Integrating safety culture into OSH risk mitigation: a pilot study on the electrical safety

Abstract

Efforts have been taken for years to minimize the occupational safety and health (OSH) risk, but the injury records remain a constant reason for worldwide concerns. Many firms often implement technology as an administrative hierarchy of control (HOC). However, technologies may also actively influence safe practices at the managerial level for administrative HOC. This research examines electrical safety hazards in the U.S. construction industry as a basis for, studying the feasibility of using technology to integrate safety culture into the administrative level of OSH risk mitigation. The researchers introduce the concept of “habitus”, which suggests one possibility for establishing a safety culture that increases workers’ safety performance and integrates into workers’ safety practices through cutting-edge information technology. A prototype application for OSH training based on mobile virtual reality (MVR) technology is demonstrated to help establish habitus in workers’ daily practices, and ultimately to mitigate OSH risks at the administrative level of construction projects. Results from a preliminary validation test strongly support human behavior influence and safe work knowledge comprehension by the prototyped application. Although this prototype is demonstrated as a pilot study of electrical safety, the application is not limited to this area and is scalable to other OSH risks.

Keywords:

• occupational safety and health
• electrical safety
• construction
• virtual reality
• risk management

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Dong Zhao

Dong ZHAO. Research Assistant of the Department of Building Construction at Virginia Tech (USA). His research interests include construction safety, construction process simulation and visualization, and green building technologies.

Andrew McCoy

Andrew MCCOY. Director of the Virginia Center for Housing Research and Associate Professor of Building Construction at Virginia Tech (USA). His research involves the diffusion and commercialization of innovative projects in the construction industry.

Brian Kleiner

Brian KLEINER. Professor and Director of the Myers-Lawson School of Construction at Virginia Tech (USA). His research interests focus on human-systems integration or macro-ergonomics for improved safety, health and performance.

Yingbin Feng

Yingbin FENG. Lecturer of School of Engineering at the University of Western Sydney (Australia). His research interests include construction safety and health management, and organizational culture and behaviors.