Health and Safety Consideration in the Procurement of Public Construction Projects in Ghana

Elijah Frimpong Boadu,Riza Yosia Sunindijo,Cynthia Changxin Wang

doi:10.3390/buildings11030128

Abstract

This study explored the extent to which health and safety (H&S) are considered in the procurement of public sector projects in Ghana. This is based on the background that procurement decisions have implications for project H&S management. The enormous size of public procurement projects offers opportunities for public clients to influence the behaviour of the construction market including the promotion of H&S through procurement. To date, no study has fully assessed the extent of H&S considerations in procurement decisions for public sector construction projects in Ghana. To fill this gap, this research has provided an evidence-based assessment of H&S considerations in the various stages of the procurement process for public sector projects in Ghana. Through a questionnaire survey, data were collected from construction industry professionals in Ghana. The data were subjected to statistical analysis to evaluate the extent of H&S considerations. The findings suggest that H&S is given low priority in the procurement of public projects, because clear project objectives relating to H&S are not set, and adequate consideration is not given to H&S at the various procurement stages. Based on the findings, this research has made recommendations to promote H&S in public procurement in Ghana.

Highlights

Health and safety (H&S) issues are not confined to only the construction stage, but they influence all stages of a construction project, from the initiation to the operation stage.For instance, research has shown that many accidents on the construction site are caused by managerial decisions that are taken prior to the beginning of the work on the site [1,2].Many studies have emphasised that construction H&S is not the responsibility of the contractors alone, and that of the clients and designers [3,4]
This study has provided an evidence-based assessment of the extent to which construction H&S issues are considered in the procurement of public sector projects in Ghana
As the major procurers of construction projects, public sector clients can use their enormous purchasing power to influence the behaviour of the construction industry by adequately considering H&S issues in their procurement decisions

Summary

Introduction

Health and safety (H&S) issues are not confined to only the construction stage, but they influence all stages of a construction project, from the initiation to the operation stage.For instance, research has shown that many accidents on the construction site are caused by managerial decisions that are taken prior to the beginning of the work on the site [1,2].Many studies have emphasised that construction H&S is not the responsibility of the contractors alone, and that of the clients and designers [3,4]. The decisions of the client determine the project team, when they are appointed, how they are appointed, their competences, and their assigned duties [8]. All these decisions relate to the procurement process and have implications for the management of H&S on projects [9]. This has heightened the call for H&S promotion in the procurement process, especially on public projects [10,11] because it is acknowledged that public clients are the major procurers of construction projects and as such can exert influence on the market and drive the needed change within the industry. Ju and Rowlinson [12] observed that through the procurement process, public clients have influenced the implementation of H&S measures in the Hong Kong construction industry

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Conclusion