The Impacts of Safety in the Construction Industry

This study examines the impacts of safety in the construction industry, both positive and negative. It explores the importance of safety, factors that influence safety and health of workers, and recommends effective strategies for creating a firm safety framework. The study also discusses the use of new technologies in improving safety and the importance of understanding employees. Overall, the aim is to identify and evaluate the impacts of safety in the construction industry.

THE IMPACTS OF SAFETY IN THE CONSTRUCTION
INDUSTRY
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1. Introduction
The construction industry plays a crucial role in enhancing the economies of a country and
worker is considered an essential element of business. Safety policy needs to amend within
workplace that protect employees from unlikely to cause danger incidents or injury, risk of life
because this is very likely to injuries and other dangers incidents in these industries. This study is
going to explain about the safety in the construction industry both positive and negative. The
purpose of the study is to examine the impact of safety in the construction industry so that a
positive change can be amended to trigger potential risks and challenges. In order to explore
different aspects of the safety in the construction industry, different laws and regulations have
been examined to create a firm framework within an organization.
2. Aim
The aim of this research is to identify and evaluate the impacts of safety in the construction
industry and factors of the work health safety.
3. Objectives
 To examine the importance of safety in construction industry
 To determine different factors that influence safety and health of workers
 To recommend an effective strategy that create a firm framework within construction
industry
4. Background
Safety management is an essential knowledge in the construction industry. Safety in this
industry can be explained as the situation of employees’ protection from unexpected
incidents and injuries. According to study this industry is growing day by day and needs
more workers. Therefore, it can be stated that safety is most vital thing because according to
investigation every year lots of people get injured and lose their life. There will be briefly
explanation the factors of the impacts of safety in the construction industry with all positive
and negative things. According to data of 2015, 31% injuries happened from collapsing by
objects, 30% happened while caring or living things and 15% happened because of fall from
a height (Labour.gov.hk, 2019). In the last few years, the construction industries need to
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realize about the safety awareness in sites. Even every year a huge amount of time and
workers are lost because of health issues and unexpected incidents. There are few
components responsible for these problems. But there is some safety knowledge and policies
can be prevented from these accidents and health issues through the adoption by the workers
and organization. Some of them are safety training, own protective equipment and safety
education.
The construction industry is a large and risk full industry. One of the major reasons behind
safety issues in construction industry is lack of training among employees that resist them to
implement new and innovative techniques. An effective training enforced employees to
commence the task in a proper way and legitimate way that eventually enhance productivity
and sustainability of an organization (Le et al. 2014). Occupational health and safety
Departments (OHS) has a leading role in protecting health and safety of workers by
compliance with legal laws and regulations that eventually reduce potential risks positively.
5. Safety in the construction industry
5.1 Importance of safety in the construction industry
The construction industry is most depends on employee. Therefore safety of the employee not
only increases the productivity as well as the stability of the organization. Every year there is lots
of employee gets injured because of lack of knowledge and lack of safety equipment. Also,
health issues of employee are the major problem in the industry (Jacinto, 2016). The construction
industry needs to educate and encourage its associate employee about the safety and health issues
that can be increase the production and save life of the employee with less time.
The entire construction industry needs to be involved in safety program. Safety is usually come
by the senior management but it is important that safety culture came from the management to
the workers as well (Akpinar et al. 2014). Every worker also needs to take a serious about the
safety managements. Some few cultures, educations and policies enhance the productivity and
decrease the graph of injuries and incidents in work sites.
The strength of the worker makes the construction industry large and that is the key or the area
which industry needs to be making strong by the investing safety equipment and policies on
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construction sites because without these things employee could be injured or could be died. The
construction industry has a responsibility to take care of their workers (Alizadeh et al. 2014).
The large number of incidents can be the reason of fine by the department and projects can be
compromised. Though, the construction industry can save life, wealth and time by applying the
safety in sites.
5.2 Use of new technologies
New technologies for safety can make lots of change in the construction industry. Even everyday
a new technology came for the safety which can give a new face in the construction industry.
The industry needs to be updated with new technologies of safety. For example in older days
worker used to be claimed by the rope because lots of accidents happened but with the new
technology industry can lifts for this which can prevent the injuries during claim.
