decisions, project managers’ and quantity surveyors’ commitment towards project H&S and contractors’ adoption and implementation of behaviour-based H&S management systems. The developed leadership influence model of worker H&S behaviour in the study provides a useful guide for the key project leaders to realise the desired H&S performance improvement in the South African construction industry.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
- Authors: Okorie, Victor Nnannaya
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Construction industry -- Safety measures , Construction industry -- Accidents -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: vital:9676 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1021034
- Description: The construction industry remains a pillar in the South African economy, generating employment and wealth. Nonetheless, the industry is reportedly bedevilled by a high rate of accidents and serious injuries that often lead to permanent deformation and fatalities among workers and the general public. These accidents and injuries manifest due to poor construction health and safety (H&S) performance that is often related to poor H&S leadership of the key project leaders involved in the construction business. Shortcomings pertain to client leadership in terms of involvement and commitment to H&S and project H&S related decisions of professionals (designers, project managers, quantity surveyors and engineers). They also pertain to contractor related aspects such as H&S management systems and leadership at all levels of management. In addition, contractors’ inadequacies of H&S management relative to workplace planning and materials related issues have continued to marginalise H&S performance in construction. The H&S leadership of key project leaders is very important in creating a culture of H&S in the workplace. This study examined the H&S management practices and leadership of the key project leaders that contribute to at-risk work practices or unsafe behaviour of workers. Presently, there is limited or no research in South African construction on how the H&S leadership of the key project leaders contributes to at-risk work practices or unsafe behaviour of workers. The methodology employed in the study included an extensive review of relevant literature, which enabled the field work to proceed unhindered. The quantitative survey and qualitative inquiry was conducted with the key construction participants in South African construction. Focus group discussions and interviews were used in a complementary manner. Accordingly, the sampling technique for the study comprised simple random and purposive sampling. The study revealed apparent poor leadership and lack of involvement and commitment to workers’ H&S by the key project leaders. Notably, there is statistical evidence of poor H&S management practices among contractors in terms of top management commitment to and involvement in project H&S. This statistical evidence includes poor H&S education and training of workers and lack of workers’ involvement and participation in H&S matters, which is the tenet of behaviour-based H&S anagement. The model of leadership influence on worker H&S behaviour developed in this research constitutes an innovative contribution to construction H&S performance improvement through a leadership-focused approach. The study has established a basic level of awareness and understanding among key project leaders in that their upstream decisions during the project planning and construction phases have significant influence on workers’ safe or unsafe behaviour or at-risk work practices. The study strongly advocates transparent leadership, ethical behaviour among clients in public and private sectors, designers’ critical H&S decisions, project managers’ and quantity surveyors’ commitment towards project H&S and contractors’ adoption and implementation of behaviour-based H&S management systems. The developed leadership influence model of worker H&S behaviour in the study provides a useful guide for the key project leaders to realise the desired H&S performance improvement in the South African construction industry.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2014
The relationship between health and safety and human risk taking behaviour in the South African electrical construction industry
- Authors: Du Toit, Willem Johannes
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Electrical engineering -- Safety measures , Electrical engineering -- Health aspects , Construction industry -- Safety measures , Psychology, industrial
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:9691 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1009529 , Electrical engineering -- Safety measures , Electrical engineering -- Health aspects , Construction industry -- Safety measures , Psychology, industrial
- Description: Mankind, and the development of people, exists due to risk-taking behaviour. It is not that humans should not take risks, but rather the ability to identify the magnitude of risk exposure in order that mankind‟s actions would be so selected as to mitigate exposed risk factors, that no harm should befall them. The approach to health and safety (H&S) has always been to manage H&S environmental factors that could have a negative impact on people, capital, and organisational systems. However, the critical component of human risk-taking behaviour that would have a far greater impact has rarely been acknowledged as part of the drivers that increase risk exposure. Human behaviour is a major contributing factor in accident causation. Although human error cannot be completely eliminated, it should be identified and correctly managed according to each individual‟s risk-taking profile. The reason people decide to take certain risks under certain conditions and the effect it has on H&S management systems is a key component to managing organisational risk exposure. To quantify the value of individual risk-taking behaviour could provide management with better opportunities of lowering the organisational risk exposure. Human risk-taking behaviour is influenced by each individual‟s perception of risk. Such perception of risk will influence decisions on risk-taking behaviour, which in turn is influenced by the individual‟s psychological profile and environmental factors, including character and the impact of a cultural environment. The electrical construction and maintenance industry differs from other similar industries in that the physical entity of electricity requires not only sensory perception for the identification and evaluation of risk factors, but also requires specialised knowledge and testing equipment to evaluate the parameters of electrical installation, plant or equipment. Without such competence, direct exposure to most electrical installations could be fatal. The optimum human resource (HR) solution for managing the risk potential of high risk-taking behaviour is the rating and allocation of specific job tasks that can match and limit the individual potential for risk-taking behaviour and the impact on organisational incident statistics. Maintaining and optimising employee job performance enables organisations to better achieve pre-set goals and missions. Such improvements being a catalyst for better job performance by setting limitations on high risk-taking behaviour, that will improve H&S performance by lowering incident rates.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
- Authors: Du Toit, Willem Johannes
