Collective individualism: The informal and emergent dynamics of practicing safety in a high-risk work environment

TY - JOUR

T1 - Collective individualism

T2 - The informal and emergent dynamics of practicing safety in a high-risk work environment

AU - Baarts, Charlotte

PY - 2009

Y1 - 2009

N2 - Safety knowledge appears to be ‘a doing’. In construction work safety is practised in the complexinterrelationship between the individual, pair and gang. Thus the aim is to explore the nature and scope ofindividualist and collectivist preferences pertaining to the practice of safety at a construction site. Anethnographic fieldwork, in which the researcher worked as an apprentice, will provide detailed and experiencenearinsights into the complexity of these processes. Findings show that individualist and collectivistpreferences influence the amount of risk the individual worker will assume and expose workmates to. Aspectssuch as self-regulation, self-confidence and independence are acceptable values only to the extent that they donot pose a threat to the solidarity of the community or safety of other workers. The informal practice of safetyis a tight-rope act that involves balancing the form and scope of these preferences.

AB - Safety knowledge appears to be ‘a doing’. In construction work safety is practised in the complexinterrelationship between the individual, pair and gang. Thus the aim is to explore the nature and scope ofindividualist and collectivist preferences pertaining to the practice of safety at a construction site. Anethnographic fieldwork, in which the researcher worked as an apprentice, will provide detailed and experiencenearinsights into the complexity of these processes. Findings show that individualist and collectivistpreferences influence the amount of risk the individual worker will assume and expose workmates to. Aspectssuch as self-regulation, self-confidence and independence are acceptable values only to the extent that they donot pose a threat to the solidarity of the community or safety of other workers. The informal practice of safetyis a tight-rope act that involves balancing the form and scope of these preferences.

U2 - 10.1080/01446190903147501

DO - 10.1080/01446190903147501

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0144-6193

VL - 27

SP - 949

EP - 957

JO - Construction Management and Economics

JF - Construction Management and Economics

IS - 10

ER -