Development of a practical guide to safety leadership: Industry-based applications

It is widely accepted that creating and maintaining a safety culture in an organisation can lead to improved safety performance (Wu, Chen & Li, 2007). Recent investigations into construction site safety culture (Biggs et al., 2006, Dingsdag et al., 2006) have provided a means through which the industry could address the issue of improving safety culture. This chapter reports on a project to continue development of the Construction Safety Competency Framework, which identified safety management tasks, safety critical positions and skills, knowledge and behaviours required to create a safety culture. The current project formulated comprehensive implementation guides covering the 39 Safety Management Tasks and the safety critical positions identified in the Competency Framework. Developmental issues, industry liaison processes, and stakeholder ownership issues are discussed as well as future implications for skill acquisition of safety critical tasks and recruitment and professional development concerns. The anticipated outcomes have the potential to enhance current safety skill and behaviour acquisitions in both 1st tier and 2nd tier construction companies