EVALUATION OF VISUAL SAFETY INSTRUCTION FOR MIGRANT CONSTRUCTION WORKERS

Abstract

Most, if not all of the construction workers in Singapore are non-locals. Migrant workers face difficulties such as language and communication barriers. These impede the management of workplace safety and health (WSH). There may be an increased risk of miscommunication and differences in understanding when conveying important safety information, which is a hazard in work sites. Our WSH systems have to meet the need to accommodate a multinational labor force. This study examines the ability of safety pictorials to convey safety information well to the foreign worker population in Singapore. It identifies the types of safety pictorials found in Singapore’s built environment. Afterward, it evaluates their effectiveness in communicating hazards, consequences, and controls to migrant workers on construction sites using accuracy and precision. A set of 5 safety pictorials with corresponding textual meanings from the Singapore Workplace Safety and Health Council (WSHC) was chosen and the images were tested for comprehension among migrant workers. A quantitative threshold of 85% correct interpretations of each pictorial was set and qualitative analysis was done. Pictorials used in Singapore are not up to standard in communicating the intended risks, consequences, and controls. They can communicate simple hazards and controls, but elements have to be well depicted to prevent confusion and maximize understanding. Best practices and methods for developing pictorials are extracted to form a recommendation for safety pictorials in Singapore.