Development of practical guidelines to promote occupational health and safety for workers in the construction industry in Windhoek, Namibia

Abstract

The study, which considers that the construction industry is a high risk one due to the physical work demand and nature of the working environment, was conducted to develop practical guidelines for workers and employers that promote occupational health and safety (OHS) in the construction industry in Namibia. The study, conducted at 13 study sites in Windhoek, Namibia, used a quantitative descriptive study method to gather data regarding the OHS status of the construction industry. Data was collected from the 13 study sites using a site interviewer-led questionnaire for 549 construction workers. In addition, both a site inspection checklist and document review checklist were used to collect the data from ten construction sites. A review of documents concerning occupational accidents, diseases and injuries encountered at construction sites that were held by the Ministry of Labour, Industrial relations and Employment creation for the five-year period from April 2011 to March 2016 was carried out. Data was analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 23. The study findings show that most of the workers at the study sites were young and male, with most participants lacking awareness of OHS issues, which may hinder accidents and injuries prevention. It also emerged that occupational hazards are prevalent at the study sites and yet there were poor mechanisms for hazard prevention or mitigation measures. The study notes that there was a high rate of occupational accidents and injuries, as well as a few incidences of health hazards, as indicated by few participants, although there was no documented occupational disease. It is also noted that most study sites do not comply with OHS legislations, such as having OHS policies that indicate the employer’s commitment towards OHS, which placed workers at risk of hazard exposure, occupational accidents, injuries and diseases. Practical guidelines to promote OHS in the construction industry of Windhoek, Namibia are developed as the primary output of this project.