SPR 20-582: Evaluating the Safety Culture in KYTC Mainenance Crews

Simply defined, safety culture is the way we do things regarding safety, especially when nobody is watching. Safety culture within any organization is defined by the shared values and beliefs regarding safety throughout the organizational stmcture and when coupled with safety control systems, they define behavioral norms. Therefore, regardless of the number and efficacy of engineering and/ or administrative safety controls within any organization, behavior and attitudes toward safety are dependent on safety culture. Similarly, safety climate is a measure of the perceived value placed on safety in an organization at any given time. It is more of a snapshot of safety that can change relatively quickly, while culture embodies the shared values of the institution and takes much longer to change. Investment in climate and culture has recently been the focus of researchers and practitioners in the construction industty due to the increasing evidence that it is critical to improve safety performance and realize monetary savings. KYTC has recently dedicated notable efforts to improve safety performance, especially among highway maintenance employees. The next logical phase is a cultural assessment. If there is a less than desirable safety culture, safety programs and controls may not be as effective in reducing work hazard risks. The overall objective of this SPR project is to evaluate and map KYTC's existing safety culture with maintenance crews and propose actionable guidance towards improving the safety culture.