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Smallwood, J and Raliile, M (2025) The State of South African Construction Health and Safety . In: Thomson, C (Ed.) and Neilson, C J (Ed.), Proceedings 41st Annual ARCOM Conference, 1-3 September 2025, Abertay University, Dundee, UK. Association of Researchers in Construction Management, 438-447.
- Type: Conference Proceedings
- Keywords: challenges; construction; health and safety; performance
- ISBN/ISSN: 978-0-9955463-9-4
- URL: http://www.arcom.ac.uk/-docs/proceedings/0a2f8eed3a5adfe2b8d6feae415b8792.pdf
- Abstract:
Previous research, media reports, and statistics indicate that the South African construction industry is experiencing major challenges in terms of health and safety (H&S). A quantitative study was conducted among a range of construction industry stakeholders’ courtesy of an online survey to determine, inter alia, their rating of the South African construction industry, and the top ten challenges, and the top ten interventions in terms of improving construction H&S performance. Findings include: the construction industry is rated above average relative to 34 and below average relative to 216 / 250 aspects / parameters related to H&S and is not H&S compliant. Conclusions include: the construction industry in general is not committed to H&S, which is attributable to a poor H&S culture. Recommendations include strong H&S leadership and management commitment, optimum H&S culture, H&S compliance and regulatory enforcement, optimum H&S education, training, and competency, adequate budgeting for H&S, optimum risk management and planning for H&S, consistent application of H&S standards, enhanced H&S statistics, and addressing of socio-economic pressures.