Analysis of Safety Climate Factors and Compliance in the Nigerian Construction System

The construction industry plays an important role in Nigeria's social and economic development, yet statistics show persistently high accident rates resulting in injuries and fatalities. This study analyzed safety climate factors and compliance among 82 construction workers to determine the extent of safety climate factors, the relationship between safety climate factors and accident prevalence, and the relationship between safety climate factors and worker compliance. The study adopted a descriptive survey design with stratified sampling. Results indicated 38.25% accident prevalence, with negative safety climate perceptions (mean scores 2.32–2.43) for management commitment, safety training, worker involvement, and safety communication. Mean safety compliance score was 2.38, indicating poor compliance. Hypotheses tested at P < 0.05 revealed significant relationships between safety climate factors and accident prevalence (P = 0.004) and between safety climate factors and compliance (P = 0.000). Worker's educational background significantly influenced safety compliance (P = 0.000), while years of work experience did not (P = 0.874). The study recommends visible top management commitment to safety to drive employee motivation and consistently address complacency-related behavior.