“Programme for the Enhancement of Safety Skills for Engineers and Practitioners in the Construction Industry in Kenya” is an ambitious capacity development programme delivered by the Engineers Board of Kenya, supported by Lloyd’s Register Foundation funding.
Data from 2017 reveals that Kenya experiences a large number of fatalities in the construction industry, with an estimated 64 deaths per 100,000 workers. The Engineers Board of Kenya attributes this relatively poor safety record can be attributed to a variety of factors, including weak safety culture, lack of training and resources for recruits, and ineffective operational procedures on site.
These factors are exacerbated by inadequate investment in occupational health and safety, with studies estimating that the majority of construction companies in Nairobi allocate less than 1% of budget to health and safety requirements.
This project aims to address these issues at source, supporting the development of curricula, courses and monitoring tools, so practitioners and workers have the capacity, capability and understanding to identify and address risks to safety on construction sites around the country.
Following successful implementation in Kenya, there is scope for the programme to scale up activities throughout East Africa, sharing learnings with key stakeholders and supporting the adoption of engineering best practices in neighbouring Tanzania, Uganda and Rwanda. For more information on this project, visit the Engineers Board of Kenya website, subscribe to our newsletter or contact our programme manager using the details below.