The Construction Safety Competency Framework: Improving OH&S Performance by Creating and Maintaining a Safety Culture by Dr Donald P. Cipolla is based on the results of the Collaborative Research Center (CRC) Construction Innovation research project "Site Safety Culture of construction".
Industry context
Purpose of the competency framework
The framework structure
- Developing a positive safety culture — a definition of safety culture and the particular principal contractor staff actions that lead to a positive safety culture
- Identifying safety management tasks (SMTs) and safety critical positions — a definition of key staff competency requirements, based on identifying the safety management tasks that safety critical position holders must be able to
- Defining competency requirements: The Tasks and Position Competency Matrix — the allocation of competency requirements for the identified principal contractor’s safety critical positions, that is, “who needs to be able to do what
- Integrating the framework — guidelines for implementing the competency framework outlined in this document
- SMT competency specifications and culture outcomes to be achieved — elements for each of the 39 identified safety management tasks, including
- Demonstrate leadership — act to motivate and inspire others to work towards
- Clarify required and expected behaviours — clarify to immediate
- Personalise safety outcomes — make OH&S more obvious, relevant and emotional
- Develop positive safety attitudes — foster the development of attitudes and
- Engage and own safety responsibilities and accountabilities — increase input,
- Increase hazard/risk awareness and preventive behaviours — increase
- Improve understanding and effective implementation of safety management
- Monitor, review and reflect on personal effectiveness — frequently use various
Understanding OH&S risks on a personal and emotional level will help change attitudes and behaviour. Increase Hazard/Risk Awareness and Preventive Behavior — Increase Preventive Behavior — Increase individual's (site and office) understanding of the OH&S outcomes associated with their decisions, behaviors and actions.
Staff competency
Culture actions
Safety culture
Performance
The Task and Position Competency Matrix (p. 8) displays the competency requirements for each of the safety-critical positions. Companies are encouraged to customize the Task and Position Competency Matrix to ensure the assessment is appropriate for the organization's stage of safety culture development.
Task and Position Competency Matrix Safety critical positions
Once an organization has developed a matrix that lists safety-critical positions and the activities that must be performed with the competencies required to master the positions, it is important to determine how the framework can be used to maximum effect. This goal is likely to be achieved through the use of existing human resource management (HRM) and safety management strategies – that is, safety culture competencies can be incorporated into current selection and recruitment, training and employee performance management processes.
Recruitment and selection
Training and development
Performance management
Specific steps to integrate and customise material
This competency framework addresses the industry's safety culture directly and allows for significant cultural change and reduction of injuries and incidents. This in turn will ultimately improve the safety culture in our workplaces and across the industry.
Understand safety culture
Identify safety critical positions
Plan
Use a step-wise approach
Implement
Customise the Task and Position Competency Matrix
Adapt the competency specifications
Show continuous improvement
Carry out project risk assessments
Gather project information required to undertake the risk assessment (scope of work, contract requirements, legislative requirements). The provisions of H&S laws, Regulations and Codes of Practice relevant to the workplace, including legal responsibilities of main contractors, subcontractors, manufacturers, suppliers, employees and other parties with legal responsibility. Management arrangements to keep the organization abreast of developments in OH&S (eg legislation, hazard controls), compulsory licensing and certificates.
AS/NZS 4804:2001 Occupational health and safety management systems - General guidance on principles, systems and supporting techniques. Increasing wider awareness of occupational safety and health risks and pre-commencement action across the entire project/site, including management/workforce/. NZS 4360 or statutory approved equivalent linked to AS/NZS 4801, AS/NZS 4804 or similar other auditable tools to nationally/internationally recognized standards.
Undertake formal OH&S review of tenders
How the characteristics and composition of the workforce impact on OH&S, including literacy, communication skills, cultural background, gender, workers with disabilities, part-time, casual and contract workers. Communication of the need to have site specific H&S management plans/safety management plans. Consistent communication and explanation of what behaviors and actions are required to execute safety management plan Skill.
Ability to analyze the entire work environment to identify hazards, assess risks and design and implement appropriate safety management systems. Ability to analyze relevant workplace data (e.g. incidents, environmental monitoring) to identify and assess risks and evaluate the effectiveness of the safety management system. Ability to assess the resources required to establish and maintain safety management systems, including a range of risk management measures.
Develop OH&S procedures and instructions
Provisions of occupational safety and health laws, regulations, codes of practice relating to the workplace, including the legal responsibilities of employers, subcontractors, employees and other parties with legal responsibility. Shared understanding of key hazards, their risks, and collaboration across the entire site and organization to achieve solutions. Continually promoting the importance of ownership, a sense of belonging, meaningful involvement of all in security procedures and the benefits of information sharing.
Ability to analyze the entire work environment to identify hazards, assess risks and design and implement appropriate safety management systems. Ability to analyze relevant workplace data (i.e. incident, environmental monitoring) to identify and assess risks and evaluate the effectiveness of the safety management system. Create a culture by systematically paying attention to the collective practices that the company must adopt.
Carry out basic task competency assessments of employees
Promoting the importance of ownership of safety involvement and the benefits of shared values and behaviours.
Deliver company induction
Creates a positive safety culture by systematically addressing the collaborative practices the organization must adopt.
Facilitate group/work team OH&S discussions and meetings
Create a positive safety culture by systematically addressing the collaborative practices the company should adopt.
