A System Dynamics View of Safety Management in Small Construction Companies

Due to unique characteristics of small construction companies, safety management is comprised of complex problems (e.g., resources constraints, a lack of formalized management structures, low level of management safety commitment etc.). In order to understand causal interdependencies between safety factors at different system levels (regulation, organization, technical and individual), this paper aims to develop a system dynamics (SD) model of safety management in small construction companies. The purpose of the SD model is to better understand why small construction companies have low level of safety performance. A causal loop diagram (CLD) was developed based on literature, with an attempt to map causal relationships between variables. The CLD was then converted into stock and flow diagram for simulation. Various tests were conducted to build confidence in the model's ability to represent the reality. A number of policies were analyzed by changing the value of parameters. The value of a system dynamics approach to safety management in small construction companies is its ability to address joint effects of multiple safety risk factors on safety performance with a systems thinking perspective. By taking into account feedback loops and non-linear relationships, such a system dynamics model provides insights into the complex causes of relatively poor safety performance of small construction companies and improvement strategies.