Computer is also can improve the safety on the site. With the new technologies computers can
complete many dangerous tasks with fewer risks. Now in every industry computers take a major
part in work. Even computers can do multiple of tasks in time like documentation can be done.
With the help of computers industry can look supervision in site and make it safer (Ballard et al.
2016). Computer helps for development of design, interferences, accuracy and the way of work.
The new technology of cell phones and camera will play an important role in safety and
productivity (Kelleher et al. 2015). It improves the communication between workers and the
management at the construction site and utilizes the time.
The adoptions of new technology produce more with less waste. The construction industry can
reduce the waste and recycled it with the new technology for different use. New technology can
reduce transport and save time.
Drone technology is also becoming a very familiar technology in the construction industries now
days. Drones technology will serve many different uses like accuracy and lacks of the projects.
3D printing is also taking a place in the construction industry which helps to reduce the waste of
row materials and prevents the unexpected incidents with the help of perfect angels.
The construction industry can update the new technology in safety gadgets. Safety gadgets need
to be replaced the outdated gadgets to updated gadgets. Management needs to improve these
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things similar as hats, safety glasses and shoes (Milanowicz et al. 2016). It improves the safety
from serious or minor injuries and cut bounds during the works
5.3 Understanding employees
Understanding of the employees is very important. Every worker has their own needs and
construction industry is depending on the worker. Safety in the workplace can difficult or simple
by the worker. The industry needs to all needs and problems of employee. It improves the labor
of work if worker are not satisfied with the organization it decrease the productivity and increase
the incidents because of lack of concentration in work (Chi and Dewi, 2015). The construction
industry improves safety and productivity through motivate communicate with employee and
make comfortable. Understanding the employees by the construction industry makes the
environment of the workplace good.
According to Hewage’s theory of motivation
The construction industry has to work on employee development, job security, and knowledge
and work atmosphere, social interaction of worker, feedbacks, and freedom at work.
Employment for short term affects the performance of the industry, creates a problem of co-
ordination between employees and it also a cause of incidents and it reduces the organization
reputation and productivity (Park et al. 2016).
6. Initial Findings
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6.1 Subjective Attitudes
Subjective attitudes are referring to feeling which is influenced by taste, origin and personal
feeling contrasted with objective. In construction industry, subjective attitude may create
problems in strengthening safety of employees or workers due to conflict in interest and taste.
Safety within construction industry implies personal and professional experienced of an
employees that help in commencing task with new and innovative techniques. It supports
employee to accomplish the task vigilantly without compensating the quality and reliability of
products (Choy, 2014). The probability of risks in construction industry gets reduced by applying
positive attitude. In regards to safety in construction industry, the concept or idea about safety
among older employees is comparatively different to younger employees due to generation gap.
There are ranges of technologies that give support to employees in enhancing safety of
employees, which is a better utilized younger employee. Similarly, safety precaution is one of
the important aspects in construction industry that facilitates in tackle potential risk and
challenges.
The younger employees have comparatively high potential and knowledge to grab new
technologies and techniques as compare to older that eventually improve their safety. It implies
that subjective attitude of employees is required to consider in order giving proper training
regarding safety that facilitates in enhancing performance of employees. On the contrary,
working culture is a key element of safety that enforces employees to seek for new approach or
techniques to commence task that increase the reliability and sustainability of employees
positively. One of the best ways to create an effective culture within workplace is education that
enables employees to examine each and every aspects of task that eventually increase
productivity. This approach encourages construction companies to fulfill the needs and
requirement of employees so that they can commence their task vigilantly.
In addition, there are some limitations of current safety policy and regulation such as lack of
proper accessibility of information that creates problems in commencing the task. This constraint
directly reflects on safety and performance of the employees. It demands for adaption of e-
learning and online assessment that enables employees or workers to tackle potential challenges
and risks positively.
