Adoption Strategies for Health and Safety Technologies in the Construction Industry

Abstract

Technology has improved many building procedures and processes over the years, but most developing countries have not completely embraced its use for construction health and safety (H&S) monitoring and management. This study examines the strategies essential for the adoption of current technologies for H&S in the construction industry of a developing country. After a review of pertinent literature, a structured questionnaire survey was used to solicit the views of one hundred and twenty-three (123) construction professionals who doubled as H&S practitioners in the Ghanaian construction industry (GCI) through purposive and snowball sampling techniques. The data obtained were analysed using quartile deviations, mean scores, the Wilcoxon Signed Rank test, Kruskal-Wallis test and Mann-Whitney test. The findings of this study revealed all eight variables were essential for the adoption of H&S technologies in the construction industry of a developing country. The findings further suggest that a multifaceted approach, incorporating these strategies, can significantly enhance the adoption of H&S technologies, leading to safer working environments. The paper contributes to the understanding of the current technologies important for H&S in the GCI. The findings could educate regulatory bodies such as the Ghana Institute of Construction on the need to step up and promote the uptake of current technologies in the GCI. Though this study was conducted within the context of Ghana, its findings and implications can be useful to policymakers, stakeholders and practitioners in other developing countries.