Abstract
Construction Clients have been identified in many studies to be of great importance to H&S
performance in the construction industry. However their participation in H&S implementation
remains below the expected and meaningful level. The situation in Southern Africa is not
any different from the rest of the world. Therefore developing strategies that enhance clients’
H&S culture would ensure a gradual and sustained improvement of H&S in the construction
industry.
As a result it was imperative to investigate the feasibility of the postulation that the external
environment has a positive influence on construction clients’ H&S culture and performance.
The study, which was conducted in Botswana and South Africa, utilised the Delphi and
structural equation modelling techniques in order to model and validate the said postulation.
Findings from the Delphi study were that the external environment had a significant impact
on client H&S performance. Further, clients were ‘very likely to’ implement H&S elements
when influence from the external environment factors was evident. The validation from the
structural equation modelling technique further indicated that the influence of the external
environment on clients was statistically significant.
Therefore this paper will report on findings from an investigation on the influence of the
external environment on clients’ H&S performance. The study will highlight the point that
environmental influence on clients is vital in order to achieve an improved H&S performance
in the construction industry.