Construction safety research in Pakistan : a review and future research direction

H. Zahoor, Ping Chuen Chan, R.M. Choudhry, W.P. Utama, R. Gao

Research output: Unpublished conference presentation (presented paper, abstract, poster)Conference presentation (not published in journal/proceeding/book)Academic research

Abstract

Comprehensive review of construction safety research is presented in this paper, aiming at summarizing the completed research work in Pakistan. It includes eleven journal papers, two dissertations and thirty two conference papers. Construction accidents are mostly caused by; fall from height, followed by electrocution. Safety non-compliance is attributed to; non-existence of a regulatory authority, delusion that investing in safety will increase the project cost, workers’ unawareness, and unrealistic deadlines. Though Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) is conducting safety awareness workshops for engineers and supervisors, no training is planned for construction workers. Few private institutes are also providing safety training but only on commercial basis. The deteriorating safety situation can be enhanced by ensuring management’s commitment and employees’ involvement, effective supervision and communication, safety education and training, and accident reporting mechanism. It has also been recommended to establish occupational health and safety regulatory authority, redefine and enforce safety laws, and launch media campaigns to create awareness among workers. PEC is suggested to enhance the safety performance by; allocating the safety budget and responsibilities in contract documents, incorporating safety credit points in contractor licensing process, and maintaining accident statistics. Potential research areas are also identified to kindle the construction safety research in Pakistan.
Original languageEnglish
Pages1-8
Number of pages8
Publication statusPublished - 2015

Keywords

  • Safety management system
  • Safety climate
  • Safety practices
  • Review
  • Pakistan

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