Abstract
The construction industry continues to be one of the industries with the highest number of occupational accidents, and it has proved difficult to implement effective measures to prevent accidents and improve occupational safety and health (OSH). One of the most important elements in working with OSH is that
it must be attained in collaboration between management and employees, which can be challenging in the construction industry due to constant changes in construction, changes in work tasks and complexity, as well as managerial, employment and working conditions. Management and employees
participate in formal safety collaborations e.g. at OSH meetings, yet in the daily work different roles, tasks and perceptions of what creates good safety in the workplace can be very different and sometimes result in conflicts.
The purpose of this project has been to investigate the various occupational groups' perceptions of safety in the construction industry, including their explanations of why accidents occur and their risk perceptions in order to illustrate the significance of these differences for collaborating on OSH at
construction sites. The project was carried out as a qualitative multi-case study.
Data collection was conducted through participant observation and semi-structured interviews with representatives of main contractors, OSH professionals, construction managers, OSH coordinators, crew foremen, crew leaders and craftsmen at two large construction sites.
The results show that perceptions of safety and risk can be divided into: 1) a rational, logical approach, based on formal knowledge, and 2) a relational, intuitive perception of safety, based more on informal, experience-based knowledge. Safety perceptions are related to the professional trade background /
education, but are also related to practical on-site work. This means that safety and risks are very real for craftsmen, whereas they are more abstract for OSH professionals and management.
For those professions with a rational perception of safety, attaining safety is predominantly a matter of controlling risks and ensuring compliance with rules. On the other hand, for those with a relational perception of safety, safety is achieved through trust in colleagues, management and the material with
which they work. The results also point out that management draw on different approaches for promoting OSH on-site, namely enforcement of rules or involvement. Attempts to involve and engage employees are not necessarily perceived as such by the craftsmen, but are rather seen as the pursuit of a more refined form of controlling safety. When involvement is perceived in this way it can undermine trust, which the craftsmen perceive as crucial for safety.
The results indicate that safety is perceived differently between different groups,
and is linked to different forms of knowledge and practices at the construction site. For example, the OHS professionals or managers may understand safety and prevention as long- standing, ongoing processes. At the same time, craftsmen experience on- site problems here and now, and therefore it is crucial that management is present on site and engages in forms of cooperation that makes it evident that they will take care of the problems. In this way, they can support and build the kind of trust that is crucial for the craftsmen, with a balance between rational and relational perceptions of safety. This could potentially strengthen collaboration about safety and prevent accidents in the construction industry.
it must be attained in collaboration between management and employees, which can be challenging in the construction industry due to constant changes in construction, changes in work tasks and complexity, as well as managerial, employment and working conditions. Management and employees
participate in formal safety collaborations e.g. at OSH meetings, yet in the daily work different roles, tasks and perceptions of what creates good safety in the workplace can be very different and sometimes result in conflicts.
The purpose of this project has been to investigate the various occupational groups' perceptions of safety in the construction industry, including their explanations of why accidents occur and their risk perceptions in order to illustrate the significance of these differences for collaborating on OSH at
construction sites. The project was carried out as a qualitative multi-case study.
Data collection was conducted through participant observation and semi-structured interviews with representatives of main contractors, OSH professionals, construction managers, OSH coordinators, crew foremen, crew leaders and craftsmen at two large construction sites.
The results show that perceptions of safety and risk can be divided into: 1) a rational, logical approach, based on formal knowledge, and 2) a relational, intuitive perception of safety, based more on informal, experience-based knowledge. Safety perceptions are related to the professional trade background /
education, but are also related to practical on-site work. This means that safety and risks are very real for craftsmen, whereas they are more abstract for OSH professionals and management.
For those professions with a rational perception of safety, attaining safety is predominantly a matter of controlling risks and ensuring compliance with rules. On the other hand, for those with a relational perception of safety, safety is achieved through trust in colleagues, management and the material with
which they work. The results also point out that management draw on different approaches for promoting OSH on-site, namely enforcement of rules or involvement. Attempts to involve and engage employees are not necessarily perceived as such by the craftsmen, but are rather seen as the pursuit of a more refined form of controlling safety. When involvement is perceived in this way it can undermine trust, which the craftsmen perceive as crucial for safety.
The results indicate that safety is perceived differently between different groups,
and is linked to different forms of knowledge and practices at the construction site. For example, the OHS professionals or managers may understand safety and prevention as long- standing, ongoing processes. At the same time, craftsmen experience on- site problems here and now, and therefore it is crucial that management is present on site and engages in forms of cooperation that makes it evident that they will take care of the problems. In this way, they can support and build the kind of trust that is crucial for the craftsmen, with a balance between rational and relational perceptions of safety. This could potentially strengthen collaboration about safety and prevent accidents in the construction industry.
| Original language | Danish |
|---|
| Place of Publication | Herning |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Arbejdsmedicin, Universitetsklinik, Regionshospitalet Herning |
| Number of pages | 74 |
| Publication status | Published - 2018 |
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