Enabling a Resilient Work Environment: An Analysis of Causal Relationships between Resilience Engineering Factors in Construction Refurbishment Projects

Abstract

By their nature, building refurbishment projects display unique characteristics, surfacing uncertainties, and complexity. These lead to unforeseen safety risks when compared to ‘new build’ projects. In recognition of this, resilience engineering (RE) provides a significant contribution to safety management in uncertain and complex work settings. Despite a recent trend in RE studies concerning construction, a model that explores the relationships between RE factors, specifically in the unique category of construction refurbishment, is yet to be produced. This research aims to examine the relationships between the RE factors (i.e., top management commitment, awareness, flexibility, and learning culture) that enable a resilient work environment in construction refurbishment projects. One hundred and twenty-six (126) responses were collected from participants involved in building refurbishment projects in Australia. The distinct nature of a four-factor RE model was confirmed using factor analysis. Structural equation modelling (SEM) identified the relationships among the RE factors. The results highlight that the action of top management toward safety was prominent and determined as a positive influence on the other RE factors. Learning culture also has a positive effect on flexibility and awareness and in addition, the effect of top-management commitment to awareness and flexibility is partially mediated by learning culture. Overall, the model shows the interplay between RE factors in attaining a resilient work environment that can anticipate, cope, and adapt to safety risks. The findings of this research provide guidance for practitioners and researchers in the design of safety interventions and can prevent prevailing differences in safety practices between head office and work site to achieve a resilient work environment in construction refurbishment work settings.