Briefing: Safety observation reporting in the UK construction industry: what is it good for?

Abstract

This study examined the use of safety observation reporting (SOR) systems and their implementation within the UK construction industry. Although SOR systems have been widely adopted by many large engineering contractors, the further benefits gained from their utilisation are unclear. Existing systems have an ‘after-the-fact’ nature, and a lack of clarity exists surrounding how information derived from the system can proactively contribute to safety interventions. The research design employed a case study as the foundation, examining the use of an SOR system within a leading infrastructure contractor. Subsequently, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six participants from the case study company, with thematic analysis used to develop findings. Initial suggestions for guidance were produced before these were presented for validation by two representatives from the initial six participants and a further three respondents from two different contracting companies. The feedback and suggestions from these refined and increased the applicability of the resulting recommendations, which aim to give consistent categorisation, greater access to information developed and the facilitation of improved communication of learnings. This research contributes insights into the complexities of SOR systems and offers practical guidance for their enhancement.