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The influence of work pressure on worker attitudes towards health and safety in a platinum mining stope

Identifying factors influencing construction workers’ food choices in Gauteng, South Africa: A pilot investigation

Employers' Contribution Towards Health and Safety Compliance

Client attitude to health and safety – a report on contractor’s perceptions

  • Authors: Musonda, Innocent , Haupt, Theo , Smallwood, John
  • Date: 2009
  • Subjects: Attitude , Botswana , Client , Construction , Health and safety
  • Language: English
  • Type: Journal article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/32882 , uj:16232 , Citation: Musonda, I., Haupt, T., & Smallwood, J.J. (2009). Client attitude to health and safety – a report on contractor’s perceptions. Acta Structilia : journal for the physical and development science 16(2):65-85. ISSN 10230564
  • Description: Abstract: The purpose of this article is to present findings of a preliminary survey on Contractors’ perceptions of clients’ attitude relative to health and safety (H&S) implementation in Botswana’s construction industry and in a way that of the Southern Africa. A questionnaire survey was conducted on construction projects to establish clients’ attitude towards H&S. Interviews were also conducted with contractor’s representatives on selected construction sites in and around Gaborone, Botswana. Findings from the survey include: clients do not perceive H&S to be very important on construction projects, most clients do not address H&S adequately in contract documentation and H&S is rarely a major agenda item in progress meetings. Findings were also that clients are not fully committed to H&S implementation. The client sets the tone for H&S culture. Client attitude is therefore very important for H&S performance improvement as all stakeholders are compelled to act in line with the client’s values. The importance of the client to H&S performance improvement has been recognised by various researchers. The extent to which clients are involved in H&S implementation has however not been researched extensively especially in Southern Africa. This article therefore provides an insight into the clients’ attitude towards H&S and in a way explains the reason for the current state of H&S in Botswana’s construction industry.
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An investigation of factors that assure a zero accident goal in construction sites in Gauteng, South Africa

  • Authors: Van Heerden, J. H. F. , Musonda, I. , Okoro, C. S.
  • Date: 2018
  • Subjects: Construction industry , Gauteng , Health and safety
  • Language: English
  • Type: Conference proceedings
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/282206 , uj:30405 , Citation: Van Heerden, J.H.F., Musonda, I. & Okoro, C.S. 2018. An investigation of factors that assure a zero accident goal in construction sites in Gauteng, South Africa.
  • Description: Abstract: Construction accidents and fatalities bear heavily on companies. Thus, achieving zero accidents on construction projects is a desired goal universally. The present study aims to identify critical conditions or factors to ensure zero accidents on projects. A field questionnaire survey was used to collect data in different locations in Gauteng. Participants were selected using snowballing and judgemental sampling techniques. Empirical data were analysed using EXCEL to output descriptive statistics including mean item scores and standard deviation. The factors were further ranked to identify the most important as perceived by the sampled respondents. The study found that clear H&S goals, regular recording of accidents and incidents, regular tool box talks as well as following strict H&S rules, procedures and processes were the most indicators of a good safety record among the sampled organisations. On the other hand, involving staff in H&S planning and worker incentives did not appear to have much bearing on achieving zero accidents in the organizations sampled. The study was conducted in only one Province in South Africa and may not be generalisable to construction organizations in entire country or other geographical areas. The current research identifies factors necessary to prevent or avoid accidents on construction sites. Continuous health and safety improvement is likely if factors to prevent accidents are taken into account to prevent their occurrence.
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Identifying factors of health and safety (H&S) culture for the construction industry

  • Authors: Musonda, Innocent , Haupt, Theo C.
  • Date: 2011
  • Subjects: Health and safety , Construction industry , LIP+3C culture model
  • Language: English
  • Type: Conference proceedings
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/150621 , uj:1095
  • Description: Purpose: This paper presents a review of previous studies on the subject of H&S culture and outline key H&S culture factors that are necessary to make the concept useful in the construction industry. A conceptualised model LIP+3C is also presented as the outcome of the review Design/methodology/approach: Literature review focused on exploring the conceptual definitions of H&S culture was conducted. A matrix for the identified literature was developed to identify common H&S culture elements. Findings: It was revealed that there is still confusion and lack of consensus on the concept of H&S culture. However, the H&S culture elements of leadership, involvement, procedures, communication, competence and commitment dominate the literature. Research limitations/implications: Literature review was conducted on 15 published peer reviewed journal articles. The validation of the elements found in the study is currently under way although preliminary results confirm the findings. Practical implications: H&S culture has been identified as being of great importance to H&S performance improvement. Identifying culture elements that can easily be implemented and understood will contribute to improving the current H&S status. Originality/value: Adopting the LIP+3C culture model composed of elements that can easily be implemented and understood will contribute to improving the current H&S status
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Improving health and safety culture - a guide for construction clients

