The Guatemalan Construction Industry: Approach of Knowledge Regarding Work Risks Prevention

Francisco Arturo Hernández-Arriaza, José Pérez-Alonso, Marta Gómez-Galán and Ferdinando Salata
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Francisco Arturo Hernández-Arriaza: Escuela Mecánica Industrial, Faculty of Engineering, University of San Carlos, Edificio T-1, Ciudad Universitaria Zona 12, Guatemala C.A. 01012, Guatemala
José Pérez-Alonso: Department of Engineering, University of Almería, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (CeiA3), 04120 Almería, Spain
Marta Gómez-Galán: Department of Engineering, University of Almería, Agrifood Campus of International Excellence (CeiA3), 04120 Almería, Spain
Ferdinando Salata: Department of Astronautics, Electrical and Energetics Engineering, University of Rome “Sapienza”, 00184 Rome, Italy

IJERPH, 2018, vol. 15, issue 10, 1-28

Abstract: In the present work, the results are presented for the characterization of work risk prevention in the Guatemalan construction industry. This characterization has been carried out using a simple random sampling technique, employing a questionnaire that was structured into 3 groups of variables: 1. General company data; 2. Prevention and management activities regarding health and safety in the company and on the worksite; and 3. Health and safety in the contractor companies. Following the sampling phase, the data were introduced in a database format, and a preliminary analysis was performed on the studied variables, followed by a descriptive analysis and a multiple correspondence analysis. The main findings of the study emphasize that companies in the Guatemalan construction sector are characterized as dedicating most of their activity (52.0%) indistinctly between civil engineering work, building construction and other specialized construction, mainly working as contractors (47.5%). These are “medium-sized” companies, employing an average of 81.1 on-site workers, having an average of 6.8 on-site work crews, and grossing an average turnover of 1.29 million euros annually. Likewise, it found that the larger construction companies adopt better prevention and management measures for worksite health and safety the larger companies are correlated with a high awareness of experiencing worksite accidents, while medium-sized companies have medium-level awareness. Companies with fewer workers manage workplace risk prevention worse, with low accident risk awareness. This correlation between these indicative variables of company size and workplace risk management and prevention is clearly reflected in the four company “clusters” that have been identified as having homogenous characteristics using the multiple correspondence analysis technique. Companies in the Guatemalan construction sector should make a greater effort to improve manager and worker training regarding workplace risk prevention to increase the effectiveness of company prevention management.

Keywords: Guatemala; health and safety in the workplace; prevention; contractor; construction companies; multiple correspondence analysis (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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