The construction industry is known for its high risks and has been responsible for numerous accidents and fatalities worldwide. Employers have a responsibility to provide a safe and healthy working environment for their employees, encompassing physical, physiological, and psychological well-being, known as work health and safety (WHS). Despite existing laws and regulations aimed at protecting construction workers, accidents still occur frequently. This essay explores the implementation of the Training-With-Industry (TWI) theory as a human resource management strategy to improve safety in the construction industry. It highlights the economic, legislative, ethical, and motivational damages caused by workplace accidents and emphasizes the importance of addressing safety concerns from the perspective of human resource managers. The essay proposes two TWI-based training methods for construction workers: job instruction training and safety awareness training. Job instruction training involves experienced workers mentoring and guiding new employees, fostering a safer work environment, and reducing the risks associated with inexperienced workers. Safety awareness training aims to enhance safety consciousness among both employees and employers, emphasizing the proper use of personal protective equipment and conducting emergency drills. The essay concludes by stressing the significance of prioritizing workplace safety and encourages human resource managers to incorporate TWI strategies into their management plans to ensure the well-being of construction workers.

Renjie Sun, Shunli Hu. How to ensure construction workplace safety with human resource management strategies. Academic Journal of Business & Management (2023) Vol. 5, Issue 16: 19-23. https://doi.org/10.25236/AJBM.2023.051604.

[1] Awwad, R., El Souki, O., & Jabbour, M. (2016). Construction safety practices and challenges in a Middle Eastern developing country. Safety Science, 83, 1-11. doi:10.1016/j.ssci. 2015.10.016

[2] Chidambaram, P. (2016). Perspectives on human factors in a shifting operational environment. Journal of Loss Prevention in the Process Industries.

[3] Ebekozien, A. (2021). Construction companies’ compliance to personal protective equipment on junior staff in Nigeria: Issues and solutions. International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation. doi:10.1108/ijbpa-08-2020-0067

[4] Forbes, L.H. and Ahmed, S.M. (2011). Morden Construction: Lean Project Delivery and Integrated Practices. Taylor and Francis Group.

[5] Ghodrati, N., Yiu, T. W., Wilkinson, S., & Shahbazpour, M. (2018). A new approach to predict safety outcomes in the construction industry. Safety Science, 109, 86-94. doi:10.1016/j.ssci.2018.05.016

[6] Graupp, P. and Wrona, R.J. (2010). Implementing Training within Industry: Creating and Managing a Skills-Based Culture. CRC Press.

[7] Haupt, T. C., & Pillay, K. (2016). Investigating the true costs of construction accidents. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, 14(2), 373-419. doi:10.1108/jedt-07-2014-0041

[8] Health and Safety Executive. (2009). Reducing Error and Influencing Behavior.

[9] Huntzinger, J. (2016). The Roots of Lean: Training within Industry: The Origin of Japanese Management and Kaizen and Other Insights. Lean Frontiers.

[10] Mollo, L. G., Emuze, F., & Smallwood, J. (2019). Improving occupational health and safety (OHS) in construction using training-within-Industry method. Journal of Financial Management of Property and Construction, 24(3), 655-671. doi:10.1108/jfmpc-12-2018-0072

[11] Park, C., & Kim, H. (2013). A framework for construction safety management and visualization system. Automation in Construction, 33, 95-103. doi:10.1016/j.autcon.2012.09.012

[12] Park, M., Elsafty, N., & Zhu, Z. (2015). Hardhat-wearing detection for enhancing on-site safety of construction workers. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 141(9). doi: 10.1061/ (asce)co. 1943-7862.0000974

[13] Safe work Australia. (2021). Retrieved from https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/

[14] Shingo, S. (2005). A Study of the Toyota Production System from an Industrial Engineering Viewpoint, in Dillion. CRC Press.

[15] U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2014). Occupational Injuries/Illnesses and Fatal Injuries Profiles. Department of Labor (2014).

[16] Yoon, S. J., Lin, H. K., Chen, G., Yi, S., Choi, J., & Rui, Z. (2013). Effect of occupational health and safety management system on work-related accident rate and differences of occupational health and safety management system awareness between managers in South Korea's construction industry. Safety and Health at Work, 4(4), 201-209. doi:10.1016/j.shaw.2013.10.002.