Safety Leadership and Performance in Indonesia’s Construction Sector: The Role of Project Owners’ Marurity

Abstract

The construction sector in Indonesia witnesses a significant number of work accidents, with construction sites being particularly prone to such incidents. It is imperative for stakeholders, especially project owners, to prioritize safety performance. The authorization of safety plans empowers project owners, granting them substantial influence over safety outcomes. This research employs Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to investigate the relationship between project owners' safety leadership and safety performance, with valuable input obtained from contractors who directly interact with project owners. The identified variables encompass leader's maturity attributes, psychosocial factors, participatory approaches, communication practices, and competence levels. All interrelationships between the variables demonstrate high significance in shaping safety performance (with z-scores exceeding 1.96). Two distinct patterns are identified to characterize project owners' leadership styles. The first pattern relates to the personal maturity of the owner, while the second pattern focuses on the owner's ability to foster effective stakeholder relationships. To manifest maturity, project owners must make three key contributions: 1) ensuring safety costs are factored into the project value, 2) procuring contractors with well-defined safety policies, and 3) ensuring swift responses to accidents. These findings underscore the importance of project owners in enhancing construction safety practices, emphasizing their role beyond that of contractors.