IMPROVING CONSTRUCTION SAFETY: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY ON THE POTENTIAL OF PAY FOR SAFETY SCHEME (PFSS)

Abstract

Construction industry in Singapore has been plagued by high accident and fatality rates despite intense efforts have been devoted to improving the safety performance. It is proposed that the industry could learn lesson from overseas experience in addressing the safety problems. The review of construction safety in Hong Kong and Singapore unveils that the construction industry in both countries share a number of similarities in terms of safety performance and safety problems encountered. As such, it gives rise to the possibility that successful safety measure implemented in Hong Kong may well be effective in Singapore. Pay for Safety Scheme (PFSS) emerges as one potential safety measure that could be adopted in local industry to drive further improvement in workplace safety and health (WSH) standards. The research presents the findings of the empirical study conducted among contractors in Singapore to examine the potential of PFSS for improving WSH standards. The aim of the research is achieved through studying factors that negatively impact local safety performance, examining contractors’ perception relative to the underlying principles of PFSS and suggesting recommendations to facilitate the application of PFSS in local sector. Research methods include literature review, survey questionnaire and interview. The analysis result establishes that contractors are generally supportive of the underlying principles of PFSS. Also, increasing client’s responsibility for WSH, providing financial incentives and investing in safety could effectively improve the prevailing safety performance. Through this research, PFSS is seen as a feasible safety measure which could potentially strengthen management commitment, enhance safety awareness and address the negative impact of competitive tendering. It is hoped that the application of PFSS could facilitate progress towards achieving a safe and healthy workplace with pervasive WSH culture in the Singapore construction industry.