An investigation of safety management in construction workplace in China

Abstract

The construction industry seems to suffer from a general inability to manage workplace health and safety to a level where an achieved improvement in safety performance by a way of pro-active measures can result in zero accidents. The costs resulting from injuries and equipment damage, combined with the associated financial loss resulting from schedule disruptions, insurance hikes, and workers compensation, impact the profitability of any construction operation. These costs may be minimized or avoided through focused safety efforts on construction job sites. This paper investigates the effectiveness of safety management activities in China. A safety management survey has been conducted in construction companies. Based on a literature and questionnaire research, Such aspects were centered in as the background of construction safety in China, the characteristics of working-at-height hazard, the safety management practice in construction, the organization of safety management The findings reveal that the behavior of contractors on safety management are of grave concern, including the lack of provision of personal protection equipment, regular safety meetings, and safety training. The study also proposes that the government should play a more critical role in stricter legal enforcement and organizing safety training programs. © Springer-Verlag 2012.