Subcontractors’ Health and Safety Compliance on a Water Board’a Projects

Abstract

Compared to other industrial sectors, the construction industry is responsible for a disproportionate number of fatalities and injuries. Subcontracting constitutes a significant portion of all construction projects, and it is noted for its adverse H&S influence in the industry. Health and safety (H&S) risks related to subcontracting pose a significant business risk to principal contractors (PCs) who employ subcontractors (SCs). Some PCs report that their sites have been shut down because of poor H&S compliance by the SCs. This situation has a negative impact on time schedules, and the overall profitability of projects.The study seeks to examine why construction SCs undertaking projects for a Water Board located in Johannesburg do not comply with H&S regulations. Quantitative methods were employed for the study. Literature was reviewed, followed by a questionnaire survey to obtain primary data. A total of 174 construction managers, supervisors, and H&S officers in the employ of PCs and SCs participated in the survey to gather data relative to SCs’ degree of compliance with H&S legislation, H&S regulations, and the Water Board’s H&S specifications.The literature suggests that there is general H&S non-compliance on construction projects by SCs. The salient findings include: SCs on the Water Board’s projects do not comply with H&S legislation and regulations, and H&S specifications; SCs’ management is not trained in terms of H&S; PCs do not issue work stoppage orders relative to SCs’ unsafe acts / behaviour; SCs further subcontract; the contractual relationships between PCs and SCs are not clear due to unauthorised subcontracting, and H&S enforcement by PCs and the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL) is inadequate.Recommendations include: PCs must ensure that H&S practices are implemented; PCs and the DEL must enforce H&S requirements, and a framework must be evolved for ensuring SCs’ H&S compliance on construction. must be evolved for ensuring SCs’ H&S compliance in construction.