Sherratt, F S (2012) Constructing safety on sites: an exploration of the social construction of safety on large UK construction sites. PhD thesis, University of Bolton, UK.
Abstract
Significant attempts have been made by large contractors in the UK construction industry to improve safety on their sites. Safety management systems have been put in place, minimum training requirements have been established, and worker engagement initiatives implemented in the quest for a positive safety culture. However accidents and incidents still occur. Grounded in social constructionism, this study sought to explore how people construct safety in and through their interactions at work on the large construction sites of the UK. Data was collected from five UK construction projects, all over £20m in value, and included site safety signage, conversations discussing safety and various safety documents. Discourse analysis of the data revealed considerable variation in the contextual constructions of safety. Safety was found to be inconsistent, incomplete and incidental, relating to a variety of different realities in a variety of different contexts. Relatively straightforward constructs and discourses developed around safety, such as its polarisation, the construction of safety as PPE itself, and the development of safety as un-safety. However these were further developed by more complicated and interrelated discourses of safety as practice, enforcement and engagement. The variation within and between these master discourses has consequences for safety culture in terms of its construction, homogenisation and perpetuation on sites. The study makes recommendations for further academic research to examine the variation in the discourses of safety within the management hierarchy, who seek to develop a safe work environment through the safety culture programmes yet are challenged by the conflicts of safety as engagement and safety as enforcement. The study also suggests industry interventions to facilitate the improvement and development of practices to assist safety management on large UK construction sites.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | conflict; construction site; safety; training; UK |
| Index terms: | work environment, safety management system, social construction, interaction, construction industry, enforcement, safety culture, documents, variation, exploration, construction project, safety management, programme, worker engagement, construction site |
| Subjects: | environmental resource management, behavioral psychology, production management, health safety and environment, work location, project controls, occupational health and safety management, sociology, industry analysis, management, contractual condition, professional development |
| Topics: | Human Resources, Site Management, Organizational Design, Contract Administration, Time Control, Research Practice, Information Management, Project Management, Health and Safety, Sustainability |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCT |
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