Impact of Barriers to Implementing Health and Safety Practices for Construction Workers' Productivity in SMMES

Abstract

Health and safety (H&S) practices play a crucial role in improving efficiency, reducing costs, and ensuring the success of construction projects. However, small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) often experience low worker productivity, partly due to barriers to implementing H&S practices. This study investigates the barriers to the implementation of H&S practices affecting workers' productivity in construction SMMEs, addressing a research gap in construction management. A quantitative research approach was adopted, employing a structured questionnaire distributed to 530 Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) contractors registered from grades 1-6 as general building contractors and civil engineering contractors in Gauteng Province. Descriptive statistics were applied for data analysis and interpretation. The findings indicate that barriers to implementing H&S practices are not widely perceived as major factors affecting workers' productivity in the study area. This challenges the prevailing assumption that such barriers significantly impact workers' productivity. The study highlights the need for policymakers and industry stakeholders in the study area to explore additional H&S barriers and their implications for worker productivity. This research provides new insights and lays the foundation for further investigation into broader barriers to H&S implementation and their potential effects on construction workers' productivity.