Health, safety and biohazards in construction : How safe is the work place? Risks and Hazards in our environment

Amaechi, Chiemela Victor (2016) Health, safety and biohazards in construction : How safe is the work place? Risks and Hazards in our environment. LAP LAMBERT Academic Publishing, Germany. ISBN 9783659969225

Abstract

This project was designed to explore the control of biological hazards in the construction industry: a case study of Ibadan, and to develop procedures and regulatory mechanism that would control biological hazards in the construction industry, expose the engineering and public health sectors to new control mechanisms, ensure better health and safety of construction workers. The research was a non-experimental analysis, but extensively dealt with the methodology of the control of biological hazards, applications and compared some other researches done in this area, using tables and pie charts. This shows the extent of awareness in the Nigerian construction industry as compared with those of the developed nations. The level of health in developed nations is better than that in both transition nations and in developing nations, and as such also have better control of biological hazards. From this research taking Nigeria as a case study of a developing nat ion, the study revealed that fewer percentage undergo routine check-up and there are little or no insurance policies in almost all the sampled construction industry. Also, there are no thorough personal and family medical history and this is not encouraging. The result of the research shows that the use of PPEs like nose masks, helmets, hand gloves and work aprons will help in the control of biohazards in the construction industry such as asthma, cancer and asbestosis. There should be the safety enlightenment programmes, workshops and seminars, and the provision of first-aid boxes in all construction sites for temporary remedy in emergency cases, and also trained health personnels and/or HSE personnels too.