CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the study

Of recent years, construction of structural building and infrastructures has been on

the rise all around the world. Construction of new buildings are occurring each
day and failure and accidents that occurs during construction are also on the rise.
The efforts to provide individual urban housing and infrastructure in our country
has increased the rate of construction accidents witnessed in the past few years.
Construction safety in developing countries is still immature, compared to many
developed countries such as in Europe and the United States where guidelines to
promote construction site safety have been established (e.g. OSHA and Directive
92/57 / EEC) (Awwad et al., 2016).

Scaffolding is a temporary structure used for supporting construction workers and

materials used during an active building construction project. It is also used
sometimes during the rehabilitation of structural building. Scaffolding materials
are usually different in standards which also affect the safety and accidents on site.
Accidents that occur by falling from heights during construction are on the rise
daily and about 40% of fatal accidents on construction sites are due to falls from
height. Fall from scaffolding and work platform contributed seventy-five percent
(75%) of the accidents (Chong & Low, 2014; Worker Deaths by Falls, 2000).
Recent statistics from Nigeria shows that 238 fatalities and 3461 injuries were
recorded from various industries between 2014 and 2016, where the construction
industry accounted for about 39% of the recorded accidents (ILO, 2016).

In Nigeria, bamboo scaffolding is widely used in various types of construction

work. A record of 81% of building contractors use bamboo or timber scaffolding
with a reusable rate of two to three times (Mbamali and Oboirien, 2002). Although
bamboo scaffolding is considered a favorable alternative to steel rods in
developing countries, the collapse of bamboo scaffolds, especially during periods
of strong winds or rainy climates, has been reported (Cheung & Chan, 2012).
These incidents may result in serious injuries, deaths, and economic losses that the
community cannot afford (Building Department, 2019). In most developing
countries such as Nigeria, builders’ erect scaffolds based on “rules of thumb” that
have no formal safety guidelines. Consequently, major accidents at construction
sites consist of falls of workers and materials from working platforms (Bokinni,
2001, Obiegbu, 2001). Despite the perceived importance of safe bamboo
scaffolding practices in preventing the risk of falls from height, there is little and
no literature on the subject matter in Nigeria. Therefore, there are no codes of
practice available for the safe use of bamboo scaffolding in the Nigerian
construction industry. In Nigeria, the Lagos State Safety Commission acknowledge
that construction sites witness a large number of accidents due to lack of proper
safety measures and lack of basic training on safety. As a result, the commission
provides general guidelines on safety, while individual organizations are generally
responsible in developing related safety measures. (Umeokafor et al., (2014)
suggests that proactive approaches to safety management in Nigeria should entail
the development and adoption of an Approved Code of Practice (ACOP).

1.2 Problem Statement

The construction industry is growing constantly at a high rate, and its among the
most hazardous industries, especially in developing countries. “Falls from height”
is considered one of the leading causes of fatalities and injuries. In many
developing countries such as Nigeria, there is a general lack of adequate and/or
efficient safety regulations. Notably, the most common equipment used for work at
height is the bamboo scaffold due to its wide availability and affordability.

But due to the increase in failures of scaffolding frame works and the negligence
during setting up and quality assurance of using bamboo scaffolding, there is need
to access and study on the framework and usability of bamboo scaffolding as an
option, considering its clarity, applicability, adoption, and implementation in
Nigeria construction industry.

1.3 Aim of the Study

The aim of this research is to develop a framework for the safe use of bamboo
scaffolding in Nigeria.

1.4 Objective of the study

The specific objectives are to:

1. Evaluating bamboo’s sustainability as a biodegradable and eco-friendly

material
2. Determining bamboo’s flexibility, weight with regard to its load-bearing
capacity, and ease of transport that makes it a reliable material for the
construction of scaffolding in tall buildings.
3. Investigate the strength properties of other scaffolding materials.

1.5 Justification for the study

This research was conducted to show the level of risk associated with the use of
scaffolding in Nigeria and relate it to the safety in scaffolding practice and other
uncertainties on construction site. Bamboo scaffolding, timber scaffolding, iron
pipe scaffolding, as well as other types of scaffolding would be looked into,
studied and compared to one another. The main focus of this research is to access
the risk and failures that could occur in different types of scaffolding, most
especially bamboo scaffolding. Qualitative research approaches would be used to
determine this, which include interviews, focus groups, questionnaire surveys,
observations, and analysis of written records. Previous studies in the development
of guidelines and frameworks have utilized qualitative research approaches based
on literature reviews, and semi-structured interviews (Briner et al., 2010; Mearns et
al., 2013; Parker et al., 2006)

1.6 Scope of the study

This research would be focused on studying and analyzing the lack of existing
standards and codes of practice for using bamboo scaffolding as a reliable and
sufficient material for scaffolding in Nigeria. Determination of the durability and
strength of bamboo scaffolding in relation to other scaffolding materials.

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