Critical success factors for safety program implementation among construction companies in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Saudi Arabia is considered one of the fastest growing countries in the Middle East. Despite this fact, the overall level of construction safety in Saudi Arabia has been relatively low. Many construction companies in Saudi Arabia have tried to control the rising costs of accidents and reduce projects delays due to the accidents; however, they do not know why the safety programs do not work efficiently, or where to start. This study has a main aim which is identifying the critical factors affecting the successful implementation of safety programs among construction companies in Saudi Arabia. Considering the current lack of understanding on these factors within this particular context, this study is the first and essential step to promoting comprehensive safety programs implementation within the Saudi Arabia construction industry. To achieve this aim, this study examined and synthesised numerous factors identified in past research studies on construction safety, whereby a set of factors was developed. Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) was then conducted to prioritise these factors, based on the input from a group of experts representing 18 construction companies in Saudi Arabia. Finally, Pareto principle was employed to develop seven most critical success factors, which represent the areas where companies should focus their attention and effort to achieve better safety levels through effective implementation programs.