FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH UNSAFE BEHAVIOURS AMONGST CONSTRUCTION WORKERS IN QATAR
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.37268/mjphm/vol.26/no.2/art.3539Keywords:
Construction workers; Unsafe behaviours; Behaviour-based safety; Risk perception; Occupational safety; Safety management; QatarAbstract
A healthy and safe construction industry is essential for any country’s economic growth and development. The Qatar construction industry despite fewer work-related accidents, is still not acknowledged as being safe, due to the harsh working conditions, environment and the complex nature of the works. Construction industry is a very hazardous industry in which fatal and non-fatal occupational injuries occur most frequently due to its unique nature. It is characterized by continual changes, use of many different resources, poor working conditions, no steady employment, tough environment (e.g. noise, vibration, dust, handling of cargo and direct exposure to weather). Furthermore, it requires coordination of different interdependent contractors, sub-contractors and operations that may result in increased risk of injury. A quantitative (cross-sectional) study that was carried out on 456 Construction workers in Qatar determined that there are significant associations between safety risk and risk perception as well as between risk perception and unsafe behaviours among construction workers in Qatar. Analysis further indicated that knowledge of safety risks and risk perceptions influenced unsafe behaviours amongst the construction workers. In conclusion, there is an urgent need to address the poor risk perception levels (poor knowledge and understanding of safety risks) among the construction workers which would result in significant improvements in workplace behaviours and reduced accidents/ incidents and safer construction worksites. This study recommends the adoption of effective worker engagement and necessitates the development and implementation of intervention programs to mitigate workplace accidents and incidents.
Key words: Behaviour-based Safety (BBS), Construction workers, Occupational Safety and Health, Risk perception, Safety and health hazards, Unsafe behaviours.
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