Vaughn L. Sheahan

A study of construction site safety culture and implications for safe and responsive workplaces

The high injury rate with in the Australian construction industry necessitates proactive action on the behalf of rehabilitation professionals. Safety Culture is a concept that is gaining traction within this sector as a useful concept to further reduce fatalities, injuries and incidents. 10 focus groups were completed with Australia’s largest constructors to investigate this concept of safety culture and to further evaluate the skills, knowledge and abilities required by people who hold influential and key roles. Data interpretation revealed three important personal characteristics that underlie a positive safety culture: safety knowledge, user / interpersonal skills and appropriate attitudes and beliefs. These findings are applied to the rehabilitation process and it is concluded that rehabilitation professionals need to contribute to the development of a positive safety culture by enhancing the workforce’s understanding of injury management.