Modeling the predictors of safety behavior in construction workers

Area of Science:

• Occupational Safety and Health
• Construction Management
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Worker safety behavior is crucial in construction but complex to predict.
• Existing literature identifies various safety variables influencing behavior.
• A quantitative model is needed to clarify causal links between these variables and actual behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and test a model quantifying causal relationships among latent safety variables and workers' safety behavior.
• To identify the direction and magnitude of influence between safety variables.
• To provide a predictive theoretical model for construction site safety.

Main Methods:

• Literature review to identify key safety variables.
• Survey questionnaires administered to construction workers in South Korea.
• Statistical analyses including Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses, Cronbach's alpha, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using SPSS and AMOS.

Main Results:

• A validated theoretical model demonstrating causal pathways among identified safety variables.
• Quantification of the direct and indirect effects of latent variables on workers' safety behavior.
• Statistical significance of the proposed causal relationships was established.

Conclusions:

• The developed model effectively predicts construction workers' safety behavior.
• Understanding causal links between safety variables is key to targeted safety interventions.
• The study provides a robust framework for enhancing safety management in the construction industry.