Approaches, drivers and motivators of health and safety self-regulation in the Nigerian construction industry: a scoping study

ABSTRACT

The premise that the Nigerian construction industry is unregulated in terms of health and safety (H&S) is contested in this scoping study, evidencing that the industry is self-regulated and the determinants poorly understood. H&S self-regulatory approaches in the industry and key drivers and motivators were identified, assessed and explained through literature review, questionnaire survey and interviews. Contractors were found to mostly self-regulate in terms of H&S because of normative related factors. There was a significant difference between large construction firms and medium-sized firms and between large construction firms and small-sized construction firms on the factor ‘it is a duty to adopt H&S programmes’. Additionally, client-led H&S self-regulation was perceived to be more effective than mandatory industry H&S self-regulation, with a relationship existing among the two, and the size of firms. Organisational values influenced the decision to self-regulate in large-scale construction contractors compared to small- and medium-scale contractors. While the study draws attention to H&S self-regulation in the Nigerian construction industry, it also provides evidence of alternative means to improve H&S in Nigeria in the absence of adequate state involvement. Although a scoping study, the results provide a unique insight into the Nigerian construction industry and attitudes to H&S.

KEYWORDS:

• Contractors
• co-regulation
• health and safety (H&S)
• Nigeria
• self-regulation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.