Examining key factors influencing safety behaviors of young workers in the construction sector

Young workers form a significant portion of Australia’s construction workforce but face heightened risks due to inexperience and insufficient safety measures. However, there is limited research on the safety behaviors of young construction workers. This study addresses this gap by investigating key factors influencing the safety practices of workers aged 18-24 in the Australian construction sector. Through a comprehensive literature review and correlation analysis, this study examined how organisational factors, personal characteristics and psychological factors affected safety behaviors. A quantitative approach was employed, utilizing a questionnaire survey to collect data on factors influencing workers’ safety behavior. Data were analyzed using SPSS to identify relationships between various factors and safety performance. The findings reveal strong positive correlations between safety culture, safety training, and risk perception with safety behaviours. However, negative associations were also identified between drugs and alcohol use with safety behaviours. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the underlying factors influencing the safety behaviours of young construction workers and supports the development of targeted interventions aimed at improving safety practices within the construction industry.