ASSOSA UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF CONSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT

BSC.RESAERCH ON: EVALUATION OF HEALTH AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT

PRACTICE IN ASSOSA BUILDING CONSTRUCTION PROJECT

A research submitted to the Department of Construction Technology and Management of Assosa

University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Bachelor Degree (B.Sc.) in
Construction Technology and Management (CoTM)

By: ID No

1. ABEL MEKUANNET ………………………… 2096/10

2. KUMERA AMBISA ………………………… 1224/10
3. NIGATWA ESAYAS …………………………. 3109/09
4. HELEN SEMAHEGN …………………………. 0364/10
5. BELINA HABTAMU …………………………. 1580/10
6. BELAYNEW ANBIYE ………………………… 0858/10

Advisor: Mulisa A (Msc)

JUNE 21.2022

ASSOSA, ETHIOPIA
DECLARATION

We declare that this research entitled “Evaluation of Health and Safety management Practice
in Assosa Building Construction Project” is our original work. And it has not been submitted
partially or in full and presented by any other person anywhere and that all sources of materials
used for this paper have been acknowledged.

Name of Students Signature Date

1. ABEL MEKUANNET …………………………………………………………..

2. KUMERA AMBISA ………………………………………………………….
3. NIGATWA ESAYAS ………………………………………………………….
4. HELEN SEMAHEGN …………………………………………………………
5. BELINA HABTAMU …………………………………………………………
6. BELAYNEW ANBIYE ……………………………………………………….

Signature Date

ADIVISOR: MULISA A (MSc) ……………………………………………………………….

i|Page
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

First of all we would like to thank the glory of God, who gives us the strength to complete this
thesis proposal successfully.

Secondly, We would also like to acknowledge and express our gratitude to the following parties
to our Advisor Mulisa A (MSc) for their gentle supervision, guidance, expert advice and support
from the beginning to the end of the thesis proposal, and we would like to express our deeply
gratitude and we would like to take this opportunity to offer our heart full appreciation for them.

ii | P a g e
LIST OF ABBREVIATION

OSHA: Occupational Safety and Health Act

GDP: Gross Domestic Product

PPE: Personal Protective Equipment

ILO: International Labor Organization

ASU: Assosa University

E.C: Ethiopian Calendar

iii | P a g e
Contents

DECLARATION...............................................................................................................................................i
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS..................................................................................................................................ii
LIST OF ABBREVIATION...............................................................................................................................iii
ABSTRACT..................................................................................................................................................vii
CHAPTER ONE..............................................................................................................................................1
1INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................................................................1
1.2BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY............................................................................................................1
1.3 Statement of the problem.................................................................................................................4
1.4 Research question.............................................................................................................................5
1.5 Objectives of the study......................................................................................................................5
1.5.1General objective............................................................................................................................5
1.5.2Specific objective.........................................................................................................................5
1.6 Significance of the study....................................................................................................................6
1.7 Scope of the study.............................................................................................................................6
1.8 Limitation of the Research.................................................................................................................6
2 LITERATURE REVIEW.................................................................................................................................8
2.1 Definition of occupational health and safety.....................................................................................8
2.2 Evaluation of occupational health and safety....................................................................................9
2.3 Health and safety issues..................................................................................................................10
2.3.1Site access..................................................................................................................................10
2.3.2 Site boundaries..................................................................................................................10
2.3.3 Welfare facilities................................................................................................................10
2.3.4 Storing and drying clothing and personal protective equipment.......................................11
2.3.5 Drinking Water.................................................................................................................................11
2.4 Accidents in building construction...................................................................................................13
2.4.1 Construction site falls.........................................................................................................13
2.4.2 Machine accidents.............................................................................................................13
2.4.3 Scaffolding accidents.........................................................................................................14
2.4.4 Unsafe construction equipment accidents........................................................................14
2.4.5 Structure Failure on construction site..............................................................................................14

iv | P a g e
2.4.6 Electrical Accidents on Construction Sites........................................................................................15
2.4.7 Fires and Explosions in Construction Site.........................................................................................16
2.5 Costs of Accidents............................................................................................................................16
2.5.1Direct costs........................................................................................................................................16
2.5.2Indirect costs.....................................................................................................................................17
2.6 Types of hazards in construction....................................................................................................18
2.6.1Chemical Hazards..............................................................................................................................18
2.6.2 Physical Hazards...............................................................................................................................18
2.7 Hazard prevention and control measures........................................................................................19
2.8 SAFETY COMMITTEES......................................................................................................................21
2.10 Safety Related Legislations in Ethiopia......................................................................................25
3 METHODOLOGY......................................................................................................................................30
3.1 Description of Study area................................................................................................................30
3.2 Research population and sampling technique.................................................................................30
3.3 Data collection procedure...............................................................................................................30
3.3.1Interview....................................................................................................................................30
3.3.2 Questionnaire...........................................................................................................................31
3.4 Data analysis....................................................................................................................................31
CHAPTER FOUR..........................................................................................................................................32

v|Page
vi | P a g e
ABSTRACT

Occupational safety practice is of utmost importance in the construction industry because the
industry is widely regarded as an accident prone one. There are a lot of researches on
occupational health and safety but attention is not drawn to the performance of the building
construction industry in terms of safety practices in Ethiopia. The overall purpose of this thesis is
to assess the practice of health and safety management practices in Assosa building construction
projects. In order to collect relevant data for the study, the entire work was clustered into a,
interview and Site inspection. Safety is a concern to all in the construction industry, from top
management to the least worker on site. The construction industry is considered one of the most
hazardous industries throughout the world. This paper is organized in four chapters. Chapter
one presents introductions of the study. Chapter two presents the literature review. Chapter
three presents the research methodology. Chapter four presents the budget and Schedule.
Finally, chapter five presents the conclusions and recommendations.

KEY WORDS: Occupational safety and Health Administration, Occupational Safety,

Construction Industries, Safety.

vii | P a g e
CHAPTER ONE

1INTRODUCTION

1.2BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Ethiopia has embarked on a long-term development strategy which aims at achieving

sustainable human development with all pre-requisites for a middle income country by the year
2025. This envisages creation of a strong, diversified, resilient and competitive economy that
can effectively cope with the challenges of development and that can easily adapt to the
changing market and technological conditions in the regional and global economy.

