Behavioural-Based Safety and Workplace Culture Approaches Instituted in Construction Firms in Ghana: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The construction industry is an injury-prone business area given the nature  of its operational activities. Ghana’s construction industry must grapple with in formal operations, small-scale operations, lax regulatory enforcement, and uneven  worker safety knowledge and training, which threaten safety. To prevent workplace  accidents and injuries, behavioural-based safety (BBS) strategies and a safety culture must be established. Recognizing the role of research in safety enhancement,  this study examined the literature on the implementation of BBS approaches and  workplace culture initiatives in Ghana. The data were presented based on the guide lines provided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses (PRISMA). To compile a comprehensive collection of academic works, a search was conducted using Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science. In  total, 300 records were retrieved and after the filter process, seven peer-reviewed  journal articles published between 2016 and 2023 were shortlisted and included  in the present review. Descriptive and thematic analyses were then employed to  analyse and synthesise the relevant literature. The review found behavioural-based  approaches (Accident Reduction and Safety Compliance) and Construction safety  culture (Management Commitment and Employee Engagement) as the key safety  issues previous studies being practiced to achieve safety by construction firms in  Ghana. To successfully implement behavioural-based safety (BBS) and improve  workplace culture in construction firms in Ghana, this review study recommended  that regulations be created requiring the incorporation of BBS programs into safety  management systems. Moreover, it is strongly recommended that firms cultivate  a collaborative safety culture where workers are encouraged to report hazardous  actions and propose enhancements without fear of reprisal.