Flynn, M A and Sampson, J M (2012) Trench safety-using a qualitative approach to understand barriers and develop strategies to improve trenching practices. International Journal of Construction Education and Research, 8(1), pp. 63-79. ISSN 1557-8771
Abstract
Despite efforts to ensure workplace safety and health, injuries and fatalities related to trenching and excavation remain alarmingly high in the construction industry. Because properly installed trenching protective systems can potentially reduce the significant number of trenching fatalities, there is clearly a need to identify the barriers to the use of these systems and to develop strategies to ensure these systems are utilized consistently. The current study reports on the results of focus groups with construction workers and safety management personnel to better understand these barriers and to identify solutions. The results suggest several factors, from poor planning to pressures from experienced workers and supervisors, which present barriers to safe trenching practices. Based on the results, it is recommended that safety trainings incorporate unique messages for new workers, experienced workers and management in an effort to motivate each group to work safely as well as provide them with solutions to overcome the identified barriers.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | construction industry; safety climate; safety performance; safety training; trench safety |
| Index terms: | safety climate, injury, focus group, workplace safety, personnel, strategy, excavation, safety performance, safety management, qualitative approach, construction industry, safety training, supervisor, fatalities, construction worker |
| Subjects: | research methods, health safety and environment, occupational health, practitioner, construction operations, management, health risk and incident analysis, health conditions and diseases, occupational health and safety management, industry analysis, data collection methods |
| Topics: | Health and Safety, Business Strategy, Research Practice, Roles and Professions, Human Resources, Site Management |
| 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