ABSTRACT
Management has a great effect on the job-site
performance of construction skilled workers. This paper discusses "An
assessment of the impact of work environment on the construction
skilled workers in Imo State, Nigeria. It was carried out with the aim
of assessing the efficiency and productivity of skilled workers on
construction environment. The questionnaires and field approach was the
method of study used. Data for the study were collected through
secondary and primary sources and were analyzed by means of simple
percentage, severity Index (likert scale) and productivity formula. The
study found that certain groups of skilled workers are more productive
on public construction work environment while others are more
productive on private construction work environment. The study also
found out that the percentage agreement between public and private
skilled workers in the ranking of productivity improvement factors on
construction work environment is very low (16.67%). The study equally
identifies and documented productivity improvement factor of skilled
workers on building construction site. The study concluded that skilled
workers on building construction site environment are productive and
recommended good motivation/incentives scheme, quality professional
management, inspection/supervisions and adequate supply of
tools/materials as criteria factor for improvement of productivity on
construction work environment.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND OF STUDY
Productivity
has become the buzzword of the time as it is generally agreed that the
more productivity the better. However, productivity in construction
industry is discouragingly low. The effect of this cannot be
overemphasized. Aboyade (1966) believed a country's development process
depends on the capacity of the country's construction industry, which
accounts for half of the country's fixed capital accumulation. Horneir
(1987) confirmed the importance of construction industry by asserting
that 10% increase in construction labour productivity will represent an
enormous annual saving. Productivity reflects a variety of factors
acting together to increase the value of output faster than the cost of
input. Mc Beath (1974), Nwaroh (1987) and Kendrick (1977) found Mali's
(1978) definition of productivity acceptable. Mali (1978) defines
productivity as "the measure of how well resources are brought together
in organization and utilized for accomplishing a set of results" that is
productivity is reaching the highest level of performance with least
expenditure of resources. Riggs and Felix (1983) and Bain (1982) said as
much when they stated that productivity Is not a measure of output
produced; rather it is a measure of how well resources are combined and
utilized to accomplish desirable results. It is, therefore, apparent
that construction industry in Nigeria is a major contributor to the
gross national product (GNP) Nwachukwu (2002) classified this industry
under four main segments
(i) The building segment
(ii) The civil segment
(iii) The mechanical/electrical segment
(iv) Industrial/heavy
Engineering
segment According to him, Nwachukwu (2002), the building industry
segment in Nigeria constitute about 67% of the total construction
activities in the country. Unfortunately, building construction site in
Nigeria are currently passing through gloomy and difficult time as
oppose to what used to be the boom situation in the early seventies,
many factors such as high dependant of foreign building material and
technology, lack of adequate finance, unfavorable government policies
etc, have been identify as some of the problem of lack of productivity
in construction work environment which has resulted to project
abandonment, project failure, project delay. Another major problem that
has recently attracted the attention of building stakeholders in the
industry is the issue of "UNSKILLED" in the construction environment
which has resulted to low productivity on building environment. This
state of affairs does not represent a good image for the industry, hence
the need to ask question "What can be done" it is against this
background that this research an assessment of the impact of work
environment on the productivity of construction skilled worker. A case
study of Imo state Nigeria was conserved.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Most
construction project site in Nigeria is being managed by unqualified
person who lacks the requisite capacity to identify test of work
environment. Investigation have shown that there is serious declined in
the number of young men and women taken up vocation or apprenticeship in
specialized construction place. This has created a situation where most
men and women (unskilled construction workers) who don't have proper
and adequate training on the construction work environment and its
procedures, such scenario constitute a serious problem to the building
process not only in term of poor quality work, delay or abandonments of
project but also term of low productivity which hinder national
development. Many factors are internally generated this controllable
by management, some factor are however beyond management control (e.g.
nutrition type of workers, change in climatic condition etc) and their
impact are beyond the scope of the present discourse.
1.3 AIM AND OBJECTIVES
The
aim of this study is to assess the efficiency and productivity of
construction skilled workers in Nigeria with Imo state as a case study.
The objectives of the study are as follows
1. To identify productivity factor in the construction work environment.
2. To what extent can skilled workers contribute to the productivity and successful project delivery?
3. To determine whether construction skilled workers are productive or not.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION
The study would consider the following question.
1. What are the major factors that contribute to productivity on the construction environment?
2. What strategies can be adopted for measuring productivity and performance on site?
3. To what extent can skilled workers contribute to the productivity and successful project delivery?
4. How does this factor contribute to achievement or non achievement of project target on site?
5. To what extent can unskilled workers contribute to waste of resources, failure or unsuccessful project delivery?
6. How effective are these factors when applied This study would attempt to provide answer to the above question.
1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY
Productivity
has a great significance in construction labour productivity constitute
a significant part of production input for construction project. In the
construction industry, many external and internal factors are never
constant and are difficult to anticipate. This factor leads to
continuous variation in labour productivity. It is necessary to make
sure that a reduction in productivity does not affect the plan and
schedule of the work and does not cause delay. The consequences of
these delays could result in serious money losses. Further, considerable
cost can be saved if productivity is improved because the same work can
be done with less manpower, thus reducing overall labour
SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The
study would be of immense value to all the construction skilled workers
in the construction work environment in Nigeria. It hopes to suggest
way for improvement of performance, permit efficient utilization of
resources as well as to promote knowledge and research general issue of
productivity on construction industry in Nigeria. Above all the study
would contribute to the growth of construction industry in Nigeria and
then strengthen the nation economy.
1.6 THE LIMITATION OF STUDY
Although
the focus of the study is Nigeria, the study is limited to southeast
Nigeria. It is believed that construction skilled workers are not
illiterates and have the same character nationwide. Therefore the
situation/workforce behaviors are the same. Productivity assessment for
the purpose of this study is only limited to construction and work
environment. It is hoped that the study would achieve the intended aim
and objectives.
1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
PRODUCTIVITY: it
is the relationship between goods produced or a service provided and the
resource consume in doing it (TOFFIAR 1981)
ASSESSMENT: the value or amount at which something is calculated; it is the judgment or opinion of something.
SKILLED
WORKER: it is also known as tradesmen, these are any worker who has
some special skills, knowledge or ability in their work especially in
the construction industry.
CONSTRUCTION SITE: Pieces of ground were building construction or construction works/activities takes place.
ENVIRONMENT: This
the sum total of all internal and external influences and condition
affecting construction in developing activities.