Can South Africa’s Construction Industry Achieve Net Zero Amidst Safety and Health Challenges
New Insights from SHEQ Investigations
The construction industry is under increasing pressure to address its significant environmental impact, with the United Nations identifying the built environment sector as responsible for a staggering 37% of global emissions. The question looms large: can the industry move towards net zero? Amidst this environmental urgency, a new analysis from the South African Institute of Occupational Health (SAIOSH) sheds light on the persistent safety, health, environment, and quality (SHEQ) challenges that the construction sector faces.
Professor John Smallwood of Nelson Mandela University, a leading voice in construction health and safety, has issued a clarion call for reform. His analysis highlights the critical need to overhaul health and safety (H&S) protocols within South Africa’s construction industry, a sector notorious for its high accident and fatality rates.
High Fatality Rates: A Pressing Concern
The analysis draws attention to alarming statistics from the Federated Employers Mutual Assurance Company (FEM), which reported a fatality rate of 17.5 per 100,000 workers in 2022. This figure starkly contrasts with the significantly lower rates of 2.1 per 100,000 workers reported in Australian and UK construction sectors for 2021 and 2022/23, respectively. Professor Smallwood attributes these shocking figures to systemic failures in safety management across the industry.
“There is no such thing as an ‘accident’,” Smallwood asserts, challenging the traditional notion of unforeseen events in construction. He argues that these incidents are often the result of management failures, emphasizing the need for a paradigm shift in how safety is perceived and managed.

Beyond Physical Safety: The Mental Health Crisis
Smallwood also brings attention to the often-overlooked issue of mental health within the construction industry. While physical safety concerns dominate the discourse, mental well-being is equally crucial. He advocates for a more holistic approach to worker health, one that acknowledges and addresses the mental health challenges faced by workers in this high-stress environment.
Respect for workers is another critical element that Smallwood believes is lacking in the industry. He criticizes the inadequate welfare facilities on construction sites, which he views as a failure to demonstrate respect for the workers who risk their lives daily.
“Workers exposed to hazards and risks are people with a body, mind, and soul, who invariably have a partner, a family, and are derived from a community,” he states, urging for improved working conditions that reflect genuine respect for workers.
A Call for Comprehensive Reforms
To address these challenges, Professor Smallwood calls for several key reforms. He insists that H&S should not merely be a priority, which can change from day to day, but rather a core value that consistently guides all activities in the industry.
“H&S must always be the first consideration, and all activities must be structured around it,” he asserts.
Smallwood also criticizes the abolition of South Africa’s apprenticeship scheme and the lack of barriers to entry into the construction industry. These factors, he argues, have marginalized training, safety, productivity, and quality. He calls for a review of training programs, mandatory skills training, and the inclusion of H&S in tertiary education curricula to ensure that industry professionals are well-equipped with the latest knowledge and best practices.

Regulatory reforms are also on Smallwood’s agenda. He recommends revisiting the Construction Regulations to incorporate better practices and publishing proper guidelines. Moreover, he advocates for more rigorous inspections by the Occupational Health and Safety Inspectorate of the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL), with a focus on the contributions of clients and designers to construction safety.
To further bolster H&S standards, Smallwood proposes the establishment of a dedicated H&S Agency, similar to the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE). This agency would serve as a central point for promoting H&S, raising awareness, providing information, offering advice, and conducting related research.
Investing in the Future
The analysis also emphasizes the need for financial investment in H&S-related training, tertiary education, and research. While entities like the FEM already fund such initiatives through various associations, Smallwood stresses the need for broader industry commitment to sustain these efforts.
“The industry must fund H&S-related training, tertiary education, postgraduate studies, and research,” Smallwood states, calling for a collaborative approach involving all stakeholders to drive meaningful progress.
As the construction industry grapples with its significant environmental footprint and pressing safety challenges, the insights from SHEQ investigations and Professor Smallwood’s analysis offer a clear roadmap. The path to net zero and a safer, healthier construction industry may be fraught with challenges, but with the right reforms, it is a journey that can be undertaken successfully.
6 thoughts on “SHEQ IN CONSTRUCTION”
This was very insightful, thank you for sharing!
This is a game-changer, thanks for the great work.
Glad you liked the post, stay tuned for more.
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I have learned so much from this article, will be following your blog.
Amazing post! Really resonated with me.