Analysis of formal and informal network relations in construction industry to enhance project safety using social network analysis approach

Open communication between people working in the construction industry has led to the creation of a new complexity in the interactions. In order to solve the safety issue, in addition to the necessity of examining the problem itself, it is indispensable to examine the related issues as much as possible. The construction workshops are complex systems of human resources whose core is extensive patterns between formal and informal relations. The proper understanding of construction project managers about the influence of informal network relations on the performance of formal relations leads to the suitable exploitation of limited resources in construction workshops and ultimately helps to increase productivity. The results of this research in a construction workshop in Tehran, Iran, showed that almost all factors had a pivotal role and centrality as much as the desired occupation based on a workshop chart in the formal network relations; but communication between people is formed based on personality, racial, linguistic and other characteristics in the informal network relations. These relationships by casting a shadow on formal relations lead to a failure to achieve safety objectives and instructions. Therefore, the existence of ethnic and cultural links between the project manager and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) with other employees at the workshop will increase productivity in the workshop safety.