Investigating the factors that define and influence safety culture: perspectives from expert professionals

Abstract

Reducing the number of harmed workers in the construction sector has proven to be a challenging task. While promoting a Safety Culture (SC) is crucial for achieving that goal, defining it and pinpointing the key factors that influence it is difficult. SC has been defined in many different ways, and there is no consensus on what it exactly entails. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the factors that define and influence SC in the New Zealand construction sector. This goal was achieved through a modified Delphi study conducted in two rounds to gather experts’ views and reach a consensus. Data collection included in-depth interviews and survey questionnaires. A total of 32 experienced construction safety professionals participated in the first round, and 26 of them continued in the second round. Data were analyzed using Thematic Analysis and Relative Importance Index (RII). The main findings are twofold. First, they indicate the need for a holistic definition of SC incorporating its various defining factors. Second, they indicate that the top-ranked influencing factors are ‘Level of Leadership Commitment,’ followed by ‘Level of Experience and Mindset,’ and ‘Level of Communication.’ Furthermore, the results show the dual nature of these influencing factors, as they can either facilitate or hinder SC depending on whether their level is low or high. The results of this study offer valuable insights that enable practitioners to assess and promote SC in their organizations.