Appendix A: Interview Question Set 1

Sample Interview Questions 1. Tell me what comes to your mind when you think about safety. 2. What do you think are the causes for accidents? Why do you think accidents occur? 3. What do you think about the risks presented in your line of work? 4. Is risk-taking encouraged, discouraged, or prohibited in your organization? How so? 5. What does prevention mean to you? What kinds of preventive measures do you think are needed? 6. Why do you think your organization care about safety? 7. Tell me how the project success is defined (evaluated) in this organization. 8. How does safety compare to other organizational goals such as productivity? How do work pressures such as production and/or cost reduction affect safety? 9. Tell me a little bit about accident reporting in your organization. Do you think it works and why? 10. What do you think are the purposes of accident investigation? 11. What do you think about the senior managements commitment (attitude, behavior, credibility) to safety? 12. What do you think about your direct supervisors commitment (attitude, behavior, genuine care) to safety? 13. How do you think about the time spend on safety by people from different levels?

Appendix B: Interview Question Set 2

Background Questions 1. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself, your experience with GCC, and your role and responsibility on this particular project? 2. Could you walk me through a typical day of yours? Like, what do you usually do when you first come to the jobsite? What do you do next? What are some of the main activities you do everyday? 3. Optional o Tell me what it is like to be a _____ on this project. o Could you describe a typical week of the project when construction is in full motion? What usually happens on each day of the week? What are the key events and people involved in those events? o Could you walk me through a typical weekly schedule coordination meeting? What is talked about and who usually attends?

o Could you walk me through a typical monthly safety meeting? What would be the topics and who would participate? General Questions 1. Tell me what comes to your mind when you hear the word safety. 2. What do you think are the causes for accidents in general? 3. Why do you think people take risks and do things unsafely? 4. What does accident prevention mean to you? Do you think accidents can be prevented 100 percent of the time? Why or why not? 5. Why is safety important? 6. What do you think about the tension between safety and production? 7. What do you think are the purposes of accident investigations? Questions about Safety in the Organization 1. How do you feel about GCCs safety rules and procedures? Some people think they are useful but others think they are too rigid. What do you think? 2. Do you think GCC cares about safety? If so, why do they care? 3. What would you do if you saw someone doing things unsafely? 4. What do you think about the senior managements commitment to safety? Why do you think that way? 5. How does GCC compare to the other construction companies you worked for in terms of safety? 6. Can you walk me through the accident reporting and investigation process should an accident occur? 7. How do you feel about your work pace and work load? Do you think you still have time to pay attention to safety issues? 8. Tell me how the project success is defined (evaluated) in this organization? Questions about Safety on the Particular Project 1. Do you remember the latest loss-time incident (or recordable incident) you had on this project? Could you describe what happened and why it happened? 2. How does this project compare to the other projects you worked on in terms of safety management? 3. How does safety compare to production and other important goals of projects? Can you give me some examples?

Appendix C: Safety Climate Questionnaire Safety Climate Questionnaire

Definitions: Upper management refers to operations managers and project executives. Project management refers to project managers and lead project superintendents. Employees refer to GCC employees only, not including subcontractors. Directions: To what extent do you agree with the following statements about the safety practices and atmosphere in your organization? Check the most appropriate box. Please note that some statements are worded positively and some negatively. Please answer each and every question thoughtfully to the best of your knowledge. Upper Management Commitment [Refers to operations managers and project executives in general] 1. Upper management is as concerned with safety as it is with schedule 2. Upper management cares more about financial success than safety 3. Upper management takes notice of safety only after severe accidents 4. Upper management frequently inquires about safety, and recognizes and encourages safety efforts 5. Upper management genuinely cares about the safety of both GCC employees and subcontractors Project Management Commitment [Refers to project managers and lead project superintendents in general] 6. Project management is as concerned with safety as it is with schedule Neither Agree Nor Disagree

Strongly Agree

Agree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neither Agree Nor Disagree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

