The conceptualization and development of safety culture in the construction industry

This paper reviews the issues in developing safety culture in construction industry. It argues that accidents at the construction sites are evident that the construction industry is unique in nature but also the cause of safety problems. As buildings become higher and larger, the frequency of accidents also increases. The objectives of this paper are to identify causes of safety problems and provide a conceptual framework to develop safety culture in the construction industry. The factors that influence accidents include human behaviour, different construction sites, complexity of work, lack of safety culture, unsafe use of machinery and equipment, and noncompliance with various sets of procedures. Studies show that accident and injuries at the worksite are often the result of workers' behaviour and safety culture. Safety culture is more related to workers' safety practices. This paper suggests that an efficient safety management system creates safety awareness that leads to a culture in the construction industry. Efficient safety culture should be demonstrated to the public as a good value business. Finally, this paper proposes ten best practices that may influence safety culture development in the construction industry