Factors causing fatigue and safety-related errors on construction sites in bloemfontein

Fatigue is expressed through tiredness that obstructs actual work performance. The reported study explored the factors that contribute to fatigue, which in turn leads to errors on construction sites. Through a case study strategy that used a semi-structured protocol for face-to-face interviews, responses to "how does fatigue produce human errors in construction” was sought. The collected data from construction sites in Bloemfontein examined the phenomenon through the lived experiences of people in construction. The interviews were conducted with site management, professionals and craft workers in the frontline of physical site construction work. The interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed before being analysed. The results affirmed the notion that fatigue is a state of physical and mental exhaustion that reduces the ability to undertake the completion of a task safely on site. Further, the state of mind of a worker that is fatigued reduced mental alertness increases the likelihood of errors, which in turn leads to accidents. The origins of fatigue cited by the interviewees include long hours of work, lack of comfort or rest breaks in between shifts, dehydration while working, excessive heat or cold, and lack of food. The various on-site activities where fatigue was implicated included loading and offloading materials, digging trenches, brickwork and plastering. There is, therefore, a need to rethink work procedures on sites where fatigue plays a leading role in the manifestation errors with safety implications. The results from this case study provide the impetus for further research into fatigue causal factors in the construction industry and the practices that perpetuate fatigue on construction sites in Bloemfontein. Reducing fatigue supports fairness and social justice (promotes the Common Good agenda) on sites.