SAFETY CULTURE AS A COUNTER MEASURE ON DECREASING PRODUCTIVITY IN SINGAPORE �S CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Abstract

2010 was a year where the construction industry received much of the buzzwords - “Productivity” and “fatality”. The construction industry has been recording higher injury and fatality rates over the years. Despite so, the industry‟s outlook for the coming year is projected to be worth up to $28 billion of contracts. To sustain this growth, improving productivity is key. Productivity levels in Singapore are estimated to be about half of that in Australia and one-third of that in Japan. This study seeks to understand the dynamic nature of the industry and propose ways to counter falling productivity levels and raising fatality rates. Questionnaire and interview were conducted to determine the foreign workers‟ values, attitude, perception and behaviour towards their commitment to the health and safety management of the industry. Through the research and findings, a Construction System Dynamics was proposed. It is a model approach to understanding the behaviour of the complex construction industry in Singapore. It simulates all elements affecting safety at worksite and means to curb the industry‟s fatality rate and falling productivity. It is learnt through this study that the influx of foreign labour has resulted to an increase in fatality rate however it has not led to the poor safety culture at workplace. Instead safety culture is a mean to counter the raising fatality rate. Continuous improvement lies in the creation of a safety culture through a comprehensive Safety Management Framework. In curbing fatality rate, the industry could set quotas to the number of workers allowed at a single worksite. The overconcentration of workers at a single worksite could have led to the increase fatality rate.