An Investigation into the Critical Barriers to the Practice of Design for Construction Safety in Nigeria

The construction industry is one of the most dangerous industries due to its high accident rates. In Nigeria, higher than average rates of accidents have been recorded. Several practices have been applied to improve this situation albeit there remains an appreciably high rate of occurrence of accidents. Research has shown that the early consideration of the safety risk inherent in designs can help prevent their occurrence later during the construction of the facilities. This concept is called Designing for Construction Safety (DfCS). Despite the advantages of DfCS, there remains barriers that prevent designers from applying the concept. This study therefore aimed to investigate the barriers to the practice DfCS in Nigeria focusing on Civil engineers. The study used a quantitative approach through survey questionnaires for data collection. Results showed that while there exists a very high level of awareness of DfCS, the extent of practise is very low. Results further showed that this is attributed to: designers’ exposure to liability, increased cost and time, designers’ lack of safety expertise among others. The study made some recommendations that could help reduce or eliminate these barriers. In general, this study has provided a pathway for mainstreaming the practice of DfCS in Nigeria.