Adaptability of OHSAS 18001 as a regulation in the Sri Lankan construction industry: consultant's perspective

Abstract

The management of health and safety is an issue that is relevant and crucial to all organizations across all industries in the globe. It is more significant and crucial for the construction industry. In Sri Lanka, the construction industry is one of the largest industries,accounting about 8.7% gross domestic product in 2013. It employs about 681,000 in 2012 of the national workforce and generates an annual turnover of up to Rs.423.4 billion. However,construction industry still remains one of the most dangerous industries due to its high work force, heavy use of high risk machineries sand lack of safety culture. This research is focused to study the potential of implementation of OHSAS 18001 as a regulation in local construction industry. Thus three objectives such as study the standard process of OHSAS 18001 requirements implementing at a site , Level of current practice of OHSAS 18001 requirements at consultants organisations and Analyse the possibility of implementing OHSAS 18001 as a regulation were set. The survey method was employed in conducting this research. Data collection was mainly through questionnaire survey that consists with structured and semi structured questions. The findings of the research showed that 15.6 % of the companies are following OHSAS 18001 and another 12 .5% have obtained OHSAS 18001 certification. In addition, 59% of the companies are following OHS policies that are quite similar to OHSAS and 71.9 % of the respondents were of the view that OHSAS 18001 can be established as a regulation. These findings will inspire the stakeholders of the construction industry to implement OHSAS 180001 in their construction sites in order to optimize the operational performances and the legislature to introduce necessary legislations to make OHSAS 180001 a regulation for the benefit of the industry and the society at large.