Safety behaviour in high risk industries

Date
2021-03
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY : This study advocates for the importance of safety for organisations in high risk industries and the financial and person related impact that a lack of safety and in particular safety behaviour can have on organisations and the employees in those organisations. This highlights the need to explore the factors that influence safety behaviour of employees within high risk industries, specifically the construction industry in South Africa. The research objective of this study is therefore to determine why there is variance in safety behaviour amongst employees in the construction industry in South Africa and to propose a safety behaviour structural model that attempts to explain this variance. To construct this safety behaviour structural model literature is consulted to identify, define, and analyse the factors that influence safety behaviour, and the relationships between these factors are hypothesized. As a result a safety behaviour structural model is proposed. The resultant structural model proved to be very comprehensive and a number of obstacles arose that prevents first generation testing of the complete model. Due to research constraints the safety behaviour model is abridged to allow for empirical testing. To test the proposed hypotheses and structural model an ex post facto correlation design with Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) is used. A sample of 217 construction workers from various construction sites in the Cape Winelands area participated in the study. The results of empirical testing are unpacked, following this managerial implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING : Hierdie studie bepleit die belangrikheid van veiligheid vir organisasies in hoërisiko-bedrywe en die finansiële en persoonverwante impak wat 'n gebrek aan veiligheid, veral veiligheidsgedrag, op organisasies en die werknemers in daardie organisasies kan hê. Dit beklemtoon die behoefte om die faktore wat ‘n ïnvloed op veiligheidsgedrag van werknemers binne hoërisiko-industrieë uitoefen, veral in die konstruksiebedryf in Suid-Afrika, te ondersoek Die navorsingsdoelwit van hierdie studie was dus om vas te stel waarom daar verskille in veiligheidsgedrag onder werknemers in die konstruksiebedryf in Suid-Afrika voorkom en om 'n strukturele model vir veiligheidsgedrag wat poog om hierdie afwyking te verduidelik voor te stel. Om hierdie veiligheidsgedrag te konstrueer, is strukturele modelliteratuur geraadpleeg om die faktore wat veiligheidsgedrag beïnvloed te identifiseer, te definieer en te ontleed, en verwantskappe tussen hierdie faktore te veronderstel. 'n Strukturele model vir veiligheidsgedrag is gevolglik voorgestel. Die strukturele model wat hierop gevolg het, het baie omvattend geblyk te wees en 'n aantal struikelblokke wat die eerste-generasie toetsing van die volledige model verhoed, het ontstaan. Die veiligheidsgedragsmodel is as gevolg van navorsingsbeperkings verkort om empiriese toetsing moontlik te maak. 'n Ex post facto korrelasie-ontwerp met Strukturele Vergelykingsmodellering (SEM) is gebruik om die voorgestelde veronderstellings en die strukturele model te toets. ’n Steekproef van 217 konstruksiewerkers uit verskeie konstruksieterreine in die Kaapse Wynland-omgewing het aan die studie deelgeneem. Die resultate van die empiriese toetsing word uiteengesit, waarna bestuursimplikasies en aanbevelings vir toekomstige navorsing bespreek word.
Description
Thesis (MCom)--Stellenbosch University, 2021.
Keywords
Industrial safety -- Psychological aspects -- South Africa, Construction industry -- Employees -- Psychological aspects -- South Africa, Construction industry -- Safety measures -- South Africa, Hazardous occupations -- Safety measures -- South Africa, UCTD
Citation