Occupational safety and health management in developing countries: A study of construction companies in Malawi

Simukonda, Wakisa; Manu, Patrick; Mahamadu, A-M; Dzieko?ski, Krzysztof

Abstract

Purpose: Whilst occupational safety and health (OSH) management is recognised as an important mechanism for addressing poor OSH performance, limited empirical insight is available on OSH management by construction companies in sub-Saharan Africa. This study investigated OSH management by construction companies (i.e. contractors) in Malawi in order to unpick implementation issues that need attention.
Materials and methods: 46 OSH management practices were probed through a survey of contractors.
Results: Implementation of OSH practices amongst contractors is low, particularly for practices related to the policy, organising, measuring and reviewing, and auditing elements of OSH management. Company size, is associated with implementation of nearly a half of the 46 OSH practices. Certification of company to Standard No. OHSAS 1800:2007 is associated with the implementation of fewer practices.
Conclusions: OSH management improvement efforts would need to focus on the elements with particularly low implementation of practices as well as include initiatives that focus on helping micro enterprises to improve their OSH management. Association between business characteristics and OSH management may be more evident with certain elements such as the organising element. Furthermore, certification to Standard No. OHSAS 1800:2007 may not necessarily translate into greater implementation of OSH management practices, especially in developing countries.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: May 28, 2018
• Online Publication Date: Jul 20, 2018
• Publication Date: Jan 1, 2020
• Deposit Date: Jun 7, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: May 30, 2019
• Journal: International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics
• Print ISSN: 1080-3548
• Electronic ISSN: 2376-9130
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 26
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 303-318
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/10803548.2018.1482649
• Keywords: construction, developing countries, occupational safety and health management, sub-Saharan Africa, survey
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/867713
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10803548.2018.1482649
• Additional Information: Additional Information : This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics on 30th May 2018, available online: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10803548.2018.1482649.
• Contract Date: Jun 7, 2018