Improving safety compliance of construction workers: A conceptual framework

Construction is one of the most hazardous occupations worldwide. Among all the factors, construction workers’ safety compliance plays a decisive role in improving safety performance on site. The study applied the concept of differentiating safety compliance into deep compliance and surface compliance based on workers’ safety compliance behavior and aims at identifying the influential factors and their effects on construction workers’ deep and surface compliance, respectively. Four existing theoretical models relating to safety compliance are reviewed and analyzed, including technology acceptance theory, theory of job performance, trait activation theory, social exchange theory, and social identity theory. The key factors from these theoretical models are identified, which include perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, safety motivation, management commitment to safety, situational awareness, emotional intelligence, safety communication, and safety knowledge. Then, a conceptual framework is developed to describe the relationships among those factors and the effects of them on deep and surface compliance, respectively. This conceptual model sets a basis for the empirical study focused on safety compliance of Australian construction workers. This study also provides practical implications as understanding this framework can help construction workers achieve improved safety performance by enhancing deep compliance or avoiding surface compliance.