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It is regularly reported that the construction industry has one of the highest levels of incidents of work-related injury in the UK. Research to date involving the management of health and safety in construction has concentrated on safety and in particular fatalities of construction workers. Yet the manual handling of heavy loads leading to occupational health problems is widespread in the industry. The aim of this research was to better understand the continued use of manual handling for the installation of concrete highway kerbs in the construction industry. The initial objectives were to review alternatives to and research on kerb handling; compare kerb handling methods; investigate the design process; and finally produce information for the supply chain. Due to time constraints on the project and the nature of the investigation an exploratory interpretive investigation was used to provide a flexible approach. A literature review led to research questions on training, risk of injury, designing for safety, organisation of the work and culture which narrowed the scope of the enquiry. The research used qualitative methods with observation of the work and a survey of key members of the supply chain through interviews and focus groups which provided rich data for analysis. The observation work, including postural analysis, has added to existing research mainly from other industries confirming the risk of injury of the manual handling operation and the reduced risks through using alternatives. The survey collected a considerable amount of rich data from the supply chain members. This recorded their perceptions of the culture of other members and the change occurring with the introduction of new innovative technology. Results from the data analysis have been used to produce guidance material, including a process model, to support the industry with the management of highway kerb installation. Further research is required, collaborating with members of the supply chain, to validate the process model with practical applications. Data of the supply chain members perceptions can also be used for further examination of communication failings between members.

Health and safety at construction sites deals with both physical and psychological well being of workers on construction sites and other persons whose health is likely to be adversely affected by construction activities. It is of primary concern to employers, employees, governments and project participants. Although accident figures of the construction industry remain unacceptably high, some achievements in health and safety have been made. Nevertheless, the role of enabling socioeconomic, cultural, political, and institutional environments in health and safety management has either been overlooked or underemphasized. The importance of such enabling environments in this thesis is couched from the context of developing countries in particular, Ghana. In broader terms, the links between the socioeconomic, cultural, political, and institutional environments and health and safety at construction sites are still poorly understood. This thesis aims to understand the influence of the contextual environment on health and safety management within construction SMEs in Ghana and to develop a framework of recommendations for improving health and safety performance of the sector based on the analyses of the contextual environment. The thesis has adopted a multimethods strategy design, employing data collection techniques suited to the research setting. The discussion of results highlight the significance of the Ghanaian socio-cultural value systems particularly, the extended family system and traditional religious value systems in health and safety management within Ghanaian construction SMEs. The institutional structure for implementing health and safety standards on construction sites and the prevailing economic climate which undermines an enabling environment hinder construction SMEs from managing the risks of hazards on construction sites effectively. The research also gives insights into the difficulties posed by the internal environment of SMEs to the effective management of health and safety. Key issues identified by this study include: lack of skilled human resources; inadequate government support so construction SMEs; inefficiencies in the institutional structure responsible for implementing health and safety standards; the practice of corporate social responsibility; appropriate procurement practices; and, commitment to extended family obligations. These key issues need to be further explored. The study has made recommendations which, if adopted, will lead to significant improvements in the health and safety performance of construction SMEs in Ghana.

Occupational health history is becoming an increasingly vibrant field of study, and this thesis will contribute to this subject by analysing one of the major industries in the twentieth-century Scottish economy. The history of the Scottish steel industry has been relatively neglected since its radical contraction in the 1980s and early 1990s, and this thesis adds to the attempts to address this. Utilising a number of sources, including trade union papers and oral testimony, this thesis engages with health and safety concepts pertaining to work in the steel industry. Significantly, it has been discovered that cultures of health and safety among workers were established relatively early on. It will be seen that the levels of commitment to industry-specific health and safety standards on the part of workers and trade unions, and employers and management, varied. This will then link in to the significance of government legislation in the 1970s. While employer initiatives of the privatised era were geared towards improving the workplace - such as the Craig War Memorial Home - they were highly localised in character. This lack of an 'across the board' experience therefore makes the health and safety legislation of the 1970s all the more significant. An attempt to assess the extent to which regulation of health and safety in the workplace had distinctively 'Scottish' features has also been made, and it will be seen that the locations of the Scottish plants and the changing nature of ownership of the industry had their own parts to play in the development of work culture. Moreover, it will be demonstrated that a stoic, fatalistic work culture was prevalent in the industry, and that a 'machismo' element was often absent. These themes, it will be seen, combined to create an atmosphere in which workers and, indeed, management - many of whom were drawn from local communities - were receptive to improvements in occupational health and safety practices. Despite varied experiences across plants and sectors of the steel industry, health and safety has become of increasing importance to the entirety of the workforce. The result of this is that procedures have developed from being left largely to 2 individual discretion, to the point where work in steel is dictated by the likely impact of tasks on oneself and others. It is now 'its own wee empire.' 3