The priorities identified as the essential catalyst for the attainment of the Vision 2025 objective
include development of infrastructure as an important ingredient towards attainment of faster
economic growth.

The construction industry is a fundamental economic sector which permeates most of the other
sectors as it transforms various resources into constructed physical economic and social
infrastructure necessary for socio-economic development. It embraces the process by which the
physical infrastructure are planned, designed, procured, constructed or produced, altered,
repaired, maintained, and demolished.
The construction industry has important contributions to the Ethiopian economy, as
demonstrated by its share in the GDP.

In Ethiopia the sector has registered a remarkable growth, over the last 13 years there has been
increased investment on the development and expansion of various infrastructure projects.
Among the major developments construction of road infrastructure, real estate developments,
university projects and condominium housing projects are some of the examples.

More specifically public infrastructure development projects by ministry of Education and

Health and road infrastructure projects accounts the significant portion of the investment outlay
on construction activities.

1|Page
From ministry of Education giant projects, Assosa University (ASU) is one of forty five new
Universities which were established in 2004 E.C by the Ethiopian government. Benishangul
Gumuz is located in southern part of Ethiopia. This university serves as an important economic
and development center for the surrounding communities by constructing different infrastructure
in its compound. Recently this university has different ongoing projects that constructed in its
compound.

Construction is the process of constructing a building or infrastructure. Construction typically

takes place on location for a known client. Construction as an industry comprises six to nine
percent of the gross domestic product of developed countries. Construction starts with planning,
design, and financing; and continues until the project is built and ready for use.

Large-scale construction requires collaboration across multiple disciplines.

An architect normally manages the job, and a construction manager, design
engineer, construction engineer or project manager supervises it. For the successful execution of
a project, effective planning is essential

Those involved with the design and execution of infrastructure in question must consider zoning
requirements like the environmental impact of the job, the successful scheduling, budgeting,
construction site safety, availability and transportation of building materials, inconvenience to
public caused by construction delay and bidding etc.

Construction is a relatively hazardous, significantly more injuries and lost workdays due to
injuries or illnesses in construction happened than in virtually any other industry. Accidents
during the construction process can similarly result in personal injuries and large expense.
Construction work has been increasing in developing and undeveloped countries over the past
few years. With an increase in this type of work occupational fatalities have increased.
Occupational fatalities are individuals that pass way while on the job or performing work
related tasks within the field of construction it is important to have safe construction sites.

Traditionally, the construction industry has taken a reactive approach to safety. Accordingly,
problems associated with an organization’s safety program are only apparent when there is an
increase in the number of injuries. With increased financial implications associated with
occupational injuries and the emerging pursuit of zero incident projects, construction

2|Page
professionals are exploring the implementation of innovative safety strategies that can be
introduced early in the project development process

The fundamental goal of an effective safety program is to eliminate or reduce safety risk before
work begins. To achieve this goal, it is important to identify as many hazards as possible prior
to commencing work. Unrecognized hazards may have the potential to lead to unanticipated
catastrophic accidents.

The focus of this thesis is to search out the causes and find appropriate procedures to be adapted
so as to minimize accidents during implementation phase of building projects. In this study
different ASU projects that were in construction phase were selected for the purpose of case
study. The basis for choosing case study type was to realize the problem in detail and practical
area.

The rationales for the selection of these projects were based on the following major reasons:

 To get realistic result

 Proximity for ease of site visit (financial & time constraints)
 These projects were implemented with nearly activities of students and different staffs so
as to make a conclusion whether the activity affects the working accident or not.

Occupational safety practice is of utmost importance in the construction industry. Construction

is widely regarded as an accident prone industry and it is said to be a sector with a lot of
accidents and injuries taking place always The reasons construction is risky and prone to safety
risks are;
 because of the physical environment of the work
 nature of the construction work operations
 construction methods
 construction materials
 heavy equipment used
 Physical properties of the construction project itself.

3|Page
In times past, employers were not concern with the health and safety of their employees at
work. An employee was not provided with safety and health equipment and s/he risked getting
hurt at work anytime s/he goes about his/her duties

The leading safety hazards on construction sites include: falls, caught between objects,
electrocutions, and struck by objects, all four of those hazards have caused injuries and deaths
throughout the world of construction sites.

Failures in hazard identification are often due to limited or improper training and supervision of
the construction site workers. Examples of areas where there are limited training includes: tasks
in design for safety, safety inspection, and monitoring safety. Failure in any of these areas can
result in an increased risk in exposing workers to harm in the construction environment.

Falls from heights are the leading cause of injury in the construction industry. Falls can occur
from height, motor vehicle crashes, excavation accidents, electrocutions, machines, and being
struck by falling objects. This is particularly a concern for elder and untrained construction
workers. Large number of workers suffers a serious problem due to different mechanical injury
during the work (occupational hazards).The consequence of these accidents effect on the cost
and time of the project which may contribute a black spot to the overall progress of the projects
and Cause a negative impact on the socio– economic value of the country.

1.3 Statement of the problem

According to Mohammed (2003), the construction industry is concurrently recognized as a major

economic force and one of the most hazardous industries. Accidents not only result in
considerable pain and suffering but marginalize productivity, quality, and negatively affect the
environment and consequently add to the cost of construction. Considering the adverse impacts
of accidents, construction health and safety management is of genuine concern to all stakeholders
in the construction industry. Nevertheless developing countries like Ethiopia seems negligent in
managing health and safety in construction industry. To this end Adane, et al. (2013) argued that
developing countries like Ethiopia are striving hard to improve their basic services by building
schools, hospitals, housing complexes, shops, offices, highways, power plants, industries,
bridges and other infrastructures which are carried out by unskilled labor forces due to this fact
occupational injuries and accidents among these workers are high due to illiteracy, poverty, lack
4|Page
of health and safety training and information on health hazards and risks at the work place. In
this regard, Mbuya and Lema, (2002) pinpoint that in most developing countries, health and
safety consideration in construction project delivery is not given priority and employment of
safety measures during construction is considered a burden. Hence health and safety need to be
identified as a parameter along with the traditional parameters: cost, quality and time, to measure
the success of projects. Thus, the focus of this study therefore lies in the health and safety of
work environment during the construction process and is concerned with the management of
health and safety particularly the measures that are put in place and the challenges encountered
in the health and safety management practice in building construction in Assosa.

