The influence of health and safety practices on health and safety performance outcomes in small and medium enterprise projects in the South African construction industry

Health and safety (H&S) management is imperative for construction projects owing to the high level of fatalities and accident rates experienced. However, very few studies have used mixed-method research to examine H&S practices that are tailored towards small and medium construction enterprises (SMEs) to establish whether they influenced overall H&S performance. A Delphi study involving 16 H&S experts produced a refined H&S conceptual model comprising five H&S practices and one H&S performance outcome which were tested on 216 construction SMEs. Exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis confirmed that the H&S practices and performance were valid, reliable and acceptable variables. Structural equation modelling (SEM) produced a good-fit model. Upper management commitment and involvement in H&S influenced overall H&S performance indirectly through the mediating variables of project supervision and H&S resources and training. These three H&S practices are essential in influencing H&S performance at project level of construction SMEs, and are viewed as catalysts for H&S culture. However, to ensure that H&S performance by construction SMEs is improved, upper management personnel should be committed and involved in H&S at project level.