7. Safety is as important as budget to the project management 8. Project management pays attention to safety only after accidents have occurred 9. Project management routinely checks on safety, and recognizes and encourages safety efforts 10. Project management sometimes ignore safety concerns raised Individual Involvement 11. Everybody in the organization plays an active role in maintaining a safe work environment 12. Some of my coworkers do not care about working safely 13. Whenever I see an unsafe condition or activity, I take immediate action to correct the situation 14. I feel that safety is not the most important aspect of my job 15. I feel my supervisors and coworkers could be more involved in safety matters Safety Systems 16. Safety inspections are conducted on a regular basis 17. Problems found during inspections are not corrected in a timely fashion 18. Adequate budget is provided for maintaining a safe work environment 19. Proper tools, equipment (ladders, scaffolds, lights, etc.), and personal protective Strongly Agree Agree Strongly Agree Agree Neither Agree Nor Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree

Neither Agree Nor Disagree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

equipment are available for safety 20. Accident investigations are conducted in a constructive manner Risk Perception and Safety Control [Accidents refer to any OSHA recordable accidents] 21. Not all accidents are preventable 22. People who work safely will not have accidents 23. Some accidents will occur no matter how safe you are 24. Risk-taking cannot be totally avoided on construction projects 25. Accidents can be prevented 100 percent of the time Work Pressure and Priority of Safety 26. Safety is considered important until the project falls behind schedule 27. The company would shut down a project or scope of work if there were serious safety issues 28. Schedule deadlines often conflict with working safely 29. I have never been pressured to put production before safety 30. Sometimes it is necessary to work less safely to keep the work going Employee Competence [Refers to GCC employees] 31. Employees are well trained on safety 32. People in charge of safety know their business 33. Workers understand the

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neither Agree Nor Disagree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neither Agree Nor Disagree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Strongly Agree

Agree

Neither Agree Nor Disagree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

safety rules 34. Safety is not an important topic in new employee orientation 35. Adequate safety training is provided for employees at all levels Safety Rules [Refers to GCCs safety rules] 36. Some safety rules are not very practical 37. All the safety rules on my project really work 38. There are some holes and gaps in the safety rules 39. Safety rules are followed even when the project is behind schedule 40. Sometimes it is necessary to ignore safety rules to get the job done on time Communication 41. Management is open to discussing safety issues 42. Employees are strongly encouraged to raise safety concerns to their supervisors or upper management 43. GCCs safety commitment and policy is not communicated well to all employees 44. Safety information (accidents, hazards, goals, etc.) is communicated to me in a timely fashion 45. I sometimes do not feel comfortable reporting safety problems to my supervisor Accountability Strongly Agree Agree Strongly Agree Agree Strongly Agree Agree Neither Agree Nor Disagree Disagree Strongly Disagree

Neither Agree Nor Disagree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

Neither Agree Nor Disagree

Disagree

Strongly Disagree

46. Individuals are not held accountable for safety 47. Safety is an important part of the companys performance appraisal 48. Responsibility for safety is clearly defined for each employee 49. Safety performance is considered equally with the other aspects of overall performance during the annual evaluation process 50. Safety performance is not a major consideration in decisions regarding reward or promotion Basic Information Age Years in Construction Years with the Company Job Title Division (Please circle one.) General Work Location Other Information Have you ever had an accident before? In the past twelve months, how many accidents have you had? What do you think is the chance of having accidents on your project(s)? Do you have any additional comments about safety in your organization? Please provide information in this column.

1. Kuala Lumpur 2. Selangor Applicable 1. Office 2. Jobsite 1. Yes 0 1 2. No 2 3 4 5 and more

3. Others

4. Not

1. High

2. Medium

3. Low

Thank you for completing the questionnaire. Should you have any questions, please contact the researcher at by e-mail at . or by phone at ..

