Behavior Based Safety (BBS) System Study ? An Effective Tool for Assessing Construction Safety Culture

Worldwide behavior based safety (BBS) studies are accepted and proved to be successful tools to assess safety culture in a construction industry. Safe behavior at work is the testimony of the success of the safety management system. The organization management strives to ensure a safe working environment, specifically at construction sites through an effective and established BBS. The authors with their experience have noted that behavior studies are good techniques to understand the behavior at work place, to identify at risk / risk assuming individuals and initiate necessary corrective actions through a proper safety communication system. The authors have conducted Ad- libitum (in Latin as you desire) random survey and periodic reviews through a structured questionnaire / opinionnaire to study safe behaviors where the large scale construction activities are in progress at geographically different sites in India. The observations reported in this paper are mainly focused on hazards like fall from heights, hit or struck against and electrocution which are the contributors for severe / fatal injuries. This paper advocates educative approach through appropriate awareness / training programs to modify the work behaviors/ practices rather than enforcement/ disciplinary measures to change the work practices.