Barriers of Occupational Safety Implementation in Infrastructure Projects: Gaza Strip Case

Yazan Issa Abu Aisheh, Bassam A. Tayeh, Wesam Salah Alaloul and Amro Fareed Jouda
Additional contact information
Yazan Issa Abu Aisheh: Civil Engineering Department, Middle East University, Amman 11831, Jordan
Bassam A. Tayeh: Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza PO Box 108, Palestine
Wesam Salah Alaloul: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, Bandar Seri Iskandar, Tronoh 32610, Malaysia
Amro Fareed Jouda: Civil Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic University of Gaza, Gaza PO Box 108, Palestine

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 7, 1-18

Abstract: Infrastructure projects are the foundation for essential public services and have an influential position in societal development. Although the role of infrastructure projects is substantial, they can involve complexities and safety issues that lead to an unsafe environment, and which impacts the project key stakeholders. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the barriers to implementing occupational safety in infrastructure projects in the Gaza Strip, which cause serious threats and reduce project performance. To evaluate the barriers, 39 items were highlighted and modified as per the construction context and environment, and which later were distributed in the form of a questionnaire, to get feedback from consultants and contractors. The analysis shows that in the safety policy barriers group, consultants and contractors both ranked the item “a contractor committed to an occupational safety program is not rewarded” first. In the management barriers group, consultants and contractors both ranked the item “safety engineer does not have significant powers, such as stopping work when needed” in the first place. In the behavior and culture barriers group, consultants and contractors both ranked the item “workers who are not committed to occupational safety are not excluded” in the first place. Overall, both consultants and contractors shared the same viewpoint in classifying the barriers in the working environment. The outcome of this study is beneficial for Palestinian construction industry policymakers, so they can monitor the highlighted barriers in on-going infrastructure projects and can modify the safety guidelines accordingly.

Keywords: barriers; infrastructure projects; health and safety; Gaza Strip (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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