Management Of Steel Reinforcement Works’ Impact On The Health Of Workers In Building Construction Sites: Case Study, Nairobi County, Kenya.

Abstract

Steel reinforcement work in building construction sites as a component of the larger construction industry is an important contributor to the overall social and economic development of the world. Due to the temporary nature and unpredictable workloads, Steel reinforcement work in building construction sites in Kenya are often executed under informal labour arrangements where workers’ safety and health compliance requirements are largely not strictly observed (Mitullah & Wachira, 2003). Steel reinforcement work therefore continues to impact negatively on the health of workers in building construction sites thus raising stakeholders concern. Reviewed literature revealed that not much research work had been done to address this concern. This study was therefore to investigate the management of steel reinforcement works’ impact on the health of workers in building construction sites. Objectives of the investigation were to: establish how management of steel reinforcement work procedures impacted on the health of workers in building construction sites; evaluate how management of occupational safety and health legislations and policies impacted on the health of steel reinforcement workers in building construction sites; evaluate how management of workplace ethics impacted on the health of steel reinforcement workers in building construction sites and establish how management of workplace challenges impacted on the health of steel reinforcement workers in building construction sites. The study was premised on the hypotheses that there was no statistically significant relationship between management of steel reinforcement work and the health of workers in building construction sites, that there was no statistically significant relationship between management of occupational safety and health legislations and policies and the health of steel reinforcement workers in building construction sites, that there was no statistically significant relationship (xiii) between management of workplace ethics and the health of steel reinforcement workers in building construction sites, and that there was no statistically significant relationship between management of workplace challenges and the health of steel reinforcement workers in building construction sites. Descriptive cross-sectional method was used for the inquiry and data collection was by interviews, questionnaires, observations, text books, manuals, journals, publications, past studies, libraries, internet and site records. Testing for reliability of data collection instruments was by Cronbach alpha -SPSS. Data analysis and hypothesis testing were by descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Data presentation was in frequencies, tables, charts, and graphs. The main results of the investigation were that management of workplace challenges had the highest impact on the health of steel reinforcement workers in building construction sites followed by occupational safety and health legislations and policies, workplace ethics and work procedures. This implied that the existing management system for protection and safeguarding the health of steel reinforcement workers in building construction sites in Nairobi county, Kenya was out of balance. Review of this system in response to emerging building and construction sector specific needs was therefore recommended.