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Electrical engineering -- Safety measures , Electrical engineering -- Health aspects , Construction industry -- Safety measures , Psychology, industrial
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:9691 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1009529 , Electrical engineering -- Safety measures , Electrical engineering -- Health aspects , Construction industry -- Safety measures , Psychology, industrial
- Description: Mankind, and the development of people, exists due to risk-taking behaviour. It is not that humans should not take risks, but rather the ability to identify the magnitude of risk exposure in order that mankind‟s actions would be so selected as to mitigate exposed risk factors, that no harm should befall them. The approach to health and safety (H&S) has always been to manage H&S environmental factors that could have a negative impact on people, capital, and organisational systems. However, the critical component of human risk-taking behaviour that would have a far greater impact has rarely been acknowledged as part of the drivers that increase risk exposure. Human behaviour is a major contributing factor in accident causation. Although human error cannot be completely eliminated, it should be identified and correctly managed according to each individual‟s risk-taking profile. The reason people decide to take certain risks under certain conditions and the effect it has on H&S management systems is a key component to managing organisational risk exposure. To quantify the value of individual risk-taking behaviour could provide management with better opportunities of lowering the organisational risk exposure. Human risk-taking behaviour is influenced by each individual‟s perception of risk. Such perception of risk will influence decisions on risk-taking behaviour, which in turn is influenced by the individual‟s psychological profile and environmental factors, including character and the impact of a cultural environment. The electrical construction and maintenance industry differs from other similar industries in that the physical entity of electricity requires not only sensory perception for the identification and evaluation of risk factors, but also requires specialised knowledge and testing equipment to evaluate the parameters of electrical installation, plant or equipment. Without such competence, direct exposure to most electrical installations could be fatal. The optimum human resource (HR) solution for managing the risk potential of high risk-taking behaviour is the rating and allocation of specific job tasks that can match and limit the individual potential for risk-taking behaviour and the impact on organisational incident statistics. Maintaining and optimising employee job performance enables organisations to better achieve pre-set goals and missions. Such improvements being a catalyst for better job performance by setting limitations on high risk-taking behaviour, that will improve H&S performance by lowering incident rates.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
A model to improve the effectiveness of the Occupational Health and Safety Inspectorate function relative to South African construction
- Authors: Geminiani, Franco Luciano
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Construction industry -- Safety measures
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DTech
- Identifier: vital:9695 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/719 , Construction industry -- Safety measures
- Description: Irrespective of all the efforts made by the Department of Labour (DoL) and other relevant stakeholders to improve the performance of Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) in construction. In the Construction Industry, there is still a very high level of accidents and fatalities in South Africa. Injuries and accidents to workers do not help a community in any nation. The construction industry in South Africa is generally known to be one of the most hazardous and has one of the most dismal OH&S records among all industrial segments with an unacceptably high level of injuries and fatalities resulting in considerable human suffering. A doctoral study was recently conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness and performance of the DoL OH&S Inspectorate in South Africa. The empirical study was conducted among a range of stakeholders: civil engineering and building contractors; OH&S consultants; project managers; DoL inspectors; and designers by means of a questionnaire survey. The methodology adopted in this study included the exploratory and descriptive methods, which entails the technique of observation including the use of questionnaires and data analysis. The salient findings of the study are presented and elucidate that the DoL OH&S Inspectorate is not effective in terms of OH&S relative to the construction industry in South Africa. Conclusions and recommendations included expound that the DoL OH&S Inspectorate is not effectively conducting their duties reinforcing the need for a reviewed OH&S Inspectorate model framework. The proposed structured normative model consists of fundamental elements which would improve the effectiveness of the DoL OH&S Inspectorate. The findings of the study with recommendations are included.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
- Authors: Geminiani, Franco Luciano
- Date: 2008
- Subjects: Construction industry -- Safety measures
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DTech
- Identifier: vital:9695 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/719 , Construction industry -- Safety measures
- Description: Irrespective of all the efforts made by the Department of Labour (DoL) and other relevant stakeholders to improve the performance of Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) in construction. In the Construction Industry, there is still a very high level of accidents and fatalities in South Africa. Injuries and accidents to workers do not help a community in any nation. The construction industry in South Africa is generally known to be one of the most hazardous and has one of the most dismal OH&S records among all industrial segments with an unacceptably high level of injuries and fatalities resulting in considerable human suffering. A doctoral study was recently conducted with the aim of investigating the effectiveness and performance of the DoL OH&S Inspectorate in South Africa. The empirical study was conducted among a range of stakeholders: civil engineering and building contractors; OH&S consultants; project managers; DoL inspectors; and designers by means of a questionnaire survey. The methodology adopted in this study included the exploratory and descriptive methods, which entails the technique of observation including the use of questionnaires and data analysis. The salient findings of the study are presented and elucidate that the DoL OH&S Inspectorate is not effective in terms of OH&S relative to the construction industry in South Africa. Conclusions and recommendations included expound that the DoL OH&S Inspectorate is not effectively conducting their duties reinforcing the need for a reviewed OH&S Inspectorate model framework. The proposed structured normative model consists of fundamental elements which would improve the effectiveness of the DoL OH&S Inspectorate. The findings of the study with recommendations are included.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2008
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