1.4 Research question

Some of the questions we trying to address in our research are:-

1. What is the current personal protective equipment exists on site building construction?

2. What are the most factors that affect health and safety management practice in construction
building?

3. What are the methods to prevent and control health and safety management practice on site
building construction?

1.5 Objectives of the study

1.5.1General objective

 The general objective of research proposal is to identify health and safety management
practice in building construction In Assosa building construction projects.

1.5.2Specific objective

 To assess the current provision of personal protective equipment on site construction

building.
 Identify factors that affect health and safety management practice in construction
building.

5|Page
  To recommend the possible solution for health and safety management practice on site
building construction.

1.6 Significance of the study

The importance of this study can be seen in diverse ways. The study could provide bases for the
formulation of effective occupational health and safety policies in the Assosa building
construction project. The piece of work will also provide the opportunity for employees,
employers to identify their specific respective roles in health and safety issues. The work will be
used as reference material for policy makers in making decisions concerning health and safety
practices and policies.

1.7 Scope of the study

Provision of health and safety needs for workers by employers vary and this widely depends on
hazards that workers are exposed to. This study is delimited to the practices of the health and
safety needs of workers of a construction company in Assosa building construction projects.

1.8 Limitation of the Research

Time limitation: - In a research work like this, time is essential. Every section of this
research was given a timeframe within which it was to be presented .However; the researcher
had to combine the exercise with other academic activities at the same time. Again, due to the
fact that the period for the research is short to allow for adequate data collection on the
subject, this could affect the outcome of the work.

Financial constraints: - in the course of the research, the researcher had to spend a lot of money
in the following constraints.
Table 1.1 Financial constraints
No. Types Birr
1 Typing & printing of the research paper 1500
3 Allowances to research assistants 500
4 Travelling 200

6|Page
 5 Transport cost to the site to gather information 400
6 For contingency 1000
Total 3600

1.9 Organizational of the study

Chapter One: Introduction – the introductory chapter comprises the background information,
the problem statement, aims and objectives, scope of the study, limitations and organization of
thesis.

Chapter Two: Literature review – the literature review emphasizes the previous works of
numerous authors related to the study, discussing some of the literature related to the root of
health and safety management practice in construction building.

Chapter Three: Methodology – this chapter highlights the methodology utilized to drive
through the study to establish the aims and objectives. It also discusses the sample size, data
collection instruments and how these were administered.

Chapter Four: Results and discussion – through this chapter analyses and results of the
contextual data collected were shown, the findings from questionnaire and interview will be
analyzed.

Chapter Five: Conclusions and recommendations – Based on the analysis, this chapter
concludes the study and offers recommendations.

7|Page
 CHAPTER TWO

2 LITERATURE REVIEW

Health and safety are among the major concerns in building construction projects. For the
purpose of making any meaningful and realistic conclusion on the data drawn from the study, it
is important that a closer look is taken at similar works done on occupational health and safety
with reference to job performance and review some of the literatures pertinent to the study, in
order for comparison, confirmation and differences to be laid bare. Due to this, this chapter is
meant to contain the review of various literatures considered to be relevant to the study. (Hand
book of OSHA construction safety and health , 2007)

2.1 Definition of occupational health and safety

Occupational health and safety (OSHA, 2001) is a discipline with a broad scope involving many
specialized fields. In its broadest sense, it should aim at:

 the promotion and maintenance of the highest degree of physical, mental and social
well-being of workers in all occupations;
 the prevention among workers of adverse effects on health caused by their working
conditions;
 the protection of workers in their employment from risks resulting from factors
adverse to health;

In other words, occupational health and safety encompasses the social, mental and physical well-
being of workers that is the “whole person”.

Occupational health issues are often given less attention than occupational safety issues because
the former are generally more difficult to confront.

The important point is that issues of both health and safety must be addressed in every
workplace. By and large, the definition of occupational health and safety given above
encompasses both health and safety in their broadest contexts.

8|Page
  The Cambridge Advanced Learner’s Dictionary defines “welfare’ as “well-being”.
Therefore, health and safety are strictly aspects of employee welfare, which have been
separately identified as being significant areas of welfare provision for sometimes.
Cascio, Wayne(1986) defines safety hazards as those aspects of the work environment
that have the potential of immediate and sometimes violent harm to an employee; for
example, loss of hearing, eye sight, or body parts, cuts, sprains, bruises, broken bones,
burns and electric shock.
 Health hazards as those aspects of work environment that slowly and cumulatively
(and often irreversibly) lead to deterioration of an employee’s health; for example:
cancer, poisoning and respiratory diseases.
 Typical causes include physical and biological hazards, toxic and carcinogenic dusts
and chemicals and stressful working conditions (Cole, 1991).

Health refers to a general state of physical, mental and emotional well-being (Robert and John,
2004).

A healthy person is free of illness, injury or mental and emotional problems that impair normal
human activity. Health management practices in organizations strive to maintain the overall
well-being of individuals.

Safety on the other hand refers to protecting the physical well-being of people (Robert and
John, 2004).

The main purpose of effective safety programs in organizations is to prevent work related
injuries and accidents. The purpose of security is to protect employees and organizational
facilities.

2.2 Evaluation of occupational health and safety

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, employers ran their businesses as they saw fit to make
profit. Employee safety and health were not their concern. In fact, in official terms these things
were nobody’s concern. In the U.S. injured employees had to litigate to obtain compensation for
their injuries. The cost of doing so effectively prevented employees from going to court.
Besides, employees were rarely successful since, under common law, if the employee knew of

9|Page
the hazards the job entailed or if the injuries were brought about as a result of the negligence of
the employee or a co-worker, the employer was not liable.
From these origins, there has emerged an approach and practice with regard to health, safety and
welfare issues. The national safety council had been established in 1913 in the U.S. after safety
conscious managers and engineers spearheaded its founding (major disasters led to changes in
thinking). Significantly the international labor organization 1959 provided that occupational
health services should be established in or near a place of employment for the employee welfare.
(International Labor Organization, 2000)

2.3 Health and safety issues

2.3.1Site access

There should be safe access onto and around the site for people and vehicles. Plan how vehicles
will be kept clear of pedestrians, especially at site entrances where it may be necessary to
provide doors or gates to achieve this segregation.

