Construction safety management in Sri Lanka : an institutional analysis

Abstract

“Boom times paid in blood” – The Sunday Times, a newspaper article highlighted the malpractices of construction safety in Sri Lanka during the industry boom at the end of civil unrest in 2009. In 2019, construction recorded 6.78 per cent GDP growth while 40 fatal and 59 non-fatal accidents were recorded in the industry. Previous studies investigated safety practices in large-scale organisations, health and safety improvement measures, construction accidents and unsafe behaviour of construction workers, fatalities and non-fatalities and under-reporting of construction accidents in Sri Lanka. Recent trends in construction safety in Sri Lanka are linked to broader political, economic, and cultural realities observed on the island. Taking institutional theory as the basis, this study aims to explore how construction safety is managed in Sri Lanka. According to institutional theory, individuals and organisations are intertwined in rules, norms, values, scripts, logic, and assumptions that guide their behaviour. It explains what is considered valuable in social situations and builds the rationale for choices. Also, it provides a useful framework to identify regulative, normative, and cultural-cognitive influences on construction safety practices. A qualitative research strategy is adapted to answer the research question. First, a preliminary survey is conducted to understand the big picture of the study. Eight interviews were done with industrial safety experts and construction professionals. Then a questionnaire survey with safety climate dimensions was carried out among workers and managers in the construction industry. 156 worker responses and 141 manager responses were received. The mode and mean for each item in the safety climate questionnaire were calculated. Hypothesis testing was conducted to determine differences in opinions among different demographic categories. Additionally, managers’ questionnaires included open-ended questions for their comments. Construction safety performance is at a low level and poorly managed. Safety legislation in Sri Lanka focuses on technical actions to be taken for industrial safety specified in the Factories Ordinance. Lack of adequate resources and corruption in the system are reasons for poor enforcement. Loose regulations and poor enforcement impact safety negatively. The involvement of the main governing body, CIDA, is marginal. The influence of other stakeholders, i.e., statutory bodies, trade associations, professional bodies, training, and education institutes is minimal. FDIs and loans encourage organisations to adopt advanced safe practices but those remain only until local organisations work with foreign organisations. Poor education levels of workers and the transient nature of the workforce hinder learning and adaptation to safe practices among workers. Production pressure is evident, and organisations practice self-survival prioritising costs. Power distance and thinking patterns underlying caste/class system encourage blame culture.