Harvey, E; Waterson, P and Dainty, A (2015) Comparing safety intelligence in air traffic management and construction: A conceptual comparison. In: Raiden, A and Aboagye-Nimo, E (eds.) Proceedings of 31st Annual ARCOM Conference, 7-9 September 2015, Lincoln, UK.
Abstract
Although safety interventions targeted at managers or supervisors are believed to be the most effective leverage for change, the mechanisms involved in developing and propagating a positive safety culture are poorly understood. 'Safety Intelligence' was first proposed by Kirwan in 2008 as a response to growing disillusionment with safety culture, focusing on recruiting and equipping leaders with the personal attributes, skills, and knowledge required to positively influence safety in their organizations. So far Safety Intelligence has only been studied within air traffic management, but opening up the construct and exploring its relevance to managing complex and hazardous construction projects offers new theoretical directions for occupational safety and health research in the sector. Existing studies of safety-related leadership competences in the US, UK, Australian, and Danish construction industries were reviewed in light of the Safety Intelligence model. These studies have explored specific competences including knowledge; communication; leadership style; emotional intelligence; and emotional expression. By comparing these competences with those of Safety Intelligent leaders within the ultra-safe, highly reliable environment of air traffic management, the differences between the leadership styles required to cope with the differing priorities of the two sectors were highlighted. Safety Intelligent supervisors promote a just culture, empowerment and collaboration with members, proactivity, and communication – aspects of leadership which are difficult to achieve, but have nonetheless been shown to contribute to safe construction. Safety intelligence therefore holds considerable promise for improving safety in construction projects.
| Item Type: | Conference Paper (Paper) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | competence, health and safety, leadership, organizational culture, training |
| Index terms: | competence, construction project, collaboration, emotional intelligence, occupational safety and health, traffic management, construction industry, supervisor, leadership competence, organizational culture, manager, safety culture, empowerment, health and safety, leadership style |
| Subjects: | practitioner, operations management, psychology, personnel development, health safety and environment, production management, management, industry analysis, leadership, sociology, occupational health and safety management |
| Topics: | Organizational Design, Site Management, Human Resources, Roles and Professions, Health and Safety, Project Management, Research Practice |
| 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