Doors that open onto traffic routes may need viewing panels or windows. Your plan should
include how vehicles can be kept clear of pedestrians at vehicle loading/unloading areas, parking
and maneuvering places and areas where drivers’ vision may be obstructed (Boyd.
(2003).Human Resource Management and Occupational Health and Safety, London: Rout ledge)

2.3.2 Site boundaries

Construction work should be fenced off and suitably signed. This will protect people (especially
children) from site dangers and the site from vandalism and theft. For some jobs the workplace
will have to be shared. Perhaps the work will be done in an operating factory or office. Agree
who has to control each area. Agree what fences, barriers, means of separation or permits to
work are required to keep both construction workers away from hazards created by others and
other people away from hazards created by the construction work; site rules might be needed.
Make sure there is a system to ensure necessary precautions are kept in place during working
hours and that night-time and weekend protection is put in place as required before the site
closes. (PANTOM, Vision Research, Case Study Construction Site Safety).

10 | P a g e
 2.3.3 Welfare facilities

Everyone who works on any site must have access to adequate toilet and washing facilities, a
place for preparing and consuming refreshments and somewhere for storing and drying clothing
and personal protective equipment. Principal contractors and others who have control over
construction sites are responsible for providing or making available site welfare facilities.
Employers are also responsible for ensuring that welfare facilities are adequate for their
employees.

The welfare facilities should be sufficient for everybody who is working on the site. If facilities
such as toilets and canteens provided by someone else are to be used, check that they are suitable
and properly maintained. They should be kept clean, warm and properly ventilated and lit.
Welfare facilities should be easily available to people working on the site. Toilets need to be
easily accessible from where the work is being done. Washing facilities should be as close as
possible to the toilets. Washing facilities also need to be close to canteens and rest rooms so that
people can wash before eating. In almost all cases, these facilities will be provided on site.
Where the work is of short duration, arrangements still need to be made for welfare facilities. If
mobile gangs are employed to work at a number of locations over a few days (e.g. road repair
and cable laying gangs), facilities can be provided at a central location. This is on condition that
they are available to workers within reasonable walking distance or within a reasonable time,
taking into account the available transport. Workers should not be left to make their own
arrangements on an ‘as and when required’ basis. (Guide to Best Practice for Safer Construction:
Case studies by Kerry Brown, Rachel Ryan & Michael Charles).

2.3.4 Storing and drying clothing and personal protective equipment

Make sure there are proper arrangements for storing:

 Clothing not worn on site (e.g. hats and coats)

 Protective clothing needed for site work (e.g. Wellington boots, overalls, gloves etc
 personally issued equipment (e.g. ear defenders, goggles, harnesses etc)

Separate lockers might be needed, although on smaller sites the site office may be a suitable
storage area, provided it is kept secure. Where there is a risk of protective site clothing
contaminating everyday clothing, store items separately.

11 | P a g e
 2.3.5 Drinking Water

Make sure there is a supply of drinking water. It is best if a tap direct from the mains is available,
otherwise bottles or tanks of water may be used for storage. If water is stored, it should be
protected from possible contamination and changed often enough to prevent it from becoming
stale or contaminated. The tap should be clearly marked if it is possible to confuse the drinking
water supply with other water supplies or other liquids such as:

 those not fit for consumption (e.g. water from storage tanks used for wheel
washers); or
 Certain toxic materials (e.g. from taps to pipelines in factories).

Cups or other drinking vessels should be available at the water tap, unless the water I supplied as
an upward jet that can be drunk from easily (e.g. a drinking fountain). Adan, E. (2004). Factors
affecting Safety on Construction Projects. Department of Civil Engineering, Palestine

2.3.6 Housekeeping

Plan how the site will be kept tidy and how housekeeping will be actively managed: Laws of
Kenya. (1962). the Factories Act Chapter 514. Nairobi: Government Printer

 Keep walkways and stairways free of tripping hazards such as trailing cables, building
materials and waste. This is especially important for emergency routes. Make sure that
all flammable waste materials (such as packaging and timber off cuts) are cleared
away regularly onto reduce fire risks;
 keep inside floor areas clean and dry;
 Outdoor footpaths should be level and firm and should not be used for storing
materials.

If materials are stored at height (e.g. on top of a container or on a scaffold gantry), make sure
necessary guard rails are in place if people could fall when stacking or collecting materials or
equipment. Keep all storage areas tidy, whether in the main compound or on the site itself. Try to
plan deliveries to keep the amount of materials on site to a minimum.
2.3.7Provision of First-Aid
The rule is that employers are to provide first-aid facility for every employee on a work site. It is
required by law that employers are to provide first-aid room properly constructed and accessible

12 | P a g e
for purpose of rest and treatment, and it should be operational during working hours. There is
also a legal requirement that obliges employers to draw Compulsory Insurance against injuries
and fatal accidents that may occur at workplaces. Laws of Kenya. (1962). the Factories Act
Chapter 514. Nairobi: Government Printer.

2.3.8 Lighting

Richard F., David L., Robert N. & Sydney U. (2002). Construction management in practice (2nd
edition). London: Blackwell science Ltd. Every part of the site that is in use should, as far as
possible, be arranged so that natural light is available for people to see to do their work and move
about the site safely. Where natural light is inadequate or not available, artificial lighting should
be provided. Where work will continue outside daylight hours or the building or structure is
enclosed, artificial lighting will be required. Make sure that any artificial lighting does not
change the apparent color or visibility of any safety signs or other safety-related items such as
fire extinguishers.

2.4 Accidents in building construction

Accidents can be defined as ―any avoidable action by personnel or any failure of equipment,
tools or other devices that interrupts production and has the potential of injuring people or
damaging property (Oglesby et al. 1989). The nature of construction project itself has potential
hazards of accidents since its uniqueness, open space, exposure to weather, involving many
unskilled labors, tight schedule of short targeted project duration, workers turn over and working
at height, confined space and psychologically and physically vulnerably working environment.
Some of the most common types of construction accidents include: construction site falls, crane
accidents, scaffolding accidents, workers being run-over by operating equipment, electrical
accidents, trench collapses, fires and explosions, and welding accidents.

According to OSHA Book accident in building construction is categories under:

2.4.1 Construction site falls

Common construction site falls include roof related falls, crane falls, scaffolding falls, elevator
shaft falls, falls resulting from holes in flooring, and falling objects. Proper protection equipment
and safety precautions are necessary to protect the lives of workers.

