Organizational factors and specific risks on construction sites

Area of Science:

• Occupational Safety and Health
• Construction Management
• Risk Assessment

Background:

• Safety management systems (SMS) are crucial for mitigating risks in the construction industry.
• Understanding the relationship between organizational factors and site-specific risks is essential for accident prevention.

Purpose of the Study:

• To empirically test two Structural Equation Models (SEM) examining the link between safety management system factors and risk variables.
• To identify key organizational determinants influencing accident risk on construction sites.

Main Methods:

• Utilized SEM with two models (2 and 4 latent variables) and 10 observed risk variables.
• Collected data from 474 Spanish construction sites (2003-2010), predominantly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
• Employed the Construction Sites Risk Assessment Tool (CONSRAT) for site risk assessment and variable measurement.

Main Results:

• "Resources on site" emerged as a highly determinant factor influencing all risk variables (Model 1).
• "Site structure complexity" demonstrated a stronger effect on risk variables compared to intrinsic work, site, or company characteristics (Model 2).

Conclusions:

• Company-dependent factors, specifically complexity and resource availability, exert the most significant influence on construction site risks.
• Findings empower companies to implement targeted risk control measures by focusing on these critical organizational elements.