Identification of health and safety performance improvement indicators for small and medium construction enterprises: a Delphi consensus study

  • Authors: Agumba, Justus N. , Haupt, Theo C.
  • Date: 2011-09
  • Subjects: Health and safety , Performance improvement , Small and medium construction enterprises , Delphi approach
  • Type: Article
  • Identifier: uj:5323 , ISSN 2281-4612 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/8234
  • Description: This study sought to identify and validate a comprehensive set of health and safety (H&S) leading indicator metrics that will enable small and medium construction enterprises (SMEs) personnel to monitor the level of H&S performance in their projects. The Delphi approach was used where the opinion of H&S experts, academics and industry practitioners were canvassed on 64 potential indicator metrics, categorized in 10 elements or leading indicators that will enable H&S performance improvement e.g. reduction in accidents, injuries, diseases but to name a few. The experts rated each indicator metric on a 10-point Likert scale of impact, where 1= no major impact or 10% impact and 10 = major impact or 100% impact. Consensus was reached on 32 indicator metrics after four successive rounds of Delphi if the indicators attracted final scores of, percentage median impact of 90% to 100% which is 9.00 to 10.00 median rating and over 50% of respondents rating the indicator metrics in the band of 9.00 to 10.00 or 90% to 100% impact to improve H&S performance. The experts had the opportunity to reconsider their scores informed by the group median score in rounds 2, 3 and 4. The limitation of the study was the reliance of a structured questionnaire in the first round as experts were not allowed to add any new indicators, until the fourth round. This study contributes to the H&S body of knowledge where no consensus has been reached pertaining to the indicator metrics that have major impact to improve H&S performance at project level of construction SMEs in South Africa.
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Assuring health and safety (H&S) performance on construction projects - clients' role and influence

Health and safety (H&S) awareness and implementation in Botswana's construction industry

Rasberry Pi and BeagleBones : evaluating a cost effective GPS system for on‐mine navigation

  • Authors: Grobler, H. C. I. , Van der Walt, C.
  • Date: 2017
  • Subjects: Navigation , Health and safety , Mine survey
  • Language: English
  • Type: Article
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/241333 , uj:24843 , Citation: Grobler, H.C.I. & Van der Walt, C. 2017. Rasberry Pi and BeagleBones : evaluating a cost effective GPS system for on‐mine navigation.
  • Description: Abstract: The South African Mine Health and Safety Act (MHSA) requires the mine surveyor to inform the manager of all workings within 100 metres of other workings, abandoned areas and hazardous accumulations of water or gas. The main purpose of this requirement is to ensure that all employees are aware and can take all the necessary precautions against un‐planned breakthroughs, falls of ground and subsidence. In the case where mines are mining through abandoned workings in order to remove remnant pillars and previously unmined reserves, the potential for subsidence and equipment falling into excavated areas become a reality. A single incident where a machine falls into a collapsed working can amount to in excess of R1 million per incident, excluding the risk of loss of life or serious injury. An unplanned collapse of workings in the specific case study can also lead to sufficient air flow into the old underground to cause spontaneous combustion of the remaining pillars. Although systems for navigation of drill rigs exist the cost to deploy a similar unit to all vehicles in the mining area is prohibitive. A low‐cost system that can navigate a vehicle and indicate to the operator what the subsurface features look like in the direct surroundings of the vehicle was developed using off‐the‐shelf technologies. This paper discusses the process of developing a lowcost navigation system towards a real time information management system for a mining operation. Benefits from this system may be applied in underground navigation and guiding rescue services in the search of illegal miners in abandoned mines.
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Identifying worksite intervention strategies to improve construction workers’ nutrition : a review of literature

Designer's contribution to construction health and safety (H&S) - a case study of a public works project

Impact of Health and Safety regulations on Small and Medium‐ Sized Enterprise contractors in Ghana

Health and safety (H&S) awareness and implementation in Botswana's construction industry

Impact significance of construction clients on designers' and contractors' health and safety (H&S) culture - an exploratory Delphi study

Identification of health and safety performance improvement indicators for small and medium construction enterprises : a Delphi consensus study

