Examining the occupational health and safety risks associated with the use of tower cranes on construction projects

Abstract

Construction in Uganda is rapidly increasing in urban centers especially involving high rise construction. Tower cranes are thus increasingly and extensively used for hoisting materials in high rise construction. The utilization of a tower crane creates several risks and hazards that could have catastrophic effects on the construction and all stakeholders due to its own structure and safety management defects. This necessitates the need to study the occupational health and safety risks associated with the use of tower cranes on construction sites. The aim of this project is to identify the risks associated with the use of tower cranes, their impact and necessary mitigation measures in a bid to determine whether the increased use of tower cranes is worth it. The study began with collecting relevant data from 6 selected high rise construction projects using questionnaires and observation. The data collected was analyzed and graphical representations and tables were used to represent the results from which several conclusions and recommendations were drawn. Key words: Tower crane safety, Construction, Risk assessment, Kampala