Impact of Illiterate Rural Migrant Workers on the Effectiveness of Construction Safety Induction in Lagos State Nigeria (Published)
Demand for housing, factory buildings and other social infrastructural development in the major urban cites around the world are ever on the increase. To meet the high demand of labour force required, contractors often employ illiterate rural migrant workers that drift from rural areas to cities for greener pasture. These categories of construction site workers have poor understanding of English and therefore contribute to a disproportionate number of site fatalities and injuries on sites. This study aimed at investigating the extent to which these illiterate rural migrant construction site workers impact on the effectiveness of construction safety induction training on sites. The study examines the demographic data of the illiterate rural migrant construction site workers, construction H&S legislation and language used in conducting site safety induction training to the workers. Questionnaire survey was then structured from literature and administered to workers with the aid of interpreters. This was followed by interviews conducted with site supervisors. Data was electronically manipulated using MS Excel. From the analysis, the study revealed that about 64.5% of the general workers are rural migrant workers with no basic education and trade qualifications. The study further revealed that poor understanding of spoken English among the rural migrant workers contribute to site injuries and fatalities. Nevertheless, there is lack of commitment on the part of contracting organizations, particularly among the medium and small sized companies in conducting safety induction training to workers. The study concludes that H&S is an important issue in the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) all over the World. The Act emphasizes the importance of employee education pertaining to H&S of the work environment regardless of whether the employee is educated or illiterate. The study therefore recommends that contractors conduct site H&S induction training to workers whether they are temporary or permanent; and that safety induction training should be conducted in local language of the rural migrant workers.
Keywords: Construction, Health and Safety Induction, Illiterate, Lagos, Migrant Workers, Rural