An Appraisal of Drivers to Efficient Occupational Health and Safety Performance Management for Small-Scale Contractors in Zambia

Abstract

AbstractThere is need to develop occupational health and safety drivers that would improve occupational health and safety performance management, for small-scale contractors. This need is also significant for project stakeholders such as government agencies, clients, professionals and financiers. According to studies, these stakeholders in Zambia devote less attention to have drivers and indicators for occupational health and safety performance. After a thorough review of literature on the drivers to improved occupational health and safety performance management, the Delphi study was adopted as a methodology to establish consensus of the drivers among professionals. A structured 10-point Likert scale of influence questionnaire was developed as a measuring instrument. The questionnaire was administered to professionals with adequate experience and knowledge on occupational health and safety performance management in the electricity industry. Findings indicated that management strategy, finance, employee involvement, hazard identification and management, training and promotion, actions for improvement, employee wellbeing and government provision of occupational health and safety services are crucial to achieving goals and objectives for efficient occupational health and safety performance management. The developed drivers were found to be workable, adaptable, and capable of improving health and safety performance management for small-scale contractors and stakeholders in Zambia. KeywordsDriversOccupational health and safetyPerformance managementSmall-scale contractorsZambia