Li, X; Li, H; Skitmore, M and Wang, F (2022) Understanding the influence of safety climate and productivity pressure on non-helmet use behavior at construction sites: A case study. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 29(1), pp. 72-90. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Purpose: Neglecting to wear a safety helmet can result in serious injuries at construction sites, but the cause of such unsafe behavior has not been fully understood. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to provide a means of systematically understanding on the causes of non-helmet use behaviors at construction sites. Design/methodology/approach: This paper utilizes the system dynamics (SD) modeling to portray the construction system works at project, management and individual levels to understand the relative importance of safety climate and productivity pressures. A real-time helmet use behavior tracking system (the Eye on Project (EOP)) is developed to provide an objective record of helmet use practices. Using the data collected from the EOP, the proposed SD model can be calibrated to simulate the influence of safety climate and productivity pressures on the non-helmet use behaviors of construction workers. Findings: The data collected from 91 responses through the questionnaire survey were utilized to develop the SD model, which consists of two balancing loops and two reinforced loops. The mean absolute percentage error is further used to evaluate the model. The results show that a positive safety climate significantly reduced the rate of non-helmet use behavior. Originality/value: This study divided the primary contributors of non-helmet use behavior into three levels for the SD model development. The SD model can be used to develop policies for mitigating helmet misuse, which in turn improves the safety performance of construction sites.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction project; helmet use practices; productivity pressure; safety climate; system dynamics |
| Index terms: | survey, construction site, safety climate, unsafe behaviour, injury, relative importance, safety performance, construction system, model development, questionnaire, methodology, construction project, system dynamics, productivity, case study, modelling, construction worker |
| Subjects: | research methods, management, financial risk, health safety and environment, production management, health conditions and diseases, building construction, occupational health and safety management, risk assessment, data collection methods, computing systems, practitioner, work location, analytical methods |
| Topics: | Site Management, Digital Applications, Roles and Professions, Risk Management, Project Management, Research Practice, Engineering Principles, Cost Management, Business Strategy, Health and Safety |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here