Project Productivity vs. Health & Safety
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Date
2008-12
Authors
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Journal ISSN
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Publisher
The British University in Dubai (BUiD)
Abstract
Health and Safety often has a negative perception among project managers who
operate in high pressure environments where high levels of productivity are
demanded from Management. The level of procedures that must be followed and the
associated bureaucracy are often seen as having an impeding effect on completing
work in the most optimum way possible.
Many studies have been conducted to further investigate this theory, with
mixed results. Ideologies such as Total Safety Management (TSM) which borrows its
theories heavily from Total Quality Management (TQM) have been shown to have a
substantial positive effect on health and safety performance while boosting
productivity as a by-product. Other approaches which have been the victim of poor
implementation or poor management have be seen to further the theory that increased
focus on safety management can impede a company’s ability to operate at its most
efficient with respect to productivity.
This study investigates two Companies operating in the Oil & Gas Industry in
the UAE, over a five year period to assess the impact on productivity that their Health
and Safety prioritised approach had on productivity. Company A adopted a proactive
intensive Health and Safety Management approach immediately prior to the 5 year
period while Company B revised their approach to a more in depth safety
management outlook midway through the five year period.
Research was undertaken at both of these Companies by studying their
productivity performance figures against their accident reporting statistics. Surveys
and interviews with each Company’s workforce were also conducted to measure the
intangible factors from a behavioural and psychological approach towards the new
safety management systems adopted by each company.
It was found in both cases that the improved safety management approaches
had a great effect on the workforce both in improving accident reporting statistics
matched by significant gains in productivity. The outcome of the surveys also
supported this showing great increase in the perception of safety in the work place and
increased levels of motivation and good feeling towards the management of each
Company.
It can be seen that if implemented correctly and with the visible support of
senior management, adopting a safety focused approach towards a productivity and
projectised environment that increased safety on site can lead to improved
productivity rather than the opposite.
Further research is required into this vast field for a better behavioural and
psychological understanding of the benefits of positive proactive safety management.
There is also a large scope for further research into finding the most optimal
management and implementation methods of a new safety managements system to
provide a guide for companies looking to revise their safety management approach in
the future.
Description
Keywords
project productivity, health & safety, project managers, Total Safety Management (TSM), Total Quality Management (TQM), oil & gas industry, United Arab Emirates (UAE)