Analysis of influencing factors on safety culture in the construction industry of Saudi Arabia

Safety management has been one of the most popular topics in construction research. Construction projects are highly labor oriented, and better management can improve safety performance. Recently, researchers have focused on the concept of safety culture in the construction industry, and developed several safety culture models to reduce the number of accidents and enhance safety. However, these developed models are not effective in terms of implementation, and do not sufficiently consolidate this concept in the construction industry, especially in developing countries. This study aimed to explore and analyze factors that influence safety culture in one developing country, Saudi Arabia. The study used a survey questionnaire as a tool to collect the required data, and a factor analysis technique to analyze the responses. Results showed that five components have a direct influence on Construction Safety Culture: Safety Management System, Safety Resources, Social and Government Acts, Group Effect, and Supportive Environment.