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6.2 Competitiveness vs. Productivity
Construction industry is considered as one of the major challenging job that increases the
competitiveness between two builders to companies. The increased in demand of construction
enforce companies to hire skilled and experienced employees to confront potential threat in
market. The skilled and experienced employees support companies in upsurge productivity and
managing business in a significant manner. In arguing with this, there are no proper tools and
techniques to measure productivity that signifies needs and requirements of employees are
required to fulfill for progressive development of the company (Darko & Chan, 2016). A firm
construction framework has a leading role in enforcing employees to commence task by
compliance with business strategies and goals that increased productivity gradually.
In Australia, construction industry contributes about 12% of revenue in total economy value of
the country that is about 2.3 billion dollars. The number of construction companies is gradually
increasing from 25% in 2011 to 37% in 2017 in Australia that enforce companies to change the
approach to construction to gain competitive advantage positively. The major challenges in
gaining competitive advantage are safety and health of employees that demand for relevant
policies and regulations. This approach to construction facilitates in implementing a legitimate
way to commence task that reduce chance for potential risks and challenges. A legitimate policy
and regulation in considering all factors that influence competitiveness of an organization.
There are ranges of problems and issues in commencing tasks such as proper techniques and
tools that gradually reduce the productivity of the company. Hence, it is necessary to develop a
firm framework within construction workplace to make sure each task can be commencing in a
systematic manner. On another hand, implementation of new technologies and techniques are
playing a significant role in confronting competitors. Therefore, it can be stated that subjective
attitude and legitimate framework are needed to be considered vigilantly to assure that maximum
benefit can be gathered effectively (Deshaies et al. 2015). Apart from this, risk assessments are
another way to improve productive and sustainable development by determining potential risks
and challenges so that effectiveness of task can be improved positively. This approach to
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construction allows project manager to analysis ongoing performance of each and every task so
that maximum benefit can be gathered effectively.
6.3 Lack of communication
Communication is playing a crucial role in enhancing performance of employees to make sure
potential risks and challenges can be triggered significantly. It enables employees to share new
ideas and information so that task can be embarked in a legitimate way. A proper communication
system allows employees to present their problems and difficulties so that an effective strategy
can be formulated to encounter potential risks significantly. On another hand, a proper system of
communication Support Company in giving proper training so that safety precaution can be
enhanced positively (Dumay & Cai2015). In construction industry, a proper communication
system helps in understanding needs and requirements of respective stakeholders and companies
to make sure maximum benefit can be gathered positively. It embraces E-mail, social media and
face to face meeting that support companies in developing critical thinking among employees so
that they can be tackle potential risks and challenges effectively.
In addition, communication can be developed within organization through encouraging
employees that enforced them to applying new and innovative techniques to commence task
significantly. The major advantage of firm communication is building a long run relationship
with respective employees so that maximum benefit can be gathered effectively. On another
hand, the safety of associate employees can be strengthening through implementing firm
communication (Guo et al. 2015). Face to face meeting within employees is one of the effective
ways to trigger internal issues and conflict within organization to make sure potential risks can
be triggered significantly. Through implementing firm communication within workplace, it is
easy to allocate role and responsibilities among employees so that they each and every task can
be effectively.
Therefore, it can be stated that communication is requisite to amend within organization
positively to enhance productivity and gaining competitive advantage positively. A firm
communication facilitates in triggering potential risk and challenges effectively without
compensating with quality and standard of product effectively (Hong et al. 2016). Social media
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and email are considering as effective tools and techniques to assure that construction issues can
be triggered effectively.
Conclusion
Safety is usually come by the senior management but it is important that safety culture came
from the management to the workers as well. Every worker has their own needs and construction
industry is depending on the worker. Safety in the workplace can difficult or simple by the
worker. Computer is also can improve the safety on the site. With the new technologies
computers can complete many dangerous tasks with fewer risks. Now in every industry
computers take a major part in work. The major challenges in gaining competitive advantage are
safety and health of employees that demand for relevant policies and regulations. This approach
to construction facilitates in implementing a legitimate way to commence task that reduce chance
for potential risks and challenges. A legitimate policy and regulation in considering all factors
that influence competitiveness of an organization. The construction industry has to work on
employee development, job security, and knowledge and work atmosphere, social interaction of
worker, feedbacks, and freedom at work
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