Workers Participation In Safety Management System In Construction Projects In Thailand

The construction project faces many problems like accident during construction. Many researchers mentioned that maybe because most of the workers were unskilled since they worked before in agriculture but due to seasonal works, they changed their jobs. Moreover, they had their own unsafe habits from previous works especially in agriculture carrier.

In developing country especially in Thailand, to manage the system to provide safety for the workers and others from risks arising out of work activities, it is necessary for every employer’s concerned with construction (client, professional adviser or contractor) to recognize the hazards and manage operations to eliminate them as far as is reasonably possible (Davies and Tomasin, 1996). Hence, the manager level has to provide Safety Management System for the workers. However, the workers especially in Thailand need workers participation to implement as business core function since the company cannot choose better the safety programs whether they fit in best or not for the company. Besides, the accident happening rate in the construction project still remains at improper levels. Furthermore, by having an affective safety programs and the way workers participation can be embedded in organization because it can encourage mutual cooperation between management and workers in the operations of the programs and decisions that effect their safety and health (Aksorn and Hadikusumo, 2007, p.2).

Mr. Alvin Agustinus Gahari made a case study on “Workers Participation in Safety Management System in Construction Projects in Thailand” which primary objectives are to (1) investigate the workers participation in safety programs and (2) investigate methods to encourage the workers participation

Based on his research, below are the conclusions drawn:

1) Skill and knowledge, with clear safety program can encourage workers participation in safety organization.
2) Leadership, trust, open communication, skill and knowledge, incentive and clear safety program can encourage workers participation in risk analysis and method statement.
3) Open communication, incentive and clear safety program can encourage workers participation in safety inspection.
4)Clear safety program can encourage workers participation in safety training.
5) Trust and incentive can encourage workers participation in safety committees.
6) Leadership, trust, open communication and incentive can encourage workers participation in accident investigation and analysis.
7) Leadership, trust, open communication, with skill and knowledge can encourage workers participation in personal protection programme.
8) Leadership, skill and knowledge, with clear safety program can encourage workers participation in in-house safety rules and regulations.
9) Leadership and clear safety program can encourage workers participation in safety orientation.
10) Leadership, trust, open communication, skill and knowledge, incentive, with clear safety program can encourage workers participation in Job Hazard Analysis.
11) Leadership, trust, open communication, skill and knowledge, incentive, with clear safety program can encourage workers participation (overall).

His thesis abstract is copied and posted.

ABSTRACT

Safety in construction projects has greatly risen in current years particularly in Thailand. The relationship between workers participation in safety program and workers participation encouragement was very important in this study. It caused that different construction projects have generated some troubles, one of which is accident during construction. Accidents do not happen naturally but are caused by certain reasons, most of which can be predicted, controlled or avoided.

Prior to works begin can be happened by accidents, and also subsequent to the works have been completed can be happened by them, because of lacking design or construction, causing fatality or wound to those engaged on maintenance work and to members of the public. The success of any business counts on the workers and they are the bottom line as well. Protecting workers from hazards not only constructs good business sense, but also the right thing to do. In addition, manager level was able to erect Safety Management System with workers participation. Thus, it is proposed that this research was able to focus on safety responsibility in safety program, leadership, trust, open communication, skill and knowledge, incentive and clear safety program.
The required data was collected by using questionnaire survey. The objectives were to investigate the workers participation in safety programs and investigate methods to encourage the workers participation in Thailand construction project. The statistical methodology that used for examine the hypotheses was the Pearson’s correlation method. The result indicated that workers participation affects safety program. Some methods to encourage workers participation tended to follow safety programs.

There were 54 respondents returned questionnaires from their projects. All of questionnaires were visited personally and tracked through phone call and more visits were also conducted.
The construction projects that have in-house safety rules and regulations in their construction projects have a tendency to improve safety performance instead of without in-house safety rules and regulations. This safety program was the first rank or else the most important in this study. Furthermore, some methods can encourage workers participation in safety programs.
Further study is supposed to include not only less experience but also more experience especially for the person who has responsibility in safety. Moreover, this study would be better if it includes the estimation value of the construction project so it can be known the construction projects which have a good or bad safety program.