Enhancing Participative Models of Occupational Health and Safety to Improve Safety and Efficiency in the Construction Industry with Digital Tools.

Abstract

The construction industry is notorious for its high accident rates and inefficiencies. This article explores how involving workers more actively in OHS, combined with the utility of digital tools, can lead to a significant reduction in accidents and inefficiencies within the construction industry. Actively involving workers in OHS initiatives fosters a strong safety culture within construction organizations (Ajslev et al., 2020). When workers are engaged in safety decision-making, they develop a sense of ownership and responsibility for their well-being and that of their colleagues (Botti et al.,2022). Implement feedback mechanisms that allow workers to provide input on safety protocols, report concerns, and suggest improvements. Digital tools can streamline the feedback process, making it easier for workers to participate (Boczkowska et al., 2022). The initial exploratory study has been performed on the base of literature review and qualitative analysis of interviews with 22 Spanish construction companies. By actively involving workers, fostering a strong safety culture, and harnessing the power of real-time data and predictive analytics, construction organizations can create safer and more efficient work environments. More participative safety measures that actively involve workers can also lead to increased efficiency. Construction firms should embrace the principles of Social Corporative Responsibility such as participative models in workplaces as a competitive advantage strategy. This paper focus on an emergent field both in science and management.