Plan and deliver toolbox talks
Give formal OH&S presentations to management
Participate in site safety committee
Consult on and resolve OH&S issues
Discuss informally and regularly with senior management as necessary about wellness practices, activities, issues and remedial actions. Management arrangements to keep the organization informed of developments in the field of welfare and safety (e.g. legislation, standards, codes of practice, mandatory licenses and certificates). An increase in wider wellbeing awareness and action across the project/site, including senior management.
Comparison of project safety performance with similar past and current projects with intra- and cross-industry examples - senior management shares information with competitors as much as possible (based on benchmarking and learning). Encourages senior management involvement and ownership of OHS in the workplace and emphasizes the importance of their interest and involvement. Requires commitment to OH&S practice and culture from senior management/workforce/contractors and subcontractors.
Challenge unsafe behaviour/attitude at any level when encountered
Make site visits, where you speak directly to a construction worker about the working environment at the workplace. Knowledge and understanding of the target group, so that relevant information can be presented in an effective way.
Recognise and reward people who have positively impacted on OH&S
Creates a culture by systematically paying attention to the collective practices that the organization must adopt.
Carry out formal incident investigations
Audit findings, resulting changes in H&S and work procedures are widely communicated to the workforce and all levels of management throughout the project/site, including contractors and subcontractors. Consultation on the audit process across the project/site including management/workforce/contractors and subcontractors. Incorporating trained members of management and workforce into regular baseline audits that comply with SafetyMap or similar proprietary internal systems (noting that SafetyMap is not a dedicated audit tool).
Carrying out regular comprehensive safety management system audits every 12 months on long-term projects that comply with national and international audit standards, from AS/NZS compliance for example to others of a similar nature. Standards or recognized audit tools (for shorter projects – conducting audits at regular shorter intervals).
Carry out formal inspections of workplace and work tasks
The range of control measures available, together with considerations for selecting different control measures to address potential inadequacies. Emphasis on the importance of being proactive in identifying hazards and managing risk before it negatively impacts safety. Improving standard procedures and safety management practices in the organization at all levels and throughout the project/site, including contractors and subcontractors.
Consistently communicating and clarifying those behaviors and actions needed to improve safety performance. It communicates information to the appropriate parties in the language most likely to result in understanding.
Monitor sub-contractor activities
Define subcontractor's scope of work and OH&S requirements and include them in initial tender documentation provided to subcontractor. Hold pre-mobilization meeting with subcontractor leadership team to discuss and ensure clear B&V performance expectations are understood and aligned. Detailed knowledge of key H&S laws, regulations and potential H&S issues as they relate to the duty of care of main contractor/persons in charge of premises/construction sites, subcontractors.
Ensures that the subcontractor's risk assessment and safety performance tools are based on regulatory or industry approved tools that can be audited against recognized or industry performance standards. Communicates records and reports on OH&S performance to all relevant parties at regular intervals (depending on the duration of the contract). Provision of regular OH&S performance reports by subcontractors as specified by reporting requirements in accordance with the OH&S specifications in the contract.
Evaluate OH&S performance of sub-contractors
Basic regulatory requirements in the area of welfare and well-being, for example laws (including the main Welfare Act), workers' compensation, regulations, standards and codes of practice. Understanding enforcement requirements and how to integrate them into OHS procedures/tools. Behaviour. Understand and apply detailed safety and health legal requirements (e.g. welfare provisions, safety and health) (e.g. welfare provisions, safety and health).
Shared understanding of detailed safety, health and welfare legislative requirements and their implementation to improve occupational health and safety performance and culture. Understanding and implementation of enforcement requirements and how these are incorporated into occupational health and safety procedures/tools. Collects organizes, interprets and understands the information required for the development and application of occupational health and safety policies and procedures, including for example safe work instructions, quality assurance procedures, manufacturer's instructions and MSDSs, confined space access permits, certification for plant operations.
Apply full working knowledge of the organisation’s safety management system (SMS)
Implementation of an RTW plan based on meaningful communication by the injured person, physician, workers' compensation insurance company, and injury coordinator to achieve full recovery and reasonable return to work. Reassignment of the injured/ill person to full duties, as far as is reasonable, or to lighter duties, if necessary. Monitors and evaluates the injured person's progress and ability for full reassignment based on meaningful discussion with the injured/patient, physician, workers' compensation insurer, and injury coordinator.
Communicating knowledge of the organization's values and commitment to timely and actionable RTW, rehabilitation and injury management process. Communication and publication of the organization's policy and commitment to RTW and mutually acceptable RTW plan based on input from the injured person, medical practitioner, workers' compensation insurer and injury management coordinator. Policies and procedures that make it clear that the organization's goal is to rehabilitate the injured/ill person as close as possible to the situation before the injury/illness occurred.
Understand and apply general regulatory workers’ compensation requirements
Evidence of a visible safety management culture through active interaction of safety critical position holders and mentees. Communicating the organization's values, policies and procedures throughout the project/site, including management/workforce/contractors and subcontractors. Consistently communicating the consequences of "risky" behavior and why it should be avoided under all circumstances.
Consistent proactive communication and sharing of the organization's values, policy and procedures throughout the project/site including management/. Emphasis on the importance of proactivity in hazard identification and risk control before risk exposure occurs.
Conduct employee performance appraisals
Work with staff to solve safety problems
Discipline staff for poor OH&S behaviour/attitude
Recruit and select new staff
Administer first aid to injured persons
Communication Competency A (Group Communication)
Communication Competency B (Giving Feedback)
No inferences will be drawn between observable behaviors and personal characteristics (eg people are not called idiots).
Communication Competency C (Interpersonal Skills)
Notes
