Exploring the Impact of Team Members’ Behaviours on Accident Causation within Construction Projects

Abstract

The South Africa Construction Regulations recognise the contributions of each member of a project team to health and safety (H&S) improvement. Notably, the regulations mandate the propagation of certain behavioural traits from clients, designers, project managers, quantity surveyors and contractors involved in project execution so as to improve construction H&S performance in the industry. This paper therefore reports on a study that explored the impact of H&S leadership styles and behaviours of these key project participants in terms of accidents and injury causation. A structured questionnaire, which was designed to obtain information on H&S contributions of these key project participants, was used for data collection. The resultant descriptive and inferential statistics shows that clients’ and their consultants’ and contractors’ H&S leadership styles and behaviours have a significant influence on construction H&S performance in South Africa. However, it was also noted that unethical behaviour found in clients organisation in terms of procurement process and contract award to contractors without adequate H&S records and competencies have a serious challenge to the improvement of H&S performance in the industry. It was also observed that H&S is often not designed into project, project H&S plans are not integrated, while no or little financial provision is made for site H&S management. Overall these suggest trend towards poor leadership styles and behaviour in construction. The study therefore recommends that clients, consultants and contractors should demonstrate visible leadership and commitment towards projects H&S particularly during the early planning stages for improvement and sustainability of workplace H&S culture.