Appendix D: Safety Management System Audit

Safety Management System Audit Tool 1. Safety Policy and Goals 1.1 Safety Policy Is there a mission (commitment) statement for safety in this business unit? What is it? Does the statement on safety appear in your annual report or any other report? Is there a written safety policy? What is the main content of the safety policy? Does the safety policy summarize the important aspects of the safety management system or safety program of the organization? Is the safety policy communicated/disseminated to all employees? How? 2.2 Safety Goals Is safety part of the overall organizational goal? How is it represented? Are there long-term safety goals for the business unit? What are those? Are specific safety objectives set for the business unit annually? What are those and how are they set? Is there a system to track and evaluate whether or not the objectives have been met? Are there consequences for meeting or not meeting the safety objectives? Have safety objectives been set for the project? How? 2. Organizing and Planning for Safety 2.1 Organizing 2.1.1 Organizational Structure for Safety Is there a clearly set out organizational structure for dealing with safety? Is there clear understanding as which positions carry safety functions? Is a director appointed as being responsible for safety? Are formal appointments made to other safety related positions e.g. managers, coordinators, etc. Yes No Score Notes

Are there other dedicated and fulltime safety personnel? Is the coordination between safety related positions undertaken and specified? How? 2.1.2 Safety Responsibility and Accountability Is safety incorporated into the job descriptions of managers? Does the appraisal of managers include an assessment of their safety performance and their achievement of safety objectives? Are managers held accountable for their safety performance? How? Is safety written into the job descriptions of other employees? Have performance standards been set for individuals? Does the appraisal of employees include an assessment of their safety performance and their achievement of safety objectives? Are individuals held accountable for their safety performance? How? 2.2 Planning 2.2.1 Risk Assessment Is a risk assessment made for any new project? Have all existing projects been assessed for risks? Is the responsibility for carrying out the risk assessment clearly allocated? Is the risk assessment recorded? Are the results of the assessment evaluated to decide whether controls are effective, or if more can be done to reduce risks? Is the result of the assessment communicated to those affected by it (employees and subcontractors)? 2.2.1 Hazard Analysis Has an exercise to identify all hazards associated with a project been completed for each project? Does your assessment include information on the: Hazards? Methods of use? Risks to health? Control measures?

Actions, if any, required to prevent or control exposure? Have you communicated your assessment to those who need to know project staff, trades people, and subcontractors? Is hazard analysis conducted on a regular basis? How often? Are the control measures: In place? Properly used? Examined? Maintained? Are there routine examinations of engineering controls and personal protective equipment? 2.2.3 Safety Plan Has a site specific safety plan been created for each existing project? 3. Implementing and Operational Practices 3.1 Management commitment Do senior management (e.g., operation managers and project executives) indicate a commitment to safety by: Being seen as placing as high a priority on safety as on productivity, cost, and quality? Encouraging discussion on safety issues, and demonstrating a commitment to participate in resolving problems? Setting an example by following all procedures, such as the wearing the hard hat and safety glasses on jobsites? Conducting safety inspections and chairing safety committees? Do middle-level management (e.g., project managers) and supervisors (e.g., project superintendents), indicate a commitment to safety by: Being seen as placing as high a priority on safety as on productivity, cost and quality? Encouraging discussion on safety issues, and demonstrating a commitment to participate in

x x

resolving problems? Setting an example by following all procedures, such as the wearing the hard hat and safety glasses on jobsites? Conducting safety inspections and chairing safety committees? Are safety issues on the agenda at all routine management meetings? 3.2 Competency Are safety critical competencies included in recruitment selection criteria? Do new employees receive adequate safety training? Do employees have the knowledge and skills they need to work safely or to manage safety on jobsites? Is there a written training plan or curriculum? Do employees receive adequate safety training? Are supervisors and managers trained in the safety responsibilities of their job? Is staff with emergency response roles trained for those roles? Is periodic refresher training provided? Do you regularly assess and record safety training needs for the business unit? How regularly? How do you do it? Does the safety department give out special training and briefings on demand? How frequently? 3.3 Participation/Involvement Do arrangements for consulting employees on safety matters exist? If Yes, tell me about those arrangements. Do you have a safety committee? How often does the safety committee meet? Are minutes kept for all safety committee meeting? What is usually discussed in those meetings? Is the safety committee chaired by someone of sufficient authority to ensure action can be taken on decisions made? Who is that person? Are employees across different departments represented on the committee?

