Role of construction practitioners' characteristics in understanding safety symbols in Hong Kong

Abstract

This study ascertained the effectiveness of safety symbols commonly used in Hong Kong construction industry and the role of personal characteristics in practitioners' comprehension of safety symbols. A total of 30 symbolic mandatory, warning and prohibition signs were investigated. Questionnaires were distributed to 280 construction practitioners on four construction sites and Construction Industry Training Authority in Hong Kong and 194 (69.2%) responded back. Results showed that the comprehension of 'Oxidizing' (28.9%), 'Irritant' (19.6%) and 'Harmful' (17.0%) were unsatisfactory. The performance of mandatory signs was the best (87.9%), followed by warning signs (61.2%), and then prohibition signs (55.3%). Practitioners who are nonalcohol consumed, site staffs and those who have involved in site safety activities understand the safety symbols significantly better than others. These findings are believed to be important for Labour Department and construction practitioners to evaluate the existing safety symbols used in construction industry.