Monitoring complexity and resilience in construction projects: The contribution of safety performance measurement systems

Although complexity and resilience are key inter-related characteristics of construction projects, little is known on how to monitor these characteristics and their implications for safety management. This study investigates the contribution of Safety Performance Measurement Systems (SPMS) as a means for monitoring and understanding of sources of complexity and resilience in construction. It is based in three empirical studies carried out in construction projects, two in Chile and one in Brazil. Two main tools were applied in these studies: (i) the Technical, Organizational and Environmental (TOE) framework, focused on complexity; and (ii) the Resilience Assessment Grid (RAG), focused on resilience. Improvement opportunities were identified for existing SPMS. Also, a set of guidelines for the design of SPMS emerged from these studies as well as a model that explains the connections between the main constructs encompassed by the guidelines.