x x

How frequently do senior managers attend safety committee meetings? Are employees actively involved in the following? Carrying out risk assessment Discussing procedures and instructions for risk control Conducting safety inspections Planning and making decisions about their work activities Making decisions about safety Investigating accidents Getting feedback about lessons learned from accidents Are employees encouraged to raise safety matters with their managers? In what ways? Do employees actually raise safety matters with their managers? What evidence is there to suggest that? Do you have an employee safety suggestion system in place in this business unit? If yes how many suggestions were received last year? How many of these suggestions were taken up and acted upon? 3.4 Communication Are employees aware of safety rules, and the consequences of failures to abide by them? Do employees report hazards and concerns immediately? Do managers encourage and provide adequate support for safety professionals? Are managers and supervisors aware of guidance specific to their areas of responsibility and do they have access to it? Are there arrangements for liaising with enforcing authorities and other external organizations such as trade associations? 3.5 Enforcement Is there an enforcement policy established for noncompliance? Is the enforcement policy well communicated to employees and

x x x x x x x

subcontractors? Are there disciplinary procedures in place for dealing with infringements of safety rules and regulations? If yes, under what circumstances? Have those procedures ever been invoked on projects? How often? Is there a system in place to reward individuals with consistent good safety behaviors? Is there a system in place to reward projects with good safety performance? 4. Monitoring and Measuring 4.1 Inspection Are projects subject to a scheme of active monitoring (e.g., safety inspections)? Is responsibility for active monitoring (e.g., safety inspection) clearly allocated? Have those responsible for carrying out active monitoring (safety inspection) been properly trained? Are there set frequencies for active monitoring (safety inspection)? What are those? What percentage of safety inspections have been achieved against the plan? Do senior managers conduct safety inspections on the project? How often? Are the results of active monitoring (safety inspection) recorded? Are corrective actions taken on the results of active monitoring (safety inspection)? Is there a system for checking on the action taken? What percentage of corrective actions has been formally closed out against an agreed time scale? 4.2 Investigation Is there a requirement for all incidents and accidents (harm to people, harm to the environment, damage to plant/property and process) to be investigated? Is there a procedure for incident and accident investigation and the recording of the results? Is responsibility for investigation clearly allocated? Have those responsible for investigation

been properly instructed and/or trained? Is there a system for taking action on the results of investigations and checking on action taken? 5. Review and Change Do you routinely review health and safety performance? How often Does it cover all projects in the company? Does it take into account the results of active monitoring (safety inspection)? Does it take into account reactive monitoring (incident, accident investigation)? Does it include the results of independent auditing of safety management systems? Does it identify areas not meeting policy and targets at agreed standards? Are the review results presented at the highest level in the company? Are the results of the review communicated to all levels of the company? Are conclusions on performance and any need for improvements to policy, standards or targets identified? Are targets for future health and safety performance set and incorporated into action plans? Are actions identified with individuals and progress tracked and actions completed? Is there a system for ensuring action identified in the review is completed? Misc. Subcontractor interfacing Is a fully endorsed safety commitment obtained from each subcontractor at the onset of the project? Have the safety goals and objectives for the subcontractors been defined? Have you communicated the goals and objectives to the subcontractors? Have you involved subcontractors in setting the goals and objectives? Is there an agreed integrated site specific

safety plan? If yes have key accountabilities and responsibilities been assigned and defined for all subcontractors on the project? Have routine communication arrangements covering relevant areas of work execution been agreed? Have the parties agreed a process for identifying and assessing health and safety hazards? Does the subcontracting company management visit the project? How often?