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Occupational Health in the Construction Industry
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Occupational Health in the Construction Industry

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Construction Management, and Computers & Digitization".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (29 February 2024) | Viewed by 22106

Printed Edition Available!
A printed edition of this Special Issue is available here.

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Mariusz Szóstak

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Building Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
Interests: occupational health and safety; modeling of the development of accident situations in construction; analysis of the causes of occupational accidents at work in construction; management of construction projects; BIM technology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Marek Sawicki

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Building Engineering, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
Interests: technologies and methods of execution of construction works; renovation and demolition works; economics of construction; construction project management; technical life cycle of the facility and construction products; construction scaffolding
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The construction industry is a high-hazard industry that comprises a wide range of activities involving construction, alteration, and/or repair and has a significant impact on the health and safety of the workers. Construction workers engage in many activities that may expose them to serious hazards, such as falling from rooftops, unguarded machinery, being struck by heavy construction equipment, electrocution, and exposure to silica dust and asbestos.

To promote and maintain safety in the workplace, knowledge about the primary causes of accidents help assess the level of safety.

Health and safety is a multi-step process that includes the workers at the site, nearby people, supervisors, managers, etc. Effective management of activities and competent site supervision are essential in maintaining healthy and safe conditions. In construction activities especially, the greater the risk, the greater the degree of hazard control and supervision required.

This Special Issue intends to provide an overview of the most recent advances in multidisciplinary research connected to occupational safety in the construction sector and the enhancement of safety. Research articles focused on topics associated with occupational safety and risks in construction are welcome for submission.

The goal of this Special Issue is to publish a collection of articles that are related to the following:

  • occupational health and safety in construction;
  • modeling of the development of accident situations in construction;
  • analysis of the causes of occupational accidents at work in construction;
  • occupational risk assessment and management in construction;
  • applications of new technology for research and training in construction.

Dr. Mariusz Szóstak
Dr. Marek Sawicki
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • occupational safety and health management
  • workplace environment
  • unsafe behavior
  • risk assessment
  • risk management
  • safety hazard control
  • construction industry
  • technological and organizational solutions