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The studies presented in this thesis were conducted to develop two minimum fitness standards, one for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and the second for the Oil and Gas Industry. This provided the opportunity to compare across the essential tasks and resultant standards. The following stages were used for both the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Oil and Gas Industry: a. Review the tasks requiring a significant physical fitness component (Task Analysis); b. Determine the importance of the physically demanding tasks and identify those which are critical for success and safe work (Task Assessment); c. Establish the method of best practice (Technique) for undertaking the essential tasks; d. Establish and agree the minimum performance standard for the essential tasks (Task Performance) when performed using the method of best practice; e. Assess the physical and physiological demands of these tasks (Task Quantification); f. Design and validate a simple-to-administer minimum fitness standard. The essential tasks and fitness requirements of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency fell into three groups, these were: Group 1 (All Operations): achieve a maximum aerobic score of at least 31 mL.kg-¹.min-¹ based on the aerobic demand of 21.8 mL.kg-¹.min-¹ required to carry a stretcher at the head-end 200 m at a speed of 3.2 km.h-¹; continuously lift a 3 kg sledge hammer 10 times above shoulder height, based on hammering a stake into the ground; pull a rope, with a resistance of 35 kg, and maintain this load for 15 s based on manning a main rescue-line; carry a 19 kg hand-held load 200 m in 3 min 45 s allow 3 min 45 s rest, then carry a 25.5 kg hand held load, 200 m in 3 min 45 s, based on the ability to carry a stretcher (89 kg) as part of a four person team. Group 2 (Rope Technicians) should complete all the tasks as Group 1, plus pass all the technical competencies currently in place for Rope Technicians. Group 3 (Mud Technicians) as Group 1, plus achieve a predicted maximum aerobic score of at least 39 mL.kg- ¹.min-¹ based on the aerobic demand of 27.4 mL.kg-¹.min-¹ required to pull a stretcher across the mud at 0.8 km.h-¹, (this equates to covering 200 m in 15 minutes), prior to performing a simulated mud rescue. The essential tasks and the minimum fitness requirements of the Oil and Gas Industry were: Stair and Ladder-Climbing, achieve a predicted maximum aerobic score of at least 31 mL.kg-¹.min-¹ based on the aerobic demand of 23.4 mL.kg- ¹.min-¹ required to climb a flight of stairs at a rate of 80 steps.min-¹ and 23.6 mL.kg- ¹.min-¹ to climb a ladder at 24 rungs.min-¹; Manual Handling, based on the requirement to climb a flight of stairs at a rate of 80 steps.min-¹ for a minute carrying a load of 10 kg, 20 kg or 25 kg; Valve Turning, based on the requirement to continuously turn a medium size valve (25.4 cm diameter) set at a torque of 8.3 N.m, for 5 min; Emergency Response Team, achieve a predicted maximum aerobic score of at least 41 mL.kg-¹.min ¹, based on the aerobic demand of 30.7 mL.kg-¹.min-¹ required to pull a trailer/foam monitor at a speed of 5 km.h-¹. If trailer/foam monitors are not used achieve a predicted maximum aerobic score of at least 39 mL.kg-¹.min-¹ based on the aerobic demand of 28.9 mL.kg-¹.min-¹ required to climb a ladder at 34.5 rungs.min-¹. Stretcher carry 89 kg either in a two or four person lift (dependant on the facility), rope haul the heaviest anticipated load (10 kg first aid kit) up 10 m gantry, roll out a 23 m fire hose. There were no time constraints recommended for hauling kit and rolling out a hose. For those essential tasks that could not be assessed by a direct task measurement or a direct task simulation, a Predictive selection test was recommended and validated. Prediction intervals were used to take into account the inherent error between the predictive tests and the direct measurements, to determine “Pass”, “Borderline” and “Fail” categories. As a result of this work a modular approach was adopted in which individuals only undertake those test applicable to their job, with a combination of direct task measurements, direct task simulations, and Predictive selection tests recommended. It is suggested that, where possible, the use of a direct task measurement or simulation should either be progressive e.g. stretcher-carrying, or performed after a Predictive selection test, in order to reduce the risk of injury when the individuals proceed to undertake the direct task measurement or simulation e.g. manual handling. This approach has meant that consideration is given to the health and safety of the individuals undertaking the fitness standard whilst maintaining a high level of face validity.

High-risk organizations are continuously striving to minimize risks and establish a safe working environment. While technology and high standards are crucial, a core aspect of an effective safety management system lies in safe human behaviour and this constitutes the main theme for this thesis. In order to assess the state of safety of an organization from a behavioural perspective, safety compliance (SC) and safety citizenship behaviour (SCB) were measured through interviews and quantitative studies with an emphasis on understanding the key aspects of leadership style and associated mediating factors that influence employees' safety compliance and safety citizenship behaviour.

The primary objectives of this study were to determine the relationship between the wellness constructs coping and SoC as well as the relationship between the wellness constructs LoC and SoC in the petrochemical industry in South Africa. The sample of 184 participants completed three different psychological concepts namely COPE (Hereinafter referred to as coping), Locus of Control Inventory and Sense of Coherence Scale. The results of the study indicate that there is a statistically significant relationship between the variables coping ad Soc as well SoC and LoC but no statistically significant relationship between the variables coping and LoC. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

The purpose of the research was to explore the challenges faced by both employer and employee when the later undergoes active cancer treatment from a systemic perspective. A qualitative research was conducted using a case study of six sessions with both employer and employee. The study revealed that the employer and employee defined their relationship and boundaries as a system. The research project made a great impact on the researchers’ map regarding cancer or any other symptom, the person with cancer and the employer. In the researcher’s old map, before the research project, cancer implied a very threatening disease which rendered both the employer and the employee helpless and powerless. Through the research project the researcher discovered the significance of not having preconceived ideas as according to this study both the employer and employee had the freedom to punctuate their challenges in relation to the latter undergoing active treatment. / Social Work / M. A. (Social Science (Mental Health))