EFFECTS OF NATIONAL CULTURE OF BANGLADESH AND INDIA WORKERS ON SAFETY CULTURE OF SINGAPORE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Abstract

In Singapore, the accident rates have still been alarming despite measures to improve safety culture. One possible reason could be due to workers bringing their own beliefs, values and practices over from their country that cause them to have differing perceptions towards risks and indirectly compromising on safety and this is also known as national culture. This study seeks to explore the effects of national culture focusing on Bangladesh and India workers on the safety culture of the Singapore construction industry. To do that, this research will mainly be qualitative. Literature reviews was first conducted followed by semi-structured face to face interviews with the industry supervisors and workers. Every interview will be transcribed into words and the data was imputed into a qualitative software called Nvivo for data analysis via open, axial and selective coding processes. Findings revealed that the national culture of both nationalities do have implications on the safety culture of the Singapore construction industry in terms of workers’ involvement in safety and risk perception which will affect the management commitment to safety holistically. Both nationalities have generally high power distance and lower ones were observed in more experienced and specialized workers. Bangladesh workers have a higher uncertainty avoidance whereas India workers, particularly those who are more experienced and specialised will have a slightly lower uncertainty avoidance. Bangladesh workers are also more collectivistic and feminine whereas India workers are more individualistic and masculine. Four recommendations were then made to help improve the existing safety culture efforts for the construction firms in the industry based on the research findings that were obtained. This is in hope to help further enhance their safety protocol in place to create a safe and pervasive culture for the entire industry, with the aim of achieving zero fatality in future. Two limitations of the research is then discussed followed by providing some insights for further recommendation of research in future.