  • Authors: Agumba, Justus N. , Haupt, Theo C.
  • Date: 2012
  • Subjects: Health and safety , Performance improvement , Small business - Safety measures
  • Type: Article
  • Identifier: uj:5328 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/8623
  • Description: This study sought to identify and validate a comprehensive set of health and safety (H&S) leading indicator metrics that will enable small and medium construction enterprises (SMEs) personnel to monitor the level of H&S performance in their projects. The Delphi approach was used where the opinion of H&S experts, academics and industry practitioners were canvassed on 64 potential indicator metrics, categorized in 10 elements or leading indicators that will enable H&S performance improvement e.g. reduction in accidents, injuries, diseases but to name a few. The experts rated each indicator metric on a 10-point Likert scale of impact, where 1= no major impact or 10% impact and 10 = major impact or 100% impact. Consensus was reached on 32 indicator metrics after four successive rounds of Delphi if the indicators attracted final scores of, percentage median impact of 90% to 100% which is 9.00 to 10.00 median rating and over 50% of respondents rating the indicator metrics in the band of 9.00 to 10.00 or 90% to 100% impact to improve H&S performance. The experts had the opportunity to reconsider their scores informed by the group median score in rounds 2, 3 and 4. The limitation of the study was the reliance of a structured questionnaire in the first round as experts were not allowed to add any new indicators, until the fourth round. This study contributes to the H&S body of knowledge where no consensus has been reached pertaining to the indicator metrics that have major impact to improve H&S performance at project level of construction SMEs in South Africa.
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Client attitude to health and safety (H&S) - a report on contractor's perceptions

Social life cycle assessment in the South African sugar industry: issues and views

  • Authors: Nemarumane, Takalani Musundwa , Mbohwa, Charles
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: Sugar production , Wages , Gender equality , Health and safety
  • Language: English
  • Type: Book chapter
  • Identifier: http://ujcontent.uj.ac.za8080/10210/379828 , http://hdl.handle.net/10210/91577 , uj:20118 , Citation: Nemarumane, T.M. & Mbohwa, C. 2016. Social life cycle assessment in the South African sugar industry: issues and views.
  • Description: Abstract: The South African sugar industry is one of the world’s leading costcompetitive producers of high- quality sugar and makes an important contribution to employment and sustainable socioeconomic development, particularly in rural areas, as well as to the national economy. The South African sugar industry is divided into growers and millers. South Africa produces its sugar from sugar cane, which is a tall tropical grass with thick, solid, tough stems that are a chief commercial source of sugar. The objectives of the study were directed by the guidelines on social life cycle assessment of products developed by the United Nations Environmental Programme and SETAC initiatives. The data were collected using field research, historic comparative research, interviews and questionnaires. The analysis and validation data was done using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences software. The impacts identified and discussed were health and safety, gender equality, and wages; these impacts were analyzed in terms of descriptives and factor matrix. The employers in the sugar industry provide full independence of the operations and procedures of the existing associations, but do not encourage their workers to become members. It was found that workers do not have wagerelated incentives, and that wages have not increased in the past 2 years. The workers reported that they have been discriminated against due to their genders; it was also found that male workers were favored by employers as compared to women, with regard to remuneration, training and development, and promotional opportunities. It was also found that the workers are exposed to unpleasant smells and dust particles in their working environment. Recommendations were made to enable favorable working conditions for both employers and employees.
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Small and medium-sized enterprises contractors' health and safety performance

  • Authors: Mustapha, Zakari , Aigbavboa, Clinton , Thwala, Wellington Didibhuku
  • Date: 2016
  • Subjects: Small business , Health and safety
  • Language: English
  • Type: Conference proceedings
  • Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10210/213934 , uj:21215 , Citation: Mustapha, Z., Aigbavboa, C & Thwala, W.D. 2016. Small and medium-sized enterprises contractors' health and safety performance
  • Description: Abstract: Small and Medium Sized-Enterprise (SMEs) contractors form the bulk, by number, of companies in each industry. SMEs differ significantly from large firms, and these factors affect their compliance level. The study aims to assess the SMEs contractors Health and Safety (H&S) performance in the construction industry. Delphi survey was used for the study. Experts were asked to rate the impact of other factors in predicting SMEs contractors compliance with H&S regulations in Ghana. The rating were based on either the impact was considered to be very high or high. Microsoft EXCEL to analyse the data collected. The output from the analysis was a set of descriptive statistics such as means, median, standard deviations and derivatives of these statistics. The findings from the study shows that changes in company structure, changes in ownership at various stages of growth, lack of H&S experts and short track records of H&S regulations were rated by the experts among the factors that affect the SMEs contractors H&S performance.
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