Human Element as the Contributing Factor Towards Construction Accidents from the Perspective of Malaysian Residential Construction Industry

Malaysian construction industry is crucial in the development of the country towards becoming a developed nation. However, the positive growth of Malaysian construction industry is being affected with high fatality rate. There are four main elements contributing to occupational accidents in the industry comprising of immediate factor (human and worksite) and underlying factor (management and external). Human element is considered the most significant and obvious contributing factor towards occupational accidents in the construction industry. This element is formulated by the four sub-elements, human physical, experience, attitude and behavior. 13 residential projects comprising of seven high-rise and six low-rise projects were chosen in Penang, Malaysia. 135 and 13 respondents were selected for questionnaire survey and interview respectively. Attitude and behavior registered the highest mean average in human element. Comparison made between high-rise and low-rise projects respondents shown that there is no significant difference in the perspective of these two groups towards human element.

[1]  Zubaidah Ismail,et al.  Factors influencing the implementation of a safety management system for construction sites , 2012 .

[2]  Pete Kines,et al.  Construction workers' falls through roofs: fatal versus serious injuries. , 2002, Journal of safety research.

[3]  David L. Goetsch,et al.  Construction Safety, and Health , 2002 .

[4]  Sulastre Mat Zin,et al.  Employers' Behavioural Safety Compliance Factors toward Occupational, Safety and Health Improvement in the Construction Industry , 2012 .

[5]  Oi-ling Siu,et al.  Age differences in safety attitudes and safety performance in Hong Kong construction workers. , 2003, Journal of safety research.

[6]  Tariq S. Abdelhamid,et al.  Identifying Root Causes of Construction Accidents , 2001 .

[7]  A R Duff,et al.  Contributing factors in construction accidents. , 2005, Applied ergonomics.

[8]  Florence Yean Yng Ling,et al.  Framework for project managers to manage construction safety , 2005 .

[9]  Allan St John Holt,et al.  Principles of construction safety , 2001 .

[10]  Saixing Zeng,et al.  Identifying elements of poor construction safety management in China , 2004 .

[11]  M N Vinodkumar,et al.  Safety management practices and safety behaviour: assessing the mediating role of safety knowledge and motivation. , 2010, Accident; analysis and prevention.

[12]  Tak Wing Yiu,et al.  Predicting safety behavior in the construction industry: development and test of an integrative model , 2016 .

[13]  Heap Yih Chong,et al.  Accidents in Malaysian Construction Industry: Statistical Data and Court Cases , 2014, International journal of occupational safety and ergonomics : JOSE.

[14]  Abel Pinto,et al.  Risk Assessment in Construction Industry ? Overview and Reflection , 2011 .

[15]  Daniel Fong,et al.  Factors affecting safety performance on construction sites , 1999 .

[16]  Mohd Saidin Misnan,et al.  Pengurusan Keselamatan Projek Pembinaan , 2013 .

[17]  Abdul Hamid,et al.  CAUSES OF ACCIDENTS AT CONSTRUCTION SITES , 2008 .

[18]  Andrew Hale,et al.  Developing the understanding of underlying causes of construction fatal accidents , 2012 .

[19]  D. Fang,et al.  Why operatives engage in unsafe work behavior: Investigating factors on construction sites , 2008 .

[20]  Voon Chiet Chai,et al.  An Overview On The Growth and Development Of The Malaysian Construction Industry , 2004 .

[21]  Olga N. Aneziris,et al.  Occupational risk of building construction , 2012, Reliab. Eng. Syst. Saf..