Psychological Factors Affecting the Perception of Personal Safety of Construction Workers in a Developing Country

Muhammad Dawood Idrees, Maria Hafeez, Jung-Yong Kim

Abstract: Psychological factors are very important in the perception of personal safety of workers in the construction industry. This study was carried out to examine the effects of psychological factors on the perception of personal safety in the construction industry in Pakistan. A questionnaire-type survey was designed based on existing studies and was tailored to the culture and environment of the construction industry in Pakistan. Data were collected from 124 workers from different trades at seven construction sites in Pakistan. A hypothetical structural model was developed based on psychological factors that could affect worker perception of safety. In the hypothetical structural model, five psychological factors were studied: (1) workload, (2) organizational relationships, (3) mental stress, (4) job satisfaction, and (5) job security. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the hypothetical model. The results of this study confirmed that psychological factors have direct and indirect positive effects on the perception of personal safety at construction sites in Pakistan.

Keywords: Construction industry, Accidents, Safety of workers, Structural equation modeling; Psychological factors