[Time] 14:00-15:00, October 23rd, Wednesday, 2019

[Venue] Room 529, South Shunde Building

[Speaker] Dr. Alan HS Chan

[Host] Dr. Ruifeng Yu

[Title] The Effects of Organizational and Personal Factors on the Risk-taking Behavior of Hong Kong Construction Workers

[Abstract] The Hong Kong construction industry is notorious for high number of accidents and fatalities. Risk-taking is one kind of unsafe behavior that can result in accidents and injuries. The study reported here concerns a Construction Worker Risk-Taking Behavior (CoWoRTB) model and an attempt to gain better understanding of the mechanisms by which personal and organizational factors influence the risk-taking behavior of construction workers. A questionnaire survey was conducted with 536 construction workers employed on Hong Kong government construction projects. Using the data collected, the proposed model was analyzed using structural equation modeling. It was found that the personal factors: outcome expectancy, risk perception – worry and unsafe, and attitude toward risk-taking behavior, significantly influenced risk-taking behavior. The organizational factors that had a significant effect on risk-taking behavior were safety promotion policy, and safety training. Also, significant indirect effect of safety promotion policy on risk-taking behavior was mediated by outcome expectancy, and significant indirect effects of safety training on risk-taking behavior were mediated by attitude toward risk-taking behavior, and risk perception – worry and unsafe. These findings may be used to develop effective safety policies, interventions and strategies for reducing the risk-taking behavior of construction workers. Some practical recommendations for improving construction safety are discussed.

[Bio] Dr. Alan H.S. Chan obtained his BSc, MPhil, and PhD from the University of Hong Kong. He has a wide range of research interests in human factors, work design, and occupational safety and health. He has been contributing to his profession and was elected as a Fellow of International Ergonomics Association, Institute of Industrial and Systems Engineers, Chartered Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors, Institution of Engineering and Technology, Hong Kong Institution of Engineers, and the Hong Kong Ergonomics Society. Dr Chan is a Chartered Engineer (UK) and Chartered Ergonomist & Human Factors Specialist (UK). Dr Chan was the President of Institute of Industrial Engineers (HK) for 96/97 and twice the President of the Hong Kong Ergonomics Society (03-05, 09-11). He was the Region Vice President of the Institute of Industrial Engineers (01-03), and Hong Kong Representative for the International Ergonomics Association (02-05, 09-11). He was appointed by the Hong Kong Government as the Chairman of Occupational Safety and Health Council in 2017 and 2019. Dr Chan is the Editor-in-Chief of International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics, an Associate Editor of International Journal of Human Factors and Ergonomics in Manufacturing and Service Industries, and is now serving the editorial board of Ergonomics. Dr. Chan has published close to 200 refereed papers in SCI journals in human factors covering work design, safety and health, and human-machine interfaces to promote the ergonomics profession and practice internationally. He has authored many important publications on diverse topics such as driving performance and visual attention, visual inspection programs, control and display arrangements, design of auditory and visual signals, redesign of safety signs, analysis of road accidents, safety and ergonomics evaluations, and risk perceptions and industrial safety of construction workers. He has also published more than 50 book chapters and technical reports, two book reviews and one book on the expertise of human factors.