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Personal attributes of supervisors: are these the key to transforming construction safety in the UK?

The UK construction industry accounts for a disproportionately high number of major and fatal injuries. The industry has a poor worker safety record and several stakeholders have made efforts to improve its performance. Much of such efforts have however targeted reactive control measures. Research i...

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Main Authors: Babajide Talabi, Francis Edum-Fotwe, Alistair Gibb
Format: Default Article
Published: 2019
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Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/2134/37089
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author Babajide Talabi
Francis Edum-Fotwe
Alistair Gibb
author_facet Babajide Talabi
Francis Edum-Fotwe
Alistair Gibb
author_sort Babajide Talabi (1257951)
collection Figshare
description The UK construction industry accounts for a disproportionately high number of major and fatal injuries. The industry has a poor worker safety record and several stakeholders have made efforts to improve its performance. Much of such efforts have however targeted reactive control measures. Research indicates that there is a positive correlation between a proactive alternative - safety behaviours, and safety performance. These behaviours are shaped by the personality of individuals or determined by their social sphere of interaction including supervisors. Thus, the role the supervisor plays in influencing frontline workers’ (FLW) behaviours was investigated. Using a survey and statistical tests, the perspectives of FLW were obtained and analysed respectively to establish the vital supervisors’ qualities that improve their safety behaviours. The emerging qualities were found to rank from highest to lowest potential as follows: integrity/trust, openness/transparency, genuine care, accountability, flexibility, respect, fairness, consistent high personal standards, ability to empower and beliefs. The findings from this study suggest that organisations can improve their safety performance by focusing on the above qualities in three stages. The findings also highlight the need for organisations to focus on subtle but significant human qualities that are often ignored in safety management.
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spelling rr-article-94583512019-05-13T00:00:00Z Personal attributes of supervisors: are these the key to transforming construction safety in the UK? Babajide Talabi (1257951) Francis Edum-Fotwe (1247691) Alistair Gibb (1252914) Other built environment and design not elsewhere classified Other law and legal studies not elsewhere classified Health and safety Management Statistical analysis Built Environment and Design not elsewhere classified Law The UK construction industry accounts for a disproportionately high number of major and fatal injuries. The industry has a poor worker safety record and several stakeholders have made efforts to improve its performance. Much of such efforts have however targeted reactive control measures. Research indicates that there is a positive correlation between a proactive alternative - safety behaviours, and safety performance. These behaviours are shaped by the personality of individuals or determined by their social sphere of interaction including supervisors. Thus, the role the supervisor plays in influencing frontline workers’ (FLW) behaviours was investigated. Using a survey and statistical tests, the perspectives of FLW were obtained and analysed respectively to establish the vital supervisors’ qualities that improve their safety behaviours. The emerging qualities were found to rank from highest to lowest potential as follows: integrity/trust, openness/transparency, genuine care, accountability, flexibility, respect, fairness, consistent high personal standards, ability to empower and beliefs. The findings from this study suggest that organisations can improve their safety performance by focusing on the above qualities in three stages. The findings also highlight the need for organisations to focus on subtle but significant human qualities that are often ignored in safety management. 2019-05-13T00:00:00Z Text Journal contribution 2134/37089 https://figshare.com/articles/journal_contribution/Personal_attributes_of_supervisors_are_these_the_key_to_transforming_construction_safety_in_the_UK_/9458351 CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
spellingShingle Other built environment and design not elsewhere classified
Other law and legal studies not elsewhere classified
Health and safety
Management
Statistical analysis
Built Environment and Design not elsewhere classified
Law
Babajide Talabi
Francis Edum-Fotwe
Alistair Gibb
Personal attributes of supervisors: are these the key to transforming construction safety in the UK?
title Personal attributes of supervisors: are these the key to transforming construction safety in the UK?
title_full Personal attributes of supervisors: are these the key to transforming construction safety in the UK?
title_fullStr Personal attributes of supervisors: are these the key to transforming construction safety in the UK?
title_full_unstemmed Personal attributes of supervisors: are these the key to transforming construction safety in the UK?
title_short Personal attributes of supervisors: are these the key to transforming construction safety in the UK?
title_sort personal attributes of supervisors: are these the key to transforming construction safety in the uk?
topic Other built environment and design not elsewhere classified
Other law and legal studies not elsewhere classified
Health and safety
Management
Statistical analysis
Built Environment and Design not elsewhere classified
Law
url https://hdl.handle.net/2134/37089