13 | P a g e
 2.4.2 Machine accidents

Crane accident deaths can arise from a number of factors, including lightning, high winds,
defective cranes, falls, electrocution, and other hazards associated with construction at heights.
Many crane accidents can be avoided with proper training and safety procedures.

2.4.3 Scaffolding accidents

Scaffolding is a temporary structure used to support people and material in the construction or
repair of buildings and other large structures. It is estimated that 65 percent of the construction
industry works on scaffolds frequently. The use of scaffolding is necessary in the construction
industry. Some of the most dramatic structures that have been built by humans relied on
scaffolds to get the job done. Many of construction workers injured in scaffold accidents
connected the event with planking or supports giving way or the employee slipping or being
struck by a falling object. Most scaffolding accidents can be avoided through proper training and
preventative measures. (Health refers to a general state of physical, mental and emotional well-
being (Robert and John, 2004).

2.4.4 Unsafe construction equipment accidents

The size and power of the machines and equipment used in the construction industry can be
responsible for some of the most grievous injuries if not used carefully and professionally.

Construction equipment, like every other type of machinery, can experience mishap and failure
particularly if it is overused or improperly maintained. Everything from cranes to forklifts to
scaffolding and ladders can cause potentially fatal accidents with the failure of a manufacturer to
provide safe equipment or with the negligence of those responsible for repair and maintenance.

(Hand book of OSHA Construction safety and health , 2008)

2.4.5 Structure Failure on construction site

By definition, a structure failure takes place when a building or other structure breaks in such a
way that it cannot carry as great a load as it could before failure. Structure failures can be
catastrophic and result in major injury and loss of life. Safety of the public is compromised for
financial gain or time constraints, the designer and the contractor should be responsible for the
works they produce

14 | P a g e
Accident - defined by the Health and Safety Executive as ‘any unplanned event that results in
injury or ill health of people, or damage or loss to property, plant, materials or the environment
or a loss of a business opportunity.

Accidents happen in construction due to the following factors:

 Physical hazards
 Environmental hazards
 Human factors
 No safety regulations or poor ones
 Poor communication within, between, and among various trades working on a job site
Accidents should not be viewed as inevitable just because hazards exist for every accident that
occurs, there is a cause Herbert W. Heinrich – Traveler’s Insurance Company In the late 1920’s,
studying reports of 75,000 workplace accidents, he concluded the following:

 88% of accidents are caused by unsafe acts committed by fellow workers

 10% of accidents are caused by unsafe conditions
 2% of accidents are unavoidable

Five factors in sequence leading to an accident:

 Ancestry and social environment. Negative character traits that may lead people to
behave in an unsafe manner can be inherited (ancestry) or acquired as a result of the
social environment.
 Fault of person. Negative character traits, whether inherited or acquired, are why
people behave in an unsafe manner and why hazardous conditions exist.
 Unsafe acts and mechanical or physical hazards. Unsafe acts committed by people
and mechanical or physical hazards are the direct causes of accidents.
 Accident. Typically, accidents that result in injury are caused by falling or being hit
by moving objects.
 Injury. Typical injuries resulting from accidents include lacerations and fractures.
 Two central points:
 Injuries are caused by preceding factors
 By removing the unsafe act or hazardous condition, the action of these preceding
factors is negated and the accidents/injuries are prevented.

15 | P a g e
 2.4.6 Electrical Accidents on Construction Sites

It is estimated by OSHA that nearly 350 construction workers die every year from electrical
accidents. A few causes of these fatalities include electric shock, electrocutions, steam accidents,
and power line contact. The risks of these hazards are heightened for workers who perform their
jobs on scaffolding or in cranes near overhead power lines.

2.4.7 Fires and Explosions in Construction Site

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration have determined that workplace fires and
explosions kill 200 and injure more than 5,000 workers each year. For these reasons, special
safety guidelines have been established to prevent construction accidents arising from fires and
explosions. A fire plan should exist at construction sites so that workers can be safely evacuated
in the event of fires and explosions. These accidents can result in a great number of injuries,
including burns that can result in extensive pain and even death. Fires and explosions are perhaps
the most dynamic and tragic construction accidents that can occur.

2.5 Costs of Accidents

Accidents cost money-and thus result in less profit and low qualities Project out come. Money
lost because of accidents is not like money spent for material or wages. There is no return on
money spent on accidents. Although the amounts vary, in no case do any currencies fully
compensate an employee for his lost time lost working capacity and his suffering.
Hand book of Wayne, Cacio (1992) states that employers frequently complain that there is no
systematic method of quantifying costs and benefits when dealing with employees’ safety and
health conditions. Boyd. (2003) states that for each of these levels of safety and health
programmed, investment costs are measurable. They include the salaries and wages of
employees participating in the programmed, the costs of outside services used and the costs to
implement the programmers’.

These costs can be classified as either direct (insured) or indirect (uninsured) ENGR. Rupert T.
Faulkner& ENGR. Alexander B. Gutierrez, construction health & Safety management
lecturers, 2015 G.C

16 | P a g e
 2.5.1Direct costs

Are costs which include compensation, insurance premiums and in some cases, medical
expenses. For example:

 Worker’s compensation
 Insurance provided hospital and medical care
 Substance payments, and
 Rehabilitation and other benefits by law injured workers and their families are the
major direct cost components

2.5.2Indirect costs

These are costs, which are more difficult to determine; but are estimated by national
safety council to about equal to (and some times higher than) the insured costs. And these
costs include the following:
1) Production losses that arise from partial or complete shutdown due to:
 Damage of materials, equipment or production area
 Emotional upset and lowered employee morale which tends to lower the production
 Increased tension resulting in an increase of materials spoiled pieces rejected
 Replacement employee(s) who produce less while being trained to fill injured
worker’s job
2) Time lost by supervisors due to:
 Assisting injured employee
 Investigating the accident
 Preparing accident report
 Hiring and training new employee(s)
 Attending hearings conducted by the court
3) Time lost by co-workers of injured employees:
 In aiding injured person(s)
 Because of curiosity
 Because of sympathy
4) Other losses:
 Loss of business because of late deliveries

17 | P a g e
  Loss of goodwill and prestige
 Grievances, cost of impairment of employer-employee relationship

2.6 Types of hazards in construction

A hazard is the potential for harm. In practical terms, a hazard often is associated with a
condition or activity that, if left uncontrolled, can result in an injury or illness (Elaine, 2002) It
is often asked why construction hazards exist, According to handbook of OSHA construction
safety and health (Charles D. Reese, .2007).

