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