CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
The construction industry constitutes one of the industry with the highest number of hazardous nature of work which requires the implementation of safety policy and safety management so as to mitigate the inherent risk and hazards in the construction industry. The term safety is defined as the mitigation of risk to a level that is reasonably low as practicable. Therefore Safety management systems (SMS) constitute a detailed management system formulated to implement safety policy in the organization. The SMS consist of plans, objectives, policy, procedures, responsibility, organization etc. . The essence of SMS is to identify hazard and mitigate risk in the organization and also ensuring that these risk controls are effective SMS is a measure adopted as an explicit, rational and detailed process for managing safety risks.
The significance of ensuring safety in the work environment is fundamentally upheld by different studies as the work environment is exposed to intrinsic hazard and risk factors which exact negative influences on the firms overall performance. Consequently the construction industry constitute as one of the most hazardous industry. According to the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization (2011) The ratio of one to six fatal accidents takes place at the construction site. Also a further estimate indicates that about 60,000 fatal accidents takes place annually on construction sites around the world. Keller & Keller, (2009) and Injuries Board (2009). In Nigeria an estimated hundreds of construction employees are incapacitated and killed as a result of accident at the construction sites. Awodele & Ayoola, (2005) and Smallwood & Haupt (2005) .The reason being attributed to poorly implemented safety management system and lack of adequate policy measure which covers all the relevant safety issues involved in each construction project and site. Therefore the research seek to investigate the effect of safety management on project performance in a construction company
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
The level of incidents of hazards in the construction industry is enormous resulting in increased rate of deaths and permanently disabled citizens of construction employees. This repeated cases of accidents emanates from falls from height, trapped by collapse building , accident from a moving vehicle, electricity or electrical burns, contact with operating machinery or material being machined, exposure to hot or harmful substance or fire
The significance of ensuring safety in the work environment is fundamentally upheld by different studies as the work environment is exposed to intrinsic hazard and risk factors which exact negative influences on the firms overall performance. Consequently the construction industry constitute as one of the most hazardous industry. According to the International Training Centre of the International Labour Organization (2011) The ratio of one to six fatal accidents takes place at the construction site. Also a further estimate indicates that about 60,000 fatal accidents takes place annually on construction sites around the world. Keller & Keller, (2009) and Injuries Board (2009). In Nigeria an estimated hundreds of construction employees are incapacitated and killed as a result of accident at the construction sites. Awodele & Ayoola, (2005) and Smallwood & Haupt (2005) .The reason being attributed to poorly implemented safety management system and lack of adequate policy measure which covers all the relevant safety issues involved in each construction project and site. Therefore the research seek to investigate the effect of safety management on project performance in a construction company.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
To determine the nature of safety management
To determine the effect of safety management on project performance in a construction company
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
What is safety management?
What is the effect of safety management on project performance in a construction company?
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The study proffers the need to ensure an effective implementation of a safety management system in the construction industry to ensure optimal performance.
The significance of ensuring safety in the work environment is fundamentally upheld by different studies as the work environment is exposed to intrinsic hazard and risk factors.
1.6 RESEARCH HYPOTHESIS
Ho The effect of safety management on project performance in a construction company is low
Hi The effect of safety management on project performance in a construction company is high
1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The study focuses on the appraisal of the effect of safety management on project performance in a construction company
1.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
Logistics and geographical factors were some of the constraint faced in the research.
1.9 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS
RISK DEFINED
RISK is the unfavorable circumstances that may occur in the process of an event or exercise of job function that could lead to damage or destruction of life or property or ill health.
HAZARD DEFINED
The situation or source from where a potential damage or harm could originate. Such sources could be chemical in nature, biological physical or ergonomic. This implies that some industries are more hazardous than others.
SAFETY DEFINED
Safety is defined as the mitigation of risk to a level that is reasonably low as practicable.
SAFETY MANAGEMENT DEFINED
Safety management system (SMS) constitutes a detailed management system formulated to implement safety policy in the organization. The SMS consist of plans, objectives, policy, procedures, responsibility, organization etc. . The essence of SMS is to identify hazard and mitigate risk in the organization and also ensuring that these risk controls are effectiveSMS is a measure adopted as an explicit, rational and detailed process for managing safety risks.
