Improving safety climate through a communication and recognition program for construction: a mixed methods study

Details

• Personal Author:
  Catalano PJ ; Dennerlein, Jack T. ; Herrick, Robert F. ; Sparer EH
• Description:
  Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of a safety communication and recognition program (B-SAFE), designed to encourage improvement of physical working conditions and hazard reduction in construction. Methods: A matched pair cluster randomized controlled trial was conducted on eight worksites (four received the B-SAFE intervention, four served as control sites) for approximately five months per site. Pre- and post-exposure worker surveys were collected at all sites (N=615, pre-exposure response rate of 74%, post-exposure response rate of 88%). Multi-level mixed effect regression models evaluated the effect of B-SAFE on safety climate as assessed from surveys. Focus groups (N=6-8 workers/site) were conducted following data collection. Transcripts were coded and analyzed for thematic content using Atlas.ti (version 6). Results: The mean safety climate score at intervention sites, as measured on a 0-50 point scale, increased 0.5 points (1%) between pre- and post-B-SAFE exposure, compared to control sites that decreased 0.8 points (1.6%). The intervention effect size was 1.64 (3.28%) (P-value=0.01) when adjusted for month the worker started on-site, total length of time on-site, as well as individual characteristics (trade, title, age, and race/ethnicity). At intervention sites, workers noted increased levels of safety awareness, communication, and teamwork compared to control sites. Conclusions: B-SAFE led to many positive changes, including an improvement in safety climate, awareness, teambuilding, and communication. B-SAFE was a simple intervention that engaged workers through effective communication infrastructures and had a significant, positive effect on worksite safety. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Construction Industry Hazardous Substances Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Author Keywords: B-SAFE Construction Industry Construction Worker Construction Workers Hazard Control Hazard Recognition Health And Safety Intervention Effectiveness Safety Climate Safety Incentive Program Safety Intervention Safety Practices Work Practices

  More +
• ISSN:
  0355-3140
• Document Type:
  Text
• Funding:
  Cooperative Agreement ; Grant
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  Maryland ; Massachusetts ; OSHA Region 1 ; OSHA Region 3
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Pages in Document:
  329-337
• Volume:
  42
• Issue:
  4
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20048671
• Citation:
  Scand J Work Environ Health 2016 Jul; 42(4):329-337
• Contact Point Address:
  Jack Dennerlein, Department of Physical Therapy, Movement, and Rehabilitation Sciences, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, 301 Robinson Hall, 360 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA
• Email:
  j.dennerlein@northeastern.edu
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2016
• NORA Priority Area:
  Construction
• Performing Organization:
  CPWR-The Center for Construction Research and Training, Silver Spring, Maryland
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Start Date:
  20090901
• Source Full Name:
  Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health
• End Date:
  20240831
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:32e9b9ac1baba9c079d81e478f215d8a1422e308d43bd0d092e3d11521de01672876b287cb0fcc935d3c05aa7d41487fcf1cd1bfadd5ba370a15758e738f7e43
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/203373/cdc_203373_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 347.52 KB ]