Identifying construction supervisor competencies for effective site safety

Abstract

Construction supervisors are crucial to eventual site safety performance. In the United States, the OSHA 30-hour training is becoming the de facto standard for supervisor safety competence. A literature review of recommended supervisor safety competencies reveals gaps when compared to the OSHA 30-hour training contents. We address this gap by identifying the necessary knowledge-based safety competencies that are most important for the front-line construction supervisor and prioritizing them for the first time. A Delphi process confirmed that knowledge of pre job planning, organizing work flow, establishing effective communication, and of routine and non-routine work tasks are highly important competencies for the construction supervisor to possess. Construction organizations who utilize the 30-hour training for supervisor safety competence must recognize its limitations and ensure supervisors are equipped with these additional competencies to effectively manage site safety. Government agencies should also recognize the policy limitations of requiring the 30-hour training for supervisors.