Title: Construction site safety in small construction companies in Saudi Arabia

Authors: Murat S. Erogul; Mohsen Mania Alyami

Addresses: School of Business and Economics, Department of Marketing, International Business and Entrepreneurship, Thompson Rivers University, 900 McGill Road, Kamloops, BC, V2C-0C8, Canada ' School of Business and Economics, Department of Marketing, International Business and Entrepreneurship, Thompson Rivers University, 900 McGill Road, Kamloops, BC, V2C-0C8, Canada

Abstract: Construction site safety concerns in small construction projects in Saudi Arabia are alarming due to the large number of accidents per year. The purpose of this research is to explore construction worker's perceptions regarding construction site safety climate. An integrative model of workplace safety has been utilised to design and administer a questionnaire to workers in five small residential construction sites in the city of Najran. The results demonstrate a lack of adherence to occupational health and safety regulations by employers, a need for construction site safety protocols and enhanced external inspection systems, an unawareness among participants in regards to the safety measures endorsed by their companies, and indications of leniency due to favouritism by external inspectors. In conclusion, the study contributes to construction science and practice by identifying factors contributing to construction worker perception of safety which may help employers enhance the safety climate of small construction sites.

Keywords: residential construction; construction site safety; safety regulations; Saudi Arabia.

DOI: 10.1504/IJMP.2017.086892

International Journal of Management Practice, 2017 Vol.10 No.4, pp.406 - 421

Received: 16 Jun 2016
Accepted: 24 Nov 2016
Published online: 02 Oct 2017 *

Full-text access for editors Full-text access for subscribers Purchase this article Comment on this article