Organisational Characteristics and Construction Firms’ Safety

Abstract

Studies have established that there is lack of adequate understanding of how organisational characteristics influence the health and safety (H&S) practices of small and medium-sized construction companies (construction SMEs). This necessitated the evaluation of the influence of organisational characteristics on H&S practices of construction SMEs with a view to determining favourable conditions for effective safety performance. The use of mixed methods approach was adopted for the study. The research data were collected with the use of semi-structured questionnaires, site observation and visual and audio devices. The questionnaires were administered to 436 randomly selected construction SMEs registered with Abuja’s business address with Corporate Affairs Commission in Abuja. The response rate of the questionnaire was 49.37%. Factor analysis was used to reduce the 46 important H&S practices of construction SMEs, which were categorised under 5 core groups, to 8 major practices, while the H&S regulations were reduced to one major group. Analysis of data was undertaken with the use of percentage, mean item score, factor analysis and hierarchical multiple regression analysis. H&S Education and Training ranked highest among the five important core H&S practices. “Provision of First Aid Box” and “Rewarding Workers who Demonstrate Exemplary Safe Behaviour on Site” were among the practices which are the most important H&S practices. The organisational characteristics of construction SMEs were discovered to be good and significant predictors of H&S management practices. It was concluded that organisational characteristics have significant influence on the H&S practices of the Nigerian construction SMEs. Major recommendation from the study was that Government, owner/managers of construction SMEs and workers should develop positive attitude and commitment towards H&S management.