**5. Discussion**

The study identified the approaches through which the occupational health and safety of the Nigerian construction industry can be improved. These include the Establishment of the Nigerian Construction Industry Development Board (NCIDB), technical assistance and collaboration, skill development, awarenessraising and advocacy, use of International Labour Organization mechanisms, international collaboration, proper monitoring and recording, and adequate allocation of resources. The validity of the approach was tested and found to be acceptable. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to validate exploratory factor analysis-derived factor structures of the measurement scale [48]. The yardsticks of the different model fit indicators were considered. RMSE values of 0.046 in this study illustrate a good fit, as suggested by Bentler and Bonett [49] that RMSEA values of 0.05 and 0.08 are satisfactory. The CFI and IFI values in the model were


*Approaches to Improving Occupational Health and Safety of the Nigerian Construction Industry DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.113011*

#### **Table 5.**

*First-order CFA of the approaches to improving OHS.*

higher than 0.9, therefore illustrating a reasonably good fit [49]. Generally, indices values support the concept of a good fit and offer confirmatory proof for the factor structure. In the appraisal of the psychometric properties of the approaches to improving occupational health and safety of the Nigerian construction industry, construct validity was supported by CFA and EFA. From the standardized loading factors of the construct, international collaboration has the highest value of.774. According to Fingerhut [50], the exchange of experience and collaboration among centers is assisted by meetings of collaborating centers, which can support institutional capacity in occupational health and safety in regions and nations. There are great benefits in international collaboration where knowledge and experiences are shared and where we learn from the challenges and strengths faced by different nations in the quest for healthier and safer construction sites. Similarly, Hsu et al. [51] point out that collaboration could act as the instant driver of health and safe work practices. This sharing of experiences and information can help to improve occupational health and safety in the spirit of solving OHS matters in an informed manner.

Furthermore, from the standardized loading factor, awareness-raising and advocacy have the second-highest value of.713. There is a need for consideration of awareness of occupational health and safety and advocacy for a greater awareness of hazards in the workplace, which should include both health and safety programs. Employees and management team participation in health and safety programs allows them to easily accept and understand OHS changes. According to Pillay et al. [52], the absence of awareness in OHS contributes to construction accidents. Trethewy [53] highlighted that practical results and positive feedback produced from OHS observation and reporting not only improve awareness of OHS behavior and workplace safety but also induce a change process that assists to renew organizational safety culture and values. According to Teo et al. [54], technical and safety training can reduce the absence of health and safety awareness inherited in construction employees.

Use of ILO mechanism, proper monitoring, and recording of occupational accidents and skill development each has the following loadings of.694, .673, and.635, respectively. ILO has produced many instruments on OHS that can help to improve OHS. The need to use these instruments is important for improving the OHS of the Nigerian construction industry. While Yiu et al. [55] advocated for a comprehensive occupational health and safety monitoring system to be established to improve the success of safety management. Also, many nations are making important investments in training, education, job creation, and skill development, to this extent, ILO 2018 [56] suggests that it is significant to include OHS in these programs. To do so, it is essential to understand and solve the problems of health and safety risks confronted by employees and management in the workplace.

Other approaches with their loading factors are the Establishment of the Nigerian Construction Industry Development Board-.557, adequate allocation of resources-.565, and technical assistance from the professionals. The need for the establishment of a board in the construction industry similar to the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) in Malaysia and Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) in the UK will support the Nigerian construction industry in improving the occupational health and safety of the sector. While Manuele [57] pointed out that it is absolute that if sufficient resources are not provided on OHS, tolerable risk levels cannot be sustained.

*Approaches to Improving Occupational Health and Safety of the Nigerian Construction Industry DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.113011*