 Chemical
 Physical
 Biological

2.6.1Chemical Hazards

Chemicals can exist in the form of

 dusts, fumes, fibers (solids)

 liquids, mists
 gases, vapors

Examples of chemical hazards found in construction work:

 asbestos
 lead
 silica
 cadmium
 carbon monoxide welding fumes
 spray paints
 cutting oil mists
 solvents

2.6.2 Physical Hazards

Physical hazards are different types of energy which may be hazardous to workers.

18 | P a g e
  Noise
 Vibration
 Temperature extremes

2.6.3 Biological Hazards

Exposure may occur during demolition, renovation, sewer work, work on air handling systems,
or other construction work from contact with contaminated or disease-carrying

 Soil
 Water
 insects (mosquitoes, ticks)
 bird, bat droppings
 animals
 structures

2.7 Hazard prevention and control measures

Continually review the work environment and work practices to control or prevent workplace
hazards. Systems used to prevent and control hazards include (OSHA, 2002):
2.7.1 Personal Protective Equipment
Employers must protect employees from hazards such as falling objects, harmful substances, and
noise exposures that can cause injury. Employers must:
 Use feasible engineering and work practice controls to eliminate and reduce hazards.
 Use personal protective equipment (PPE) if the controls don’t eliminate the hazards.
PPE is the last level of control.
When PPE is required to protect employees, it must provide by the employer at no cost to
employees, except for specific items, such as:
 Safety-toe footwear
 Prescription safety eyewear
 Everyday clothing and weather-related gear
Table 1.2 Examples of PPE
Body Part Protection

19 | P a g e
 Eye Safety glasses, goggles
Face Face shields
Head Hard hats
Feet Safety shoes
Hands and Arms Gloves
Bodies Vests Hearing Earplugs, earmuffs

2.7.2 Engineering Control

If the work environment can be physically changed to prevent employee exposure to the
potential hazard, then the hazard can be eliminated with an engineering control
Example:
 Initial design specifications
 Substitute less harmful material
 Change process
 Enclose process
 Isolate process
2.7.3 Work Practice Control
If Employees can change the way they do their jobs and the exposure to the potential hazard is
removed, then the hazard can be eliminated with a work practice control.
Hand book of Turner and Lawrence. (1965) identify some measures to overcome occupational
health and hygiene problems. These are:

 Dominating the hazard at source through design and process engineering

 Isolating hazardous processes and substances so that workers do not come into
contact with them.
 Changing the processes or substances used, to promote better protection or
eliminate the risk.
 Providing protective equipment but only if changes to the design, process or
specification cannot completely remove the hazard.
 Training workers to avoid risk.
 Good housekeeping to keep premises and machinery clean and free form toxic
substances.

20 | P a g e
  Pre-employment medical examinations and regular checks on those exposed to risk.
 Ensuring that ergonomic considerations (thus, those concerning the design and use
of equipment, machines, processes and workstations) are taken into account in
design specifications, establishing work routines and training.
 Maintaining and preventing medicine programs which develop health standards for
each job and involve regular audits of potential health hazards and regular
examinations for anyone at risk.
 Maintaining plant and equipment to eliminate the possibility of harmful emissions,
controlling the use of toxic substances and eliminating radiation hazards. Holt and
Andrews.(1993) suggest the following steps to be taken to increase the
effectiveness of safety:
 Avoid negatives – successful safety propaganda should contain positive messages
not warnings of the unpleasant consequences of actions.
 Expose correctly – address the message to the right people at the point of danger.
 Maximize comprehension – message should be simple and specific

2.8 SAFETY COMMITTEES

Cole. (2001) Regulations relating to safety representatives also include obligations regarding
the establishment and operation of safety committees at the workplace. The overall objective of
a safety committee is the promotion of co-operation between employers and employees in
investigating, developing and carrying out measures to ensure the health and safety of the
employees at work.

Cole. (2002) identifies key functions of safety committees. These include:

 Studying trends in accidents, etc, with the view to making suggestions for corrective
actions.
 Examining safety reports and making proposals for avoiding accidents, etc.
 Examining and discussing reports from safety representatives.
 Making proposals for new or revised safety procedures
 Acting as a link between the organization and the enforcement agency (the health
and safety inspectorate).

21 | P a g e
  Monitoring and evaluating the organization’s safety policies, and making proposals
for changes, it necessary. A safety committee generally meets at regular scheduled
times and has specific responsibilities for conducting safety reviews, and makes
recommendations for changes necessary to avoid future accidents.

2.9 SAFETY AND HEALTH PROGRAM

Hand book of Wayne, Casio (1992) a workplace safety and health program is a definite plan of
action designed to prevent injuries and occupational diseases.
Effective workplace safety and health programs have been proven to reduce injuries and illnesses
in the workplace, and it is the basis for all safety and health activities. Simply, it is a master plan
to:
 Identify and control hazards before they cause injuries or illnesses; and
 Respond to emergencies.
An effective safety and health program benefits all workplaces. Safety program is an integrated
component of operation in any construction company. The Organizational structure and policies
depend from company to company. But any safety Program must receive the full support of the
entire organization, beginning with the top Management and continuing down through the ranks
to include the project superintendents, Foremen and workers. It is the responsibility of
management to inaugurate the program and to contribute the continuing support necessary to
keep the operation effectively Even though, the scope differs, any typical safety program should
incorporate at least the Following Managerial leadership to assume responsibility and declare
policy.
 Assignment of responsibility to operating officials, safety directors and supervisors
 Inspection and maintenance of safe working condition.
 Establishment of appropriate safety training.
 An accident recording system for analysis of future planning (including injury
reports, measurement of result, corrective action and follow up).
 Medical and first aid system (including pre-placement examination, treatment of
injuries, first aid services, periodic health examination).
 Acceptance of personal responsibilities by employees for training and maintenance of
interest.

