Factors influencing safety performance in the construction industry of Saudi Arabia: an exploratory factor analysis

Abstract

The construction industry presents many risks that threatens workers physically and business owners financially. Safety performance can assist in reducing risks on construction sites. This study aims to explore and identify the factors that influence safety performance in the construction industry of Saudi Arabia. Through a literature review, 37 factors that influence safety performance were identified from research studies worldwide. These factors were evaluated by industry participants from Saudi Arabia and ranked according to their mean values through survey questionnaires. Furthermore, exploratory factor analysis was used for dimension reduction, and 10 components clustering the 37 factors were revealed and discussed. The outcomes of this study will assist the different construction industry stakeholders in enhancing safety performance at project sites, and in turn create a safer working environment for workers with fewer risks and accidents.

Keywords:

• factors
• exploratory factor analysis
• questionnaire
• construction
• Saudi Arabia
• safety

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank all questionnaire participants as well as Mr Mahmood Mandourah, Mr Abdulrahman Al-thobiti and Mr Khalid Alghanmi for administrating the study questionnaire.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.