Benefits of Implementing Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems for the Sustainable Construction Industry: A Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Accidents are more prevalent in the construction industry compared to other economic sectors. Therefore, understanding the benefits of occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMSs) in terms of their sustainable implementation, management and performance, as well as the awareness of OHMSs and barriers to their implementation, are important for improving OHSMSs in the sustainability of the construction industry. Although there is considerable research on OHSMSs, further assessments are needed concerning other aspects of OHSMSs, particularly the benefits of OHSMSs. Thus, this review paper summarises the empirical state of the art of OHSMS activities. Scopus, Web of Science and other databases were searched using predefined standards. The query was limited to articles published from 1999 to 2023. Consequently, one hundred and four articles were selected and analysed. These articles present analyses of OHSMSs and their potential benefits concerning the implementation of OHSMSs and management, performance, awareness, and barriers in relation to OHSMSs. The results reveal that 12.50% of the reviewed studies assessed the implementation of OHSMSs in the construction industry, and 25.96% studied the management of OHSMSs. Analyses of the performance of OHSMSs in the construction industry accounted for 8.65%, analyses of the awareness of OHSMSs accounted for 4.81%, model-related analyses accounted for 13.46%, studies on the significance/benefits of OHSMSs accounted for 3.85%, studies on the barriers/challenges associated with OHSMSs accounted for 5.77%, analyses on the safety indicators of OHSMSs accounted for 2.88% and other types of studies accounted for 20.19%. This study further reveals that the implementation of OHSMSs is characterised by a dearth of proper communication, the non-utilisation of personal protective equipment (PPE), wrong postures and work activities, a dearth of training, physiological factors including burnout and stress, and a dearth of safety culture and orientation; in addition, matters relating to compliance with effective laws are significant safety challenges in the construction industry. However, the rationality for evaluating the benefits of OHSMSs, comprising their implementation, management and performance, as well as awareness of and barriers to OHSMSs, is challenging to authenticate because appropriate field, survey, organisational and clinical data concerning incident occurrences in the construction industry are lacking for comprehensive evaluations. Thus, this novel study presents our effort to narrow this gap by establishing a framework for increasing our understanding of the benefits of implementing OHSMSs and accident reduction.

Organizational Climate in Construction Companies: A Systematic Literature Review

“…Regarding dimensions, the prioritized attention to health and occupational safety, essential for safeguarding workers, stands out as the dimension most frequently focused on in studies on the organizational climate, which aligns with the notion put forth by Kineber et al (2023), who emphasize the importance of understanding and implementing occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMS) to enhance sustainability in these aspects. In this regard, the research by Hayashi et al (2023) is added, aiming to examine the conditions that determine the improvement of occupational safety and health for construction workers.…”

“…In the study by Kineber et al (2023), the prevalence of workplace accidents in the construction industry is emphasized. The study highlights the importance of understanding and implementing occupational health and safety management systems (OHSMS) to enhance sustainability in these aspects.…”

Perceived Factors Affecting the Implementation of Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems in the South African Construction Industry

“…As it has been established that construction sites are high-risk areas, the main goal of OHSMSs is to prevent accidents resulting in injuries, disabling conditions, and fatalities in the workplace, as well as to prevent workplace illnesses and minimise risk [14]. Notably, if these factors are not taken into consideration during OHSMS implementation, safety performance will be undoubtedly affected within an organisation [22].…”

“…Most incidents or accidents occur because of a lack of recognition towards the hazards and risks related to work or activities in the workplace [23]. Managing risks in the construction industry is necessary to methodically assess general risk management factors for safeguarding different project participants [22]. To analyse the OHS risks associated with any project properly, all potential hazards must be taken into consideration [24].…”

Sustainable organizational development and human capital in the context of soft systems methodology

“…By adopting a SSM approach, various barriers and obstacles that hinder their efforts to enhance sustainability in sustainable human capital management can be effectively addressed. One significant challenge is the resistance to change within organizations (Kineber et al, 2023). Many employees may be resistant to new processes or practices that disrupt their established routines.…”