A Comparison of Safety Climate and Safety Performance between Ontario’s Residential and Heavy Civil Construction Sectors

Between 2013 and 2016 in the Province of Ontario, Canada, 739 surveys were collected from 70 residential construction sites, and 342 surveys were collected from 34 heavy civil construction sites. Safety climate and safety performance of these two sectors were compared. Overall, residential respondents reported slightly more safety incidents than heavy civil sites but they had very similar safety climate scores. For both sector respondents, “cut/puncture,” “strains/sprains.” “headache/dizziness,” and “persistent fatigue” are the most frequently experienced physical injuries; “slip/trip/fall on same level,” “exposure to chemicals,” and “overexertion while handling/lifting/carrying” are the most frequently experienced unsafe events. The role of management and supervisor safety commitment in improving safety and the impact of work pressure on physical safety outcomes and job stress are highlighted.