Prioritizing Occupational Health and Safety Protocols in Pakistan's Construction Industry: A DEMATEL-Based Causal Analysis

Abstract

Construction continues to be one of the most dangerous industries for employment, especially in developing countries, where the lack of enforcement of occupational health and safety (OHS) regulations has helped to create frequent workplace accidents and occupational illnesses. Although the construction industry has a considerable role in the economic development of Pakistan, limited research on prioritizing the OHS protocols within the local context has been done. The purpose of this study is to find out critical issues of OHS that affect construction projects in Pakistan and to examine their relationship using the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) approach. A thorough literature review was conducted to determine possible safety factors and then further confirmed by discussions with knowledgeable construction professionals. A structured questionnaire was used for collecting data from the engineers and project managers working with the contractors registered with Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC), out of which 160 valid questionnaires were obtained. The internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha) is 0.836, and the agreement among experts (Kendall's W= 0.188 and = 79.211, df = 9, and p< 0.001) was used to verify the reliability and consistency of the data collected and then to establish the causal relationship between the factors identified by applying the DEMATEL technique. The results suggest that the main driving (cause) factors for the occupational health and safety performance are eight-hour work shifts, permanent and temporary workforce management, and overall safety management practices. The highest prominence (7.163) and strongest net causal influence (1.6234) is for "eight-hour work shift," followed by permanent/temporary workforce management. Social welfare, PPE, child labor, compliance with the minimum wage, employee insurance, inclusion of persons with disabilities, and first aid facilities are all in the effect group and are largely dependent upon improvements in the driving factors. The results confirm that enhancing management and organizational safety approaches can lead to multiple safety outcomes in the downstream system. The study adds value to the existing construction safety literature by developing a prioritized decision support system for OHS management in Pakistan. The results provide lessons for contractors, project managers, and policymakers who can use them to make better decisions about how limited resources can be used more efficiently to ensure safer, more sustainable construction and support the national development agenda.