ABSTRACT

The reported occupational accident rate in 1998–2010 was twice as high in Denmark as in Sweden. In the construction industry, the difference in the fatal accident rate between these countries was 40%. The aim of the SveDan research program was to identify phenomena at different societal levels that may explain the latter difference. The program was performed by a Danish and Swedish research team and comprised multi-method comparative studies with different data sources. The results verify the previously found difference in accident rates between Denmark and Sweden, also in construction industry, and indicate that this difference mirrors actual differences in occupational safety. The results provide a pattern that may help to explain the difference and that indicates a difference in how power and influence are dealt with and distributed within the construction industry systems. This influences the relations between different functions, groups and individuals, which in turn, influence workplace safety.