Safety Climate in Small and Medium Construction Enterprises

Abstract

Construction is characterized in a highly hazardous and complex work environment, materializes in a high fatality rate, and a need for development of designated methods and tools for the branch. One of the pitfalls of the construction sector is small and medium enterprises (SMEs), often characterized by loose commitment to safety. The level of adherence of small and medium enterprises to safety and occupational health is not adequate due to many hindering factors such as: multiple small projects, lack of administrative critical mass on site, budget constraints, etc. This research examines the core parameters of safety climate in small and medium enterprises through a model of the fish bone diagram, which divides the safety climate into four core domains: workers, equipment, management, and environment. A field survey that includes 42 questions, aligned with the model was distributed, in 20 construction sites in Eilat, Israel. workers received an average rating of 3.7, equipment 4.2, management 3.6 and environment 4.1 (all rating are on a 5-point Likert scale). The sample results indicate marginal safety climate which is expressed in multiple light and moderate accidents, and in partial assimilation of safety protocols, control and training. The research results were validated by statistical inference using a T test to examine the results. The model significance was found to be significant at a level of α<0.05. Furthermore, a case study carried out on the best and worst projects. The case study indicates that the model predicts in a good significance the safety climate performance and that its implementation is a tool for assurance of safety climate. Finally, the results of the model were examined and validated by comparing subgroups, as well. Correlation between the project scope and safety climate was tested. recommendations and conclusions for further research deduced.