PERILS AND ANTIDOTES OF CONSTRUCTION WORKERS IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN INDIA: AN EXPLORATIVE OUTLOOK Prof DK Das Department of Civil Engineering Central University of Technology, Free State Email:ddas@cut.ac.za Joint CIB W099 and TG59 Conference, Cape Town, South Africa, 11–13.06.2017         

CONTENT Introduction Objective Methods Results and Discussions Conclusions

INTRODUCTION Health and safety is a serious challenge in community development projects that are undertaken by Government agencies. Community development projects are the projects carried out in Community Development Blocks (an administrative unit at local level for development purposes). Projects include but not limited to construction of primary schools, community centres, Government aided residential houses, local roads, water harvesting structures, dispensaries, etc. Projects usually have smaller budgets and construed by use of local labour forces and materials. It has been observed that adequate health and safety interventions to protect the workers are not being taken in construction. Consequently, construction workers are exposed to perils of accidents, poor health and threat to life.

OBJECTIVE The study (1) examined the factors that bring health and safety perils to the construction workers and (2) explores possible measures that can act as antidotes to improve the situation in community development projects in India.

HEALTH AND SAFETY CHALLENGES: A DISCOURSE WITH SPECIFIC EMPHASIS IN INDIA Across the globe, it is also considered as the most hazardous industry India contributes about to 16.4% of fatal global occupational accidents Number of fatal accidents that are found to be taking place at the construction sites is quite alarming Poor health and safety scenario and consequent accidents cause loss in precious human resource, poor efficiency, loss of money and also create reputation and image challenges There is no specific act that is addressing health and safety in construction projects Smaller projects are more vulnerable and disorganised with respect to Health and safety in India.

METHODOLOGY An explorative qualitative survey: The qualitative survey was conducted among the stakeholders engaged in the construction industry N= 96 Case study: Three Community development blocks: Balipatna, Balianta, and Odapada Block in Odisha State, India Likert scale (1 to 5) is used to evaluate the perception of stakeholders through mean perception index. (1 is strongly disagree and 5 strongly agree)

METHODOLOGY Profile of respondents Stakeholder respondents Block 1 Total Share (%)   Engineers 3 2 8 8.33 Administrators 6 6.25 Local leaders 4 10 10.42 supervisors 7 7.29 Contractors 19 19.79 Construction workers 18 13 15 46 47.92 35 30 31 96 100.00 Personnel in engaged in decision and policy making

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Occurrence of accidents Parameters Response (%) Occurrence any of accidents (regularly) 68.8 Occurrence of accidents to (occasionally) 17.4 Nonoccurrence of accidents 12.5 Major accidents 39.6 Minor accidents 47.9 Both major and minor accidents are regular phenomena in construction projects Availability health and safety measures Parameters Response (%) Adequate Availability of health and safety measures 11.5 Only first aid is available 21.9 No health and safety measures available 66.7 No significant H & S measures are available (according to 66.7% respondents) in the construction projects

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS Challenges of health and safety measures in projects Challenges Perception index (PI) Standard deviation (SD) Rank Lack of compulsory health and safety provision 4.64 0.68 1 Lack of awareness regarding health and safety 4.42 0.64 2 Lack of protective gears and equipment 4,36 0.67 3 Lack of safety related skills and training 4.12 0.52 4 Lack of budget for funding safety measures 4.06 0.55 5 Lack of safety checks and audits 3.86 0.61 6 Provision for emergency treatment facilities close to project locations 3.62 7 Callousness of project administration and execution authorities 3.52 0.48 8 Complexity and difficulty of activities 2.82 0.49 9 Carelessness among the workers 2.47 0.53 10 Environmental conditions at the work site 2.23 11

Most significant health and safety challenges in the study area Lack of compulsory health and safety provision Lack of awareness regarding health and safety Lack of protective gears and equipment Lack of safety related skills and training Lack of budget for funding safety measures

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS Measures to improve health and safety measures in projects Plausible health and safety measures required Perception index (PI) Standard deviation (SD) Rank Policy measures to enforce compulsory safety measure 4.24 0.61 1 Incorporation of safety related expenses as a part of the estimated cost of projects 4.01 0.54 2 Creation of safety awareness, provision of safety training 3.83 0.52 3 Provision of safety training 3.52 0.47 4 Availability of protective gears and equipment 3.47 0.43 5 Improving site conditions 2.62 0.37 6 Availability of emergency facilities 2.56 0.39 7

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS The two most important measures that could enhance health and safety measures in the construction projects in the study area are: Policy measures to enforce compulsory safety measures Incorporation of safety related expenses as a part of the estimated cost of projects The other significant measures should include Creation of safety awareness Provision of safety training and Availability of protective gears and equipment

CONCLUSIONS Occurrence of both major and minor accidents in construction projects in the study area is a regular phenomenon in CD projects in India No structured and appropriate health and safety measures are available as well as no appropriate policies are available to enforce such measures. Lack of compulsory health and safety provision, lack of awareness regarding health and safety, lack of budget for funding safety measures, lack of safety checks and audits, lack of protective gears and equipment, lack of safety related skills and training, provision for emergency treatment facilities close to project locations, and callousness of project administration and execution authorities are the major reasons that bring safety challenges in projects, which need redressal. Policy measures to enforce compulsory safety measures, incorporation of safety related expenses as a part of the estimated cost of projects, creation of safety awareness, provision of safety training and availability of protective gears and equipment can able to improve the H&S situation construction projects

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