CONTRACTING FIRMS’ COMPLIANCE TO COVID-19 OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH STANDARDS IN ABUJA

Abstract

The measures put in place by most construction firms in Nigeria to control Covid-19 pandemic are proven to be ineffectual and contributed to the total shutdown of construction activities during Covid-19 pandemic. Thus, the need for compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Acts (OSHA) standards on Covid-19 to ensure a holistic management of Covid-19 virus in construction firms. This study assessed the compliance level of the construction firms to the COVID-19 OSHA standards in Abuja with a view to suggesting strategies for ensuring effective compliance to the standards by construction firms. The study adopted survey design. A total of 173 structured questionnaires were administered to management staff /health officers of construction firms within the Abuja, who are responsible for health issues in small, medium and large construction firms in the FCT. The collected data was analysed using mean item score. The study found that instructing all infected /tested positive/displayed symptom workers to stay home, implementation of physical distancing in all communal work areas for unvaccinated workers, practicing good personal hygiene and hand wash, performing routine cleaning and disinfections and regular testing on Covid-19 especially in area of high community transmission are the key OSHA standards complied with by construction firms in Abuja. However, measures relating to workers education and training, constant record taking and reporting and encouraging workers to get vaccinated were given less attention by the construction firms. The study concludes that the average compliance rate to OSHA standards by the contracting firms in Nigeria was high; and full compliance standards would lead drastic reduction in Covid-19 virus in construction firms. It was recommended that construction firms should always sensitize and educate it workers on the importance of Covid-19 vaccination, as full doze vaccination would ensure absolute management of the virus.