Developing dimensions and key indicators for the safety climate within China’s construction teams: A questionnaire survey on construction sites in Nanjing

Abstract The safety climate of construction teams has become increasingly important in the processes of construction safety management because of the significantly high rate of casualties in construction teams. This study examined safety climate dimensions (SCDs) and identified critical safety climate indicators (SCIs) at the level of the construction team from three perspectives: construction team workers, the safety environment, and safety management and supervision. Based on the survey data gathered from the construction team workers in Nanjing, China, a confirmatory factor analysis was carried out. As a result, six SCDs ( workers’ self-perception of safety, workers’ involvement in safety, co-workers’ interaction, safety environment, safety management involvement, and safety personnel support ) were significantly important to the safety climate of the construction teams. An improved model was then developed. Furthermore, the effects of SCIs on SCDs as well as SCDs and SCIs on the safety climate were evaluated and discussed. The results showed that (a) safety management involvement and safety personnel support significantly influenced the safety climate of construction teams more than the other dimensions; (b) working pressure would be more helpful than workers’ safety awareness and mentality for improving the workers’ self-perception of safety ; and (c) safety procedure and policy was the most important indicator of the safety climate among all twenty SCIs for construction teams in China. These findings might be helpful for improving the measurement and management of the safety climate within construction teams.

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