The International Journal

Challenging andofEnforcing
Construction Management
Safety (2008)
Management 87 - 101 Countries: A Strategy
in Developing 87

CHALLENGING AND ENFORCING SAFETY

MANAGEMENT IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES:
A STRATEGY
Rafiq M. CHOUDHRY1, Dongping FANG2 and Steve ROWLINSON3
1
National Institute of Transportation, National University of Sciences and Technology, Risalpur Campus, Risalpur
Cantonment 24080, Pakistan Tel: +92 923 631211, Fax: +92 923 631594, Email: rafique-nit@nust.edu.pk
2
Tsinghua-Gammon Construction Safety Research Centre, School of Civil Engineering, Tsinghua University, Beijing
100084, China Tel: +86 10 62795113, Fax: +86 10 62773661, Email: fangdp@mail.tsinghua.edu.cn
3
Department of Real Estate & Construction, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China Tel: +852 28592808,
Fax: +852 25599457, Email: steverowlinson@hku.hk

Abstract
To eliminate fatalities and injuries, this work aims to present empirical research based on the examination
of safety management practices currently operational in the construction industries of Pakistan, China
and Hong Kong with a view to enhancing safety in developing countries. The current safety situation
in the construction industries of Pakistan and China (and specifically Hong Kong) vis-à-vis safety
schemes, challenges and opportunities, and enforcement is presented. Emerging themes from qualitative
analysis substantiate the significance of ten factors highlighting the importance of implementing safety
management systems on construction sites. The identified factors are safety as a value, safety system,
safety organization, safety training, research and development, personal protection program, toolbox
talks and a site safety cycle, plant department, safety and productivity, and development of construction
business. Research demonstrates that constructors in the developing countries need to implement safety,
health and environmental (SH&E) management systems within their companies. To deliver projects
without injuries, a strategy for implementing a safety system is given to help reduce job site risks.

Keywords
Construction site safety, developing countries, safety initiatives, safety management system

INTRODUCTION

All over the world, construction is one of the most hazardous industries because of the unique
nature of each project (Jannadi and Bu-Khamsin, 2002). Developing countries, for example
South Africa, have been characterized by poor health and safety performance relative to the
situation in other industrial sectors. In 1999, building and construction in South Africa had
the third worst fatality rate (0.11) per 1,000 workers after fishing (2.09) and transport (0.14)
(Fester and Haupt, 2006). The construction safety record of China is also poor. Every year,
there are more than a thousand recorded fatalities on construction sites. It is believed, however,
that the figures show only the tip of the iceberg with a large number of unreported fatalities
and accidents (Tam et al., 2004).

Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of China where the construction
safety management laws and regulations are better developed and implemented. The research
reported in this paper is to discover whether Hong Kong’s safety management practices are
suitable for Mainland China and other developing countries in order to save lives and improve