Deepak, D and Mahesh, G (2023) A framework for enhancing construction safety through knowledge-based safety culture indicators. International Journal of Construction Management, 23(12), pp. 2039-2047. ISSN 1562-3599
Abstract
Many studies have indicated that positive safety culture in workplace environment could reduce occurrence of accidents. Yet, there is a lack of consensus on indicators pertaining to good practices, methods, and improvement strategies related to safety culture. Therefore, this study aims to identify the current state and development needs of the level of safety culture and suggests improvement by benchmarking through knowledge-based safety culture indicators. In this study, a qualitative research approach was adopted using open-ended interview questions to professionals from reputed construction organizations. The collected data was analyzed to summarize these interview responses highlighting the key indicators required to formulate a knowledge-based improvement framework for construction organizations. Results of the interview are analyzed and an improvement framework of overall safety culture is suggested. This framework proposes a different approach by focusing on the development needs of proactive safety culture pertaining to key knowledge-based indicators relevant for construction organizations. Further, this framework could be the basis to provide a holistic understanding of measuring safety culture to assess the level of safety culture in organizations.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction organization; indicators; knowledge management; knowledge-based safety; occupational health and safety; safety culture |
| Index terms: | interview, occupational health and safety, strategy, qualitative research, workplace environment, benchmarking, knowledge management, construction safety, construction organization, safety culture, good practice, key indicator |
| Subjects: | project delivery, data collection methods, research design and methodology, organization, occupational health and safety management, sociology, environmental health, management, performance measurement, health safety and environment, professional development |
| Topics: | Sustainability, Information Management, Research Practice, Project Management, Health and Safety, Business Strategy, Organizational Design, Quality Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
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