Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine to what extent the Safety Culture on a construction worksite could be understood using an ethno methodological approach. The number of incidents in construction is high compared to other industries; in order to prevent incidents it is essential to discover the factors influencing safety. In this study talks and walks were performed on the worksite with different employees. The results suggest that on the worksite more than one type of safety culture exist. One of the main factors influencing attitudes and behaviours of the general foremen was no solutions to problems. This and some other factors are part of the pattern that makes up the type of safety culture(s). Factors that identify a culture of reluctance are presented in a model. The possibility of improving the performance and the culture by improving interventions that actually solve safety problems is discussed.