Impact of Safety Factors on Project Performance in Building Construction in Jigawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

The building construction industry is globally recognised as one of the most hazardous sectors, with frequent accidents and unsafe practices that compromise both worker safety and project outcomes. In Jigawa State, Nigeria, construction sites continue to experience recurring injuries, particularly those associated with inadequate or inconsistent use of personal protective equipment (PPE), manual handling operations, and struck-by accidents. These trends indicate significant gaps between theoretical safety knowledge and the practical enforcement of safety measures on sites. While less frequent, high-impact incidents such as falls from heights, structural collapses, and electrocutions present catastrophic risks, underscoring the severity dimension of safety challenges. This study aimed to investigate the influence of accident occurrence, accident severity, and safety compliance on project performance in building construction projects. A quantitative research design was adopted, employing structured questionnaires administered to construction professionals, with data analysed using regression techniques. The findings revealed that accident occurrence alone was not a significant predictor of performance. Rather, accident severity exerted a substantial adverse effect, undermining both worker welfare and project continuity. Conversely, safety compliance emerged as the strongest positive determinant of performance, particularly systemic measures such as effective accident reporting, emergency planning, and managerial enforcement. The study concludes that project performance is shaped less by the frequency of accidents and more by their severity and the degree of safety compliance. It recommends strict enforcement of PPE use, proactive risk management for high-severity hazards, transparent reporting systems, stronger regulatory oversight, and integration of safety performance into procurement and policy frameworks to foster sustainable construction practice.