Work

The impact of safety violations on construction project performance: A case study of the ADFA project

Year: 2024

Type: article

Abstract: The construction industry is a major contributor to Kuwait’s economy, with 7 % of the country’s whole GDP. However, this sector has experienced a significant increase in safety violations, leading to a concerning escalation in both accidents and fatalities. Despite the increase, there has been a lack of comprehensive research examining their consequences and the potential correlation with delays and cost overruns in construction projects in Kuwait. Therefore, this research aims to investigate the frequency and severity of safety violations on construction sites, as well as their temporal and economic impacts on project performance. Qualitative and quantitative approaches were conducted through semi-structured interviews of five participants and project documents, respectively. The data collected from documents were categorized through OSHA classification prior to applying SPSS to analyze the frequency and severity of violations. Time Impact Analysis was employed to assess the temporal implications, while the Local Approach was used to evaluate the cost implications. Based on OSHA standards, the frequency analysis of the 504 safety violation notices highlighted two significant areas of concern that endanger the worker’s safety and efficiency of construction activities. Scaffolds and fall protection were identified as critical issues requiring the contractor's immediate attention through frequency analysis. Both issues were observed during the assessment of violation severity, leading to work suspensions, along with concerns related to housekeeping, fire protection and prevention, and the general duty clause on construction sites. Moreover, the study concluded that scaffolds and fall protection were the leading causes of two casualties, highlighting the severe consequences of neglecting safety protocols. The impact of work suspensions on the ADFA project's completion date was evaluated using Primavera, which showed that the project's deadline remained unaffected, as suspensions were applied sequentially to individual plots rather than concurrently across multiple plots. Furthermore, the contractor faced penalties and accident-related expenses as the primary costs resulting from violations. However, 71 out of 504 safety violation notices that led to penalties indicate a significant decline in the enforcement of punitive measures. Additionally, the highest expenses were associated with incidents involving property damage and fatalities, as identified in 16 accidents through the Local Approach.

Source: Journal of Engineering Research

DOI: 10.1016/j.jer.2024.12.017

Authors: Norah Kanan Al-Naser, Hashim Al-Tabtabai

Institution: Kuwait University

Language: English

Topic: Occupational Health and Safety Research

Subfield: Radiological and Ultrasound Technology

Field: Health Professions

Domain: Health Sciences

SDGs: Decent work and economic growth, Sustainable cities and communities, Peace, justice, and strong institutions, Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,100