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 2334 KiB  
Article
Near-Miss Detection Metrics: An Approach to Enable Sensing Technologies for Proactive Construction Safety Management
by Filzah Hashmi, Muhammad Usman Hassan, Muhammad Umer Zubair, Khursheed Ahmed, Taha Aziz and Rafiq M. Choudhry
Buildings 2024, 14(4), 1005; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14041005 - 4 Apr 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2337
Abstract
One in every five occupational deaths occurs in the construction sector. A proactive approach for improving on-site safety is identifying and analyzing accident precursors, such as near-misses, that provide early warnings of accidents. Despite the importance of near-misses, they are frequently left unreported [...] Read more.
One in every five occupational deaths occurs in the construction sector. A proactive approach for improving on-site safety is identifying and analyzing accident precursors, such as near-misses, that provide early warnings of accidents. Despite the importance of near-misses, they are frequently left unreported and unrecorded in the construction sector. The adoption of modern technologies can prevent accidents by automated data collection and analysis. This study aims to develop near-miss detection metrics to facilitate the automated detection of near-misses through sensors. The study adopted a mixed method approach including both qualitative and quantitative approaches. First, a quantifiable definition of near-misses was developed from the literature. Hazards, accidents, and the causes of accidents were identified. Through empirical and statistical analyses of accidents from the OSHA repository, combinations of unsafe acts and conditions responsible for a near-miss were identified. The identified factors were analyzed using a frequency analysis, correlation, and a lambda analysis. The results revealed twelve significant near-misses, such as A1—approach to restricted areas and C2—unguarded floor/roof openings, A5—equipment and tool inspection was incomplete and C8—unsafely positioned ladders and scaffolds, A2—no or improper use of PPE and C2—unguarded floor or roof openings, etc. Lastly, measurable data required by sensors for autonomous detection of near-misses were determined. The developed metric set the basis for automating near-miss reporting and documentation using modern sensing technology to improve construction safety. This study contributes to improving construction safety by addressing the underreporting of near-miss events. Overall, the developed metrics lay the groundwork for enhancing construction safety through automated near-miss reporting and documentation. Furthermore, it helps for the establishment of safety management schemes in the construction industry, specifically in identifying near-misses. This research offers valuable insight into developing guidelines for safety managers to improve near-miss reporting and detection on construction sites. In sum, the findings can be valuable for other industries also looking to establish or assess their own safety management systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health in the Construction Industry)
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19 pages, 497 KiB  
Article
Psychological Distress and Work Engagement of Construction Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Differential Study by Sex
by Carlos Gómez-Salgado, Juan Carlos Camacho-Vega, Regina Allande-Cussó, Carlos Ruiz-Frutos, Mónica Ortega-Moreno, Marta Linares-Manrique, Juan Jesús García-Iglesias, Javier Fagundo-Rivera, Luciano Rodríguez-Díaz, Juana María Vázquez-Lara and Juan Gómez-Salgado
Buildings 2024, 14(3), 773; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14030773 - 13 Mar 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1437
Abstract
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a major impact on the mental health of the population has been observed, with women being one of the most affected groups. From the lockdown to “de-escalation” phases, sex differences have been recognised as significant determinants [...] Read more.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, a major impact on the mental health of the population has been observed, with women being one of the most affected groups. From the lockdown to “de-escalation” phases, sex differences have been recognised as significant determinants of mental health. Thus, equally ensuring physical and mental protection at work remains one of the challenges faced by industrial companies, especially in the construction sector, where the percentage of employed women has increased in recent years. This study aims to examine the impact of sex differences on psychological distress and work engagement in the productive construction sector, as well as related variables. For this, a cross-sectional descriptive study was performed. Descriptive statistical analyses were completed, and non-parametric Mann-Whitney U and Chi-squared tests were used to identify differences between men and women. This was followed by logistic regression analysis by sex. Psychological distress is more prevalent among women, even after controlling for most variables. Both sexes receive equal preventive measures and training from the companies, yet women still experience higher levels of psychological distress. At the beginning of the pandemic, women reported higher levels of anxiety and fear of COVID-19 and of perceived danger associated with the pandemic than men. However, these differences were not present by 2023. For men, work engagement appeared to be a determining factor for a stable mental health, while for women, health and physical status seemed to be more influential. In both sexes, psychological distress was found to be conditioned by mental and emotional well-being. In a sector where women are increasingly present, the differences observed in terms of how physical and mental health are affected across the two sexes justify the need to promote data analysis that acknowledges this reality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health in the Construction Industry)
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26 pages, 904 KiB  
Article
Roles and Autonomous Motivation of Safety Officers: The Context of Construction Sites
by Kritsada Khun-anod, Tsunemi Watanabe and Satoshi Tsuchiya
Buildings 2024, 14(2), 460; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14020460 - 7 Feb 2024
Viewed by 2200
Abstract
Safety officers have been underlined as key individuals in the implementation of safety programmes at construction sites. However, previous research mentioned that some project managers predominantly focus on other aspects, such as the productivity of construction and the management of time and cost. [...] Read more.
