Construction project leaders’ perceptions of respirable crystalline silica exposure and control: A safety leadership perspective in the UK social housing sector

Abstract

Although, there have been studies on silica dust practices in the construction industry generally. Specific attention has not been given to construction project leadership (CPL) perceptions of Silica dust safety culture within the social housing sector. A two-stage multi-method qualitative participatory exploratory action research approach was adopted. The first stage involved a mixed-method survey (qualitative and quantitative), with a sample of 64 mid-level management representatives. The second stage involved 8 semi-structured interviews with leaders within social housing organisations. Participants included Senior executives, Project Managers, Asset Managers, Safety Managers and Compliance Managers. Data analysis employed thematic and statistical analysis. The study discovered three key themes (Senior management; Human resource; Technical Safety) and identified nine key challenges, barriers and drivers (including economics, risk taking behaviours, project pressures, skills shortages/gaps) facing CPLs’ current “strategic, tactical, and operational” silica dust approaches. Whilst, the findings highlight that silica dust safety culture is a complex construct, which is difficult to define, even for experts in the organisation. The results of the study have identified some of the shortcomings in project leadership practice in the UK social housing sector which will spur changes that promote greater achievement of the sector to improve silica dust management approaches.