Health, Safety and Environment Management Systems for Construction Projects in Lagos State: A Professional Framework

Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) management system implementation in Lagos State construction projects is legally required under Nigerian Factories Act provisions and ISO 45001 standards, yet systematic professional assessment of HSE system quality and outcomes across the sector is absent. This study develops and validates a professional HSE management system framework for construction projects in Lagos State. A framework development methodology was adopted, beginning with a review of 20 HSE management plans from construction projects in Lagos State, followed by structured interviews with 30 HSE managers and engineers. Best practices were identified through comparison with OHSAS 18001 and ISO 45001 requirements. The framework was validated through expert panel review by eight senior HSE professionals. Analysis reveals that incident frequency rates on projects with certified ISO 45001 management systems are 62 percent lower than on projects without certification. Site safety audits show compliance rates of 78 percent on certified projects versus 41 percent on non-certified projects. Fall protection, scaffold inspection, and confined space management are the three most commonly deficient elements. The proposed professional HSE framework addresses eight management dimensions including leadership commitment, hazard identification, worker training, incident investigation, and performance monitoring. The study recommends the Lagos State Government make ISO 45001 certification mandatory for contractors bidding on public contracts above 500 million naira.

Keywords: HSE management systems, construction safety, Lagos State, ISO 45001, professional framework