Improving Safety Performance Through Behavior-Based Safety on Construction Sites

摘要

Site level commitment for behavior-based safety (BBS) was investigated in a previous paper. A reliable and effective method of measuring safety performance is described in this paper, which was used to measure and improve the safety of frontline workers. This research adopts and further develops management techniques for safety improvements in construction site environments. A rigorous behavior-based safety system and its intervention program was implemented and deployed on target construction sites. After taking a few weeks' measurements, the project management team implemented the designed intervention and measurements were taken. Goal-setting sessions were arranged on site with worker participation to set realistic and attainable targets of performance. At this point, site personnel attended the goal-setting session at the project site, at which safety performance measures were explained, and current levels of safety were discussed. Safety performance measurements continued and current levels of performance and the targets were presented on feedback charts. Feedback charts were located prominently and updated weekly so that operatives could see and improve their behaviors. Supervisors were asked to give workers recognition and praise when they acted safely and improved critical behaviors. Observers were requested to have discussions, site visits, distribute training materials, and provide feedback and display charts. They were required to talk to operatives accompanied by the line managers. It was necessary to develop awareness and understanding of what was being measured. In the process operatives learned how to act safely when executing their site tasks using the designed checklists. Current weekly scores were discussed in the weekly safety meetings and other operational site meetings with emphasis on how to achieve set targets. The reliability of the safety performance measures taken by the company's observers was monitored. Safety performance was measured successfully in terms of percentage weekly scores. Site management confidence increased when they saw a mathematical number indicating improvement of ongoing safety performance on their projects. A clear increase in safety performance level was achieved across all categories: personal protective equipment; housekeeping; access to heights; plant & equipment, and scaffolding. The first author resided on site full time for 68 days to carry out this research. The research reveals that the sum of all measured scores of safety performance for the BBS at one project improved from 86% (at the end of 3rd week) to 92.9% during the 9th week. The results of intervention demonstrated large decreases in unsafe behaviors and significant increases in safe behaviors. This paper presents the results of the BBS field research showing that an approach based on goal setting, feedback, and an effective measure of safety behavior if properly applied, can improve safety performance significantly on projects under construction.