ASSESSMENT OF OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY IN CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES IN SELECTED CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES IN UGANDA

ABSTRACT Construction is widely regarded as an accident prone industry. The reasons why construction is risky and prone to health and safety risks are because of the physical environment of the work, nature of the construction work operations, construction methods, construction materials, heavy equipment used, and physical properties of the construction project itself. The human, social and economic costs of occupational accidents, injuries, diseases and major industrial disasters have long been cause for concern at all levels from the individual workplace to the national and international levels. The main objective is to assess occupational health and safety of workers at Yosan Construction Company ltd and Uganda police construction unit. The findings are in line with the principles of OHS that state that Occupational health and safety programs and policies must aim at both prevention and protection. Efforts must be focused above all on primary prevention at the workplace level. Workplaces and working environments should be planned and designed to be safe and healthy. Basing on the findings, it was concluded that the company provides safety communication training to all employees every day before work starts. Safety of employees is a very big issue of concern to the company. The Workers should be provided with equipment’s and proper use should be enforced. According to them, company issues protective gears to employees before starting work. It is recommended that Safety Officers from Uganda Labor office should liaise with the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing and in conjunction with the Association of Civil Engineering and Building Contractors, to conduct regular site visits in order to ensure the enforcement of laws governing the provision of welfare facilities and safety materials, employment, and rights of workers. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION ..................................................................................................................................... i APPROVAL ........................................................................................................................................... ii ACNKOWLEDGEMENT....................................................................................................................... iii TABLE OF CONTENT .......................................................................................................................... v LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................................... vii ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ............................................................................................... viii CHAPTER ONE.......................................................................................................................... 1 INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background of the study ............................................................................................................1 1.2 Problem statement......................................................................................................................3 1.3 Objectives of the Study ..............................................................................................................4 1.3.1 General objective......................................................................................................................4 1.3.2 Specific objectives ....................................................................................................................4 1.4 Research questions......................................................................................................................4 1.5 Scope of the study.......................................................................................................................4 1.5.2 Geographical scope..................................................................................................................5 1.6 Justification...................................................................................................................................5 1.7 Significance of the study ............................................................................................................5 CHAPTER TWO......................................................................................................................... 6 LITERATURE REVIEW............................................................................................................ 6 2.0 Introduction..................................................................................................................................6 2.2 Causes of accidents on construction sites ...............................................................................9 2.3 Occupation health areas that must be improved. ................................................................13 2.4 Strategies for effective implementation of occupational health and safety policy ..........15 2.4.2 Strengthening Workers’ rights..............................................................................................18 2.4.3 Employer’s responsibilities ....................................................................................................18 2.4.4 Governments’ duties ..............................................................................................................19 vi CHAPTER THREE ................................................................................................................... 21 METHODOLOGY..................................................................................................................... 21 3.0. Introduction...............................................................................................................................21 3.1. Research Design.......................................................................................................................21 3.3 Sample Size and Selection ......................................................................................................21 3.4 Sampling Techniques ................................................................................................................22 3.5 Data collection instruments......................................................................................................22 3.6 Procedure for Data Collection..................................................................................................23 3.7 Reliability and validity ...............................................................................................................23 3.7.1 Reliability .................................................................................................................................23 3.7.2 Validity .....................................................................................................................................23 3.8 Data analysis and Presentation ...............................................................................................24 3.8 Ethical considerations................................................................................................................24 3.9 Limitations ..................................................................................................................................25 CHAPTER FOUR ..................................................................................................................... 26 DATA PRESENTATION ......................................................................................................... 26 4.0 Introduction................................................................................................................................26 4.1 Demographic background of respondents .............................................................................26 4.1.1 Gender of the Respondents ..................................................................................................26 4.1.2 Age Range of the Respondents............................................................................................27 4.1.3 Marital Status of the Respondents.......................................................................................28 4.1.4 Highest Educational Qualification of the Respondents .....................................................29 4.1.5 Duration in Employment........................................................................................................29 CHAPTER FIVE....................................................................................................................... 37 DISCUSSION FINDINGS, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS..................... 37 5.0 Introduction................................................................................................................................37 5.1 Discussion of major findings ....................................................................................................37 5.2 Conclusions.................................................................................................................................42 5.3 Recommendations .....................................................................................................................43 References.........................................................................................................................................44 APPENDIX 1: QUESTIONNAIRES...............................................................................................4