Assessment of the Relationship between worker’s safety climate and safety performance in construction projects

Background and aims: In spite of industrial safety’s developments in Iran, construction safety is not in desirable level and needs to be evaluated from different aspects. The aim of this study was to evaluate safety climate structure in construction projects and its effect on safety performance and accidents frequency rate. Methods: This study was conducted at 4 construction projects. Safety climate measured using a validated safety climate questionnaire between 226 workers of these projects. Safety and health performance evaluated using the method of south pars Gas Company’s tool that consists of several safety and health items that are important in construction. Safety climate structure was evaluated using exploratory factor analysis. The relation between safety climate factors, safety performance dimensions and accidents frequency rate evaluated using Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: 31 variables of the main questionnaire formed 8. Total safety climate score, had positive significant correlation with Dimention2 (Section one of safety level assessment). Other correlations between safety climate factors and safety performance dimensions in spite of being high were not significant. There was s negative significant correlation between total safety climate score, safety rules awareness factor, rules and regulations factor and Accidents frequency rate. Conclusion: According the results of this research, safety climate and safety performance was related in construction projects. Factors 1 (Safety rules and regulations knowledge) and factor 7 (Safety rules and regulations) had more importance in work place’s safety and improved performance in this factors was associated with reduction in accidents. This study showed that 6 dimensions of Gas Company’s tool for safety performance assessment can be used in construction projects.