22 | P a g e
  Two-way communication
The criteria’s that must the program meet are the following:
Hand book of Turner and Lawrence. (1965) identify some measures to overcome occupational
health and hygiene problems.
 Safety and health programs need to be workplace specific. A program developed for
one workplace may not meet the needs of another.
 To be effective, a workplace safety and health program needs the active support and
commitment of senior management. Doing the job safely must be as important as
doing it efficiently and effectively.
 The workplace safety and health program needs worker involvement. It must be
developed in Consultation with your workplace safety and health committee.
 Everyone must be held accountable for carrying out his or her responsibilities for
making the safety and health program succeed.
 Each of the program’s elements must be in writing.
 The program must also address the safety and health of contractors, contracted
employer(s) or self-employed person(s), and their workers.
 The program must be effectively communicated to all employees.
 A safety and health program is a ‘living thing’ that should be constantly adapted,
evaluated, and enhanced to make the workplace safer. Write a policy that
demonstrates your commitment.
 Have adequate systems to identify and control hazards.
 Identify what people, resources, and procedures are needed to deal with emergencies.
 Prepare a statement of responsibilities for safety and health (who is responsible for
what).Schedule regular and ‘surprise’ planned inspections.
 Develop plans to control chemical and biological hazards.
 Develop procedures to maintain safety and health when contracted employers are
brought in to do certain work.
 Develop training plans for workers and supervisors.
 Develop a procedure to investigate incidents, dangerous occurrences, and refusals to
work.
 Develop ways to involve workers in the program.

23 | P a g e
  Regularly evaluate and revise your program.

Benefits of safety and health programs

Hudges P.& Ferrett E. (2008). Introduction to Health and Safety in Construction, (3rd Edition).
Oxford: Elsevior Ltd
 A good workplace safety and health program can reduce incidents, injuries, and
illnesses.
 A good program demonstrates the employer’s commitment to leadership and to
protecting the safety and health of employees.
 A good program shows the employer is serious about making safety and health a core
value in the organization and building it into all operations throughout the
organization.
 A good program provides both an internal and external motivation to continuously
improve.
 A good program allows you to clearly state ‘who is responsible for what’ within your
organization’s safety and health system.
A good program can make your organization more effective because:
(Hand book of construction safety and health , 2007)lath (Charles D. Reese, .2007).
 the principles of a safety and health program can often be applied to production,
quality control, and other areas; and
 More and more organizations require contracted employer(s) or self-employed
person(s) to have effective safety and health programs in order to qualify for bids.
A good safety and health program can significantly reduce costs from:
 harm to people and damage to property
 retraining and replacement costs
 lost or delayed production
 reduced competitiveness
 increased insurance costs
 fines and legal costs
 damage to reputation and resulting lost business

24 | P a g e
 2.10 Safety Related Legislations in Ethiopia

Nowadays most countries have established legislation and rules in the areas of occupational
health and safety. Although standards and codes of safety vary from country to country, most
codes of safety require first aid and protective equipment in the work place. These rules make
the employer and the supervisory personnel responsible for compliance with these codes and
standards for suitable safety instruction to the workers. In turn, the employee is required to
make use of safeguards provided for his/her protection and to conduct his/her work in
conformance with the established safety rules.

Unlike many countries, in Ethiopia there is one comprehensive labor law that is operating in
order to address all aspects of ensuring labor relation to be governed with basic fundamental
rights and obligation focusing on industrial peace in all work places. The law is also formulated
in order to guarantee and maintain all fundamentals rights at work and to define the powers and
duties of the organ charged with enforcing of the implementation of the ideals of the law which
is tantamount to the labor inspectorates. The law applies to all employer employee relationship
or undertaking that employs one or more persons. According to Mohammed (2003),

2.11 The Labor Proclamation No 377/03.

The Labor Proclamation No. 377/2003 is the principal national legislation on labor issues. The
Proclamation covers all establishments with one or more worker and addresses a wide range of
issues such as employment relations and contracts, obligations of employers and workers, wages
and working time, working conditions and occupational safety and health, occupational injuries,
labor disputes and conciliation.

The law has different chapters dealing with all aspects of the labor administration systems. The
following are the major ones.

 Obligations of an Employer (article 12)

An employer shall in addition to special stipulations in the contract of employment have the
following obligations:

 To provide work to the worker in accordance with the contract of employment and
unless otherwise stipulated in the contract of employment, to provide him with
implements and materials necessary for the performance of the work;

25 | P a g e
  to pay the worker wages and other emoluments in accordance with this Proclamation
or the collective agreement;
 to respect the worker's human dignity;
 to take all the necessary occupational safety and health measures and to abide by the
standards and directives to be given by the appropriate authorities in respect of these
measures;
 to observe the provisions of this Proclamation, collective agreement, work rules,
directives and orders issued in accordance with law, and.
 Filing government accident reports
 Posting safety notices and legislative information
 Education and training on health and safety precautionary measures
 Obligations of the Workers (article 13)

Every worker shall have the following obligations:

 to perform in person the work specified in the contract of employment;

 to follow instructions given by the employer based on the terms of the contract and
work rules;
 to handle with due care all instruments and tools entrusted to him for work;
 to report for work always in fit mental and physical conditions;
 to give all proper aid when an accident occurs or an imminent danger threatens life
or property in his place of work without endangering his safety and health;
 to inform immediately the employer any act which endangers himself or his fellow
workers or which prejudice the interests of the undertakings;
 to observe the provisions of this Proclamation, collective agreement, work rules and
directives issued in accordance with the law
 The rights to know about workplace safety hazards.
 The right to participate in the occupational health and safety process.
 The right to refuse unsafe work if they have “reasonable cause” to believe that the
work is dangerous
 Working Conditions of Young Workers.

26 | P a g e
 In article 89 of the same law it has been clearly stipulated that young worker is “a person who
has attained the age of 14 but is not over the age of 18 years. In the same article sub article two,
it is clearly spelt out that it is prohibited to employ persons below 14 years. The same article
provides that it is prohibited to employ young workers which on account of its nature or due to
the condition in which it is carried out endangers the life or health of the young workers
performing it.

 Occupational Safety, Health and Working Environment.

