Organizational safety climate is defined as shared perceptions among employees regarding what is rewarded, expected, valued, and reinforced in the workplace with respect to safety (Zohar, 1980). It can positively influence employee safety knowledge, motivation, attitudes, and behaviors, as well as reduce injury outcomes (e.g., Clarke, 2010, Probst et al., 2008, Probst and Estrada, 2010, Zohar, 2010). Research reported in the Journal of Safety Research shows that the Safety Climate Assessment Tool (S-CAT) is a reliable and valid tool for construction companies to self-assess their safety climate. The article, summarized below, details the creation and evaluation of the S-CAT, the first rubric-based safety climate measure designed for the construction industry.
Despite advances to improve safety and health in the construction industry, construction remains one of the most hazardous industries. In 2016, construction represented less than 7% of employment (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016b), yet accounted for nearly 20% of all occupational fatalities (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016a). Employees face daily hazards that result in an experienced injury rate that is 44% higher than the national average (Bureau of Labor and Statistics, 2016).