Safety officers have been underlined as key individuals in the implementation of safety programmes at construction sites. However, previous research mentioned that some project managers predominantly focus on other aspects, such as the productivity of construction and the management of time and cost. Such emphases may potentially demotivate safety officers from fully engaging in safety initiatives for construction projects. Moreover, scholars have devoted piecemeal discussions to the motivation of such practitioners. These problems were addressed in the current work through the development of a conceptual paradigm that captures the actual situation between project managers and safety officers. To this end, four constructs were extensively examined: (1) autonomy-oriented support from project managers; (2) the motivation of safety officers; (3) the engagement of safety officers in safety programmes (covering four major categories of safety-related tasks); and (4) safety performance. From August to September 2022, valid data from 195 safety officers working in construction projects were considered, after which the proposed paradigm was analysed via structural equation modelling. The results showed that the autonomous motivation of safety officers was activated by autonomy-oriented support from project managers (β = 0.520, sig. = 0.000). Such motivation significantly affected their safety performance (β = 0.231, sig. = 0.007) and levels of engagement with safety initiatives (β = 0.529, sig. = 0.000). These findings indicate that in the implementation of safety programmes, the autonomous motivation of safety officers serves as the engine, while autonomy-oriented support from project managers functions as the ignition key. Policymakers in construction companies can use the results as a reference for decision-making on initiating safety policy that highlights methods of training project managers in supporting safety officers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health in the Construction Industry)
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19 pages, 775 KiB  
Article
Causal Model Analysis of the Effect of Policy Formalism, Equipment Insufficiency and COVID-19 Fear on Construction Workers’ Job Burnout, and Insomnia during the Epidemic
by Tsung-Lin Wu, Tsai-Feng Chu and Hsiang-Te Liu
Buildings 2024, 14(1), 265; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14010265 - 18 Jan 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1119
Abstract
During the epidemic, construction site workers suffered from COVID-19 fear, job burnout, and job insecurity due to insufficient personal protective equipment. This study mainly explores the effect of policy formalism, equipment insufficiency, COVID-19 fear, and job insecurity on construction workers’ job burnout and [...] Read more.
During the epidemic, construction site workers suffered from COVID-19 fear, job burnout, and job insecurity due to insufficient personal protective equipment. This study mainly explores the effect of policy formalism, equipment insufficiency, COVID-19 fear, and job insecurity on construction workers’ job burnout and insomnia during the epidemic. The main contribution of this article is to introduce policy formalism into the exploration of the causes of insomnia among construction site workers during the epidemic. This study collected 733 valid samples of construction site workers. We tested the established hypotheses using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The research results found that equipment insufficiency positively affects COVID-19 fear. Policy formalism and COVID-19 fear positively affect job burnout. Social support negatively affects job burnout. Job burnout and job insecurity positively affect insomnia. The government should establish clear policy evaluation standards and implement policies to reduce construction site workers’ perceptions of policy formalism. The government should prepare sufficient personal protective equipment so that workers on construction sites can cope with the spread of the epidemic. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health in the Construction Industry)
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15 pages, 1414 KiB  
Article
Inertial Measurement Unit- and Time Series Approach-Based Motion Trajectory Reconstruction of the Safety Rope Fastening Behaviour
by Zixin Han and Yaowu Wang
Buildings 2024, 14(1), 219; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14010219 - 14 Jan 2024
Viewed by 966
Abstract
Monitoring workers’ safety compliance is critical to construction accident prevention. However, most of the previous research focuses on checking the entry of workers wearing safety belts and the monitoring of the fastening action of safety rope screw buckles has not yet been considered. [...] Read more.
Monitoring workers’ safety compliance is critical to construction accident prevention. However, most of the previous research focuses on checking the entry of workers wearing safety belts and the monitoring of the fastening action of safety rope screw buckles has not yet been considered. In this paper, a reconstruction method for the safety rope fastening behaviour of workers is proposed based on inertial measurement units (IMU) and a time series approach to monitor safety belt use. The proposed method was applied and evaluated through on-site construction experiments. The experimental results show that the acceleration, angular velocity, and magnetic induction intensity data obtained by the inertial measurement unit exhibit clear behavioural characteristics during safety rope fastening. The trajectory of the safety rope can be reconstructed and monitored through inertial measurement units and a time series approach. The results of this study will contribute to the reconstruction and monitoring of safety rope attachment trajectories for scaffolding workers working at heights in order to prevent falls at construction sites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health in the Construction Industry)
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25 pages, 5221 KiB  
Article
Managing Safety Risks from Overlapping Construction Activities: A BIM Approach
by Armin Rashidi Nasab, Hassan Malekitabar, Hazem Elzarka, Ala Nekouvaght Tak and Khashayar Ghorab
Buildings 2023, 13(10), 2647; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13102647 - 20 Oct 2023
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 3555
Abstract
Addressing safety risks in construction is an ongoing priority, and integrating safety considerations into construction scheduling is a crucial aspect of this effort. A notable challenge is the safety risk posed by concurrent tasks, which has received limited attention in prior research. This [...] Read more.
Addressing safety risks in construction is an ongoing priority, and integrating safety considerations into construction scheduling is a crucial aspect of this effort. A notable challenge is the safety risk posed by concurrent tasks, which has received limited attention in prior research. This study aims to address this research gap by introducing a novel Building Information Modeling (BIM)-based model that assesses the increased hazardousness resulting from overlapping construction activities. Historically, research has predominantly focused on individual task safety, with less emphasis on the risks associated with overlapping activities. Our innovative approach introduces the concept of a ‘source–target’ match, which evaluates the degree of hazardousness escalation when activities overlap. Drawing on data from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) fatal accident reports, we extracted 11 hazardous and 9 susceptibility attributes to build a source–target match table. This table reveals the characteristics of activities that generate hazardous conflicts when overlapping. The key contribution of this research is the assessment, prioritization, and visualization of risk levels in a BIM environment. This framework empowers safety managers to proactively address safety risks resulting from overlapping construction activities, ultimately reducing accidents in the construction industry. By shedding light on this overlooked aspect of construction safety, our research highlights the importance of integrating safety considerations into construction scheduling and provides a practical tool for mitigating risks, enhancing workplace safety, and ultimately improving project outcomes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health in the Construction Industry)
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35 pages, 8404 KiB  
Article
Identifying Critical Factors and Trends Leading to Fatal Accidents in Small-Scale Construction Sites in Korea
by Jong-Moon Hwang, Jeong-Hun Won, Hyeon-Ji Jeong and Seung-Hyeon Shin
Buildings 2023, 13(10), 2472; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13102472 - 28 Sep 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2348
Abstract
Small-scale construction sites in South Korea account for about 91.5% of all construction workplaces and contribute to 72.3% of the total accidents and fatalities. Safety measures at these sites are often underestimated, and proper safety education is lacking. In particular, the fatality rate [...] Read more.
Small-scale construction sites in South Korea account for about 91.5% of all construction workplaces and contribute to 72.3% of the total accidents and fatalities. Safety measures at these sites are often underestimated, and proper safety education is lacking. In particular, the fatality rate is about 4.43 times higher compared to medium-/large-scale construction sites. In this study, a systematic analysis was conducted to examine the causes and trends of industrial accidents in small-scale construction sites to address these issues. This study analyzed industrial accidents in small-scale construction sites using statistical analysis, LDA topic modeling, and network analysis based on data from the Korea Occupational Safety and Health Agency (KOSHA) from 2018 to 2022. The analysis revealed that the most critical cause of accidents in small-scale construction sites is ‘Scaffolding and working platforms’, with accidents primarily involving ‘Fall’. Furthermore, various risk factors and accident trends were identified in apartment construction, new building projects, and mobile scaffolding usage. This study systematically analyzed the causes and trends of industrial accidents at small-scale construction sites, providing important evidence to enhance safety management and preventive measures. The results are expected to play a crucial role in establishing a safety culture at construction sites and ensuring the wellbeing of construction workers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health in the Construction Industry)
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17 pages, 582 KiB  
Article
A Study of the Effects of Job Stress on the Psychosocial Safety Behavior of Construction Workers: The Mediating Role of Psychological Resilience
by Chenning Lu, Deming Yu, Qingyue Luo and Can Xu
Buildings 2023, 13(8), 1930; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13081930 - 28 Jul 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2677
Abstract
A large number of studies have been conducted to demonstrate that job stress negatively affects construction workers’ physiological safety behaviors, but there is a lack of research on the impact of psychosocial safety behaviors on construction workers, which is an important component of [...] Read more.
A large number of studies have been conducted to demonstrate that job stress negatively affects construction workers’ physiological safety behaviors, but there is a lack of research on the impact of psychosocial safety behaviors on construction workers, which is an important component of overall workplace safety. This study modeled the effects between three job stressors (the job itself, job insecurity, and family-work conflict) and psychosocial safety behavior sub-dimensions (psychosocial safety compliance and psychosocial safety participation), using psychological resilience as a mediating variable. Data were obtained from 304 construction workers in China. The results showed that there were positive and negative effects between the three job stressors, psychosocial safety behavior sub-dimensions, and psychological resilience. Psychological resilience was mediated differently across the three job stressors and psychosocial safety behavior sub-dimensions. This study reveals the mechanisms by which job stress affects the psychosocial safety behaviors of construction workers and provides more empirical evidence to unravel the relationships between various job stressors and psychosocial safety behavior sub-dimensions. In addition, this paper discusses measures to improve psychosocial safety behaviors based on the perspectives of job stressors and psychological resilience. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health in the Construction Industry)
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12 pages, 2411 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Factors That Influence the Work–Family Interface of Construction Professionals: An Indian Case Study
by M. G. Soundarya Priya, K. S. Anandh, K. Prasanna, K. Gunasekaran, Emmanuel Itodo Daniel, Mariusz Szóstak and Della Sunny
Buildings 2023, 13(6), 1511; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13061511 - 12 Jun 2023
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 1984
Abstract
The objective of this paper is to explore the dynamic factors of the work–family interface (WFI) of construction professionals in South India. It also aims to develop a model of the factors that influence the WFI. This study identified seven factors from the [...] Read more.
The objective of this paper is to explore the dynamic factors of the work–family interface (WFI) of construction professionals in South India. It also aims to develop a model of the factors that influence the WFI. This study identified seven factors from the literature: work environment, family, stress, personal satisfaction, work culture, top-level acceptance, and work–family balance. Data were collected using questionnaires distributed among the construction professionals in South India. Data analysis was performed using SPSS. The mean standard deviation and shape measures (skewness and kurtosis) revealed that personal satisfaction (3.55) was rated the top factor for WFI, followed by work–family balance (3.15), stress (2.91), and work culture (2.83). The study found that the work culture was not significantly correlated with work environment, family, stress, personal satisfaction, or top-level acceptance. The developed SEM model emphasises the need to pay keen attention to the work environment and the work–family balance among the construction professionals in India. Management should consider these factors to design standard policies to improve the WFI and design work–life balance strategies to create stability in the lives of construction professionals. The current research is limited to only two cities in Kerala and Tamil Nadu in South India. More studies must be carried out for more states in India to better understand the current situation of WFI as there is limited evidence of studies on the WFI of construction professionals in India. Therefore, the findings of this study fill the existing knowledge gap and provide a clear insight into improving the mental and social well-being of construction professionals in the Indian construction industry and construction professionals in other developing countries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health in the Construction Industry)
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25 pages, 5839 KiB  
Article
Health and Safety Protocol for the Management of Building Demolition Waste with High Mercury Contamination
by Rafael Rodríguez, Hector Garcia-Gonzalez, Ángel Pastrana and Zenaida Hernández
Buildings 2023, 13(5), 1310; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13051310 - 18 May 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1688
Abstract
The LIFE-funded European research project SUBproducts4LIFE seeks to demonstrate the use of industