Improving Construction Safety and Health in the Saudi Construction Sector - Research Paper Example

It is rather unfortunate, but true, that the construction industry around the world had developed a reputation for being the industrial sector that presents higher statistics for industrial accidents, fatalities and deaths than any other (Coble, 2000, Pp.). United States Department of Labour for the year 2006 indicated that construction fatalities represented about 21% of the total workforce fatalities (Lambeck, 2009, Pp. 72 – 74). However, efforts directed towards continuous improvement in construction safety in many countries, including Japan, South Korea, China, etc.

demonstrate that it is possible to reduce the incidence of occupational injury, serious accidents or deaths (Poon, 2008, Chapter 1). Statistics for construction industry accident frequency rates per million of men hour worked for Singapore suggest that with an accident frequency rate per million man-hours of 3.5 for the construction sector in comparison to 1.9 for all other industries help to illustrate the notoriety of the construction sector (Poon, 2008, Chapter 1). However, results for Japan, Korea and Hong Kong demonstrate improvement with effort.

Reports about the construction sector in Saudi Arabia suggest that it is possible to do more to bring about an improvement in health and safety for those working in the construction sector (Al Omani, 2008, “Does Saudi Arabia need a health and safety boot?”), (Migrant Rights, 2011, “FAQ”) and (Construction Week, 2010, “Construction sector must embrace safety culture”).