Alsamadani, R; Hallowell, M and Javernick-Will, A N (2013) Measuring and modelling safety communication in small work crews in the US using social network analysis. Construction Management and Economics, 31(6), pp. 568-579. ISSN 1466433X
Abstract
Effective safety communication between all parties in a construction project is essential for optimal safety performance. Literature suggests that open safety communication across all levels of the organization enhances safety success. Previous studies have found that open communication and frequent interaction between employees and supervisors differentiate construction companies that have low accident rates from companies that have high rates. Through interviews with construction crew members on active construction projects in the Rocky Mountain region of the US, the patterns of safety communication were identified, modelled, and quantified. Social network analysis (SNA) was utilized to obtain measures of safety communication such as centrality, density, and betweenness within small crews and to generate sociograms that visually depicted communication patterns within effective and ineffective safety networks. A cross-case comparison revealed that the frequency and method of communication are important differentiators between project teams with low and high accident rates. Specifically, top performing crews: (1) have formal safety communication from management on at least a weekly basis; (2) have informal safety communication on a weekly basis; (3) undergo formal safety training; and (4) use all proposed safety communication methods on a monthly basis. In addition, typical SNA metrics, including density, centrality and betweenness, are not significant parameters to distinguish high from low performing crews.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | communication; safety; site operations; social network analysis |
| Index terms: | construction company, social network analysis, interview, cross-case comparison, safety performance, construction project, communication method, density, project team, supervisor, safety training, modelling, interaction, site operation |
| Subjects: | analytical methods, project delivery, data analysis and analytics, operations management, practitioner, organization, data collection methods, behavioral psychology, occupational health and safety management, professional development, production management, research methods |
| Topics: | Urban Studies, Site Management, Health and Safety, Business Strategy, Information Management, Engineering Principles, Research Practice, Project Management, Roles and Professions |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
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