Safety and accidents in the construction industry: A work design perspective

This paper presents a synoptic view of construction safety from a behavioural science perspective. It considers the different influences that have a bearing upon the formation and maintenance of operatives' attitudes and motivations towards safety and risk-taking at work. It summarizes these influences in terms of a ‘Potential Accident Subject’ model. The implications of this model for the development of practical measures to improve construction safety are then discussed in terms of a series of work design principles which might better aid the reinforcement of safety as a primary goal throughout the industry.