Article 92 clearly spells out the fundamental obligations of an employer with regard to putting
in place of all the necessary measures in order to ensure, work places are safe, healthy and free
of any danger to the wellbeing of workers. In the same article the employer is obliged to take, in
particular the following measures to safeguard the health and safety of the workers;

 comply with the occupational health and safety requirements provided for in this
Proclamation;
 take appropriate steps to ensure that workers are properly instructed and notified
concerning the hazards of their respective occupations and the precautions necessary
to avoid accident and injury to health; ensure that directives are given and also
assign safety officer; establish an occupational, safety and health committee of
which the commit- tee's establishment, shall be determined by a directive issued by
the Minister;
 provide workers with protective equipment, clothing and other materials and instruct
them of its use;
 register employment accident and occupational diseases and notify the labor
inspection of same;
 Arrange, according to the nature of the work, at his own expenses for the medical
examination of newly employed workers and for those workers engaged in
hazardous work, as may be necessary.
 Ensure that the work place and premises do not cause danger to the health and safety
of the workers;

27 | P a g e
  take appropriate pre-executions to insure that all the processes of work shall not be a
source or cause of physical, chemical, biological, ergonomically and psychological
hazards to the health and safety of the workers;
 Implement the directives issued by the appropriate authority in accordance with this
Proclamation.

Article 93.In this article the law provides the obligations of workers pertaining to the
required co-operation and putting in to practice of the regulation and instruction given by the
employer in order to ensure safety health and working conditions at work places. The
following are the major obligation set by the law for workers to abide with

 Co-operate in the formulation of work rules to safeguard the workers health and
safety, and implement same.
 Inform forthwith to the employer any defect related to the appliances used and injury
to health and safety of the workers that he discovers in the undertaking.
 Report to the employer any situation which he may have reason to believe could
present a hazard and which he cannot avoid on his own any accident or injury to
health which arises in the course of or in connection with work.
 Make proper use of all safeguards, safety devices and other appliance furnished for
the protection of his health or safety and for the protection of the health and safety of
others.
 Obey all health and safety instructions issued by the employer or by the competent
authority.
 Occupational Injuries.

The law has clearly stipulated about occupational injuries in its Articles 95-112 as follows;

The provisions are started by defining occupational injury, accident and occupational diseases.
The law also stipulates that an employer shall be liable for, all occupational injuries on workers
except those that are caused intentionally by workers in case of non-obedience to safety
instructions, non-observance of accident prevention regulation and injuries caused being
intoxicated

28 | P a g e
For the sake of handling the benefit of an injured worker and compensation of occupational
accident and diseases, the law has clearly defined type of disablement as follow effects;

 Temporary disablement
 Permanent partial disablement
 Permanent total disablement
 Death or fatal injury

29 | P a g e
 CHAPTER THREE

3 METHODOLOGY

This Chapter outlines the research design, the research method, the population under study, the
sampling procedure, and the method that was used to collect data relevant to the research
objectives.

3.1 Description of Study area

The study is on the evaluation of health and safety management practice in Assosa building
construction project. Bennishangul gumuz is located in Southern part of Ethiopia. It shares
border with Amara Region in the north and north east, Sudan Republic in the west, Gam Bella
Region in the south, and Oromia Region in the south east. The capital city of the Region is
Assosa located at a distance of 670kilometers (416 miles) from Addis Ababa capital city of
Ethiopia.

3.2 Research population and sampling technique

The target population for the collection of data for the research is the staff in the departments and
units. The population of our research is public building construction project in Assosa and we
will select respondents which are professional Major project stakeholders include, contractors,
consultants, Project manager, Site engineer, Office engineer, and General Forman
The researcher adopted simple random sampling techniques. With regard sampling technique,
the researcher segmented the entire project2 from consultant, 2 from contractor, 3From Project
Manager, 3 from Site engineer 2 from Office engineer 3 from Genera Forman staff from the
various departments and units.

3.3 Data collection procedure

Data collection in a research is the stage where the necessary data useful according to the
purposes and objectives of the research are gathered from the field. The ways for gathering
these data is what is termed data collection methods. Two main sources of data were used for
the research work; primary sources and secondary sources. The methods used in collecting
primary data include interview, questionnaire, and observations.
30 | P a g e
 3.3.1Interview

It is a conversation carried out with a definite aim of obtaining certain information. Interview
was designed to gather valid and reliable information through the responses of the interviewee
to a planned sequence of questions. Interview took both structured and unstructured forms.
Interview solved the problem of misunderstanding of questions in the questionnaires. This is
because; the interviewer was present to explain any question that the interviewee did not
understand.

3.3.2 Questionnaire

This took the form of a list of questions given to respondents to answer with the rationale of
getting data on the topic under study. The respondents again answered the questions the way he
or she understood them.
It is to be emphasized that questionnaire allowed respondents time to think through the
questions to provide accurate answers.
3.3.3Personal observation
We undertook personal observation of the construction project safety program & management.

3.4 Data analysis

Percentage, frequency are used in data analysis. Data analysis is performed based on the
primary & secondary data obtained from questionnaires, interview and literature review. Then
make a subjective assessment safety practices with respect to the recommended scientific
approaches of the literature. Hence, the analysis is carried out based on the responses of the
participants. Accordingly, after analysis, an attempt is made to systematically present
conclusions and recommendations about the study from the data analysis.

31 | P a g e
 CHAPTER FOUR

ANALYSIS, DISCUSSION AND REPRESENTATION OF RESULTS

INTRODUCTION
This chapter covers the presentation of responses, analysis and findings of data collected from
diverse sources, i.e. questionnaire, interview, personal observation. The researcher in attempt to
collect data relevant to the study distributed 12 copies of questionnaire to the stakeholders in the
construction project. It is important to state that all copies of questionnaire in all were filled
complete and returned. As a result, presentation, analysis and conclusion of the study were based
on the collected data.
The Meaning of Occupational Health and Safety
A question that sought to find out from respondents what they understand by occupational health
and safety.
Table the meaning of Occupational Health and Safety
Option No. of Respondents Percentage %
Employees Welfare 3 25
Employers Welfare 2 16.7
Both Employees &Employers Welfare 4 33.3
Employees ,Employers & Third party Welfare 3 25
Total 12 100

Distributed and Returned Questionnaires for the Study

The questionnaires were distributed to building construction project contractors that
implementing the different work activities and currently found in a working progress and for
other stake holders. The Table below shows the distributed and collected number of the
questionnaires. From the table below, 100% of the distributed questionnaires were collected.

32 | P a g e
Table Distributed and Returned Questionnaires for the Study

Stakeholders Distributed Collected Return rate

questionnaires questionnaires (%)
Project manager 2 2 100
Office Engineer 3 3 100
Site Engineer 3 3 100
Structural Forman 4 4 100
Total 12 12 100

Interviews Conducted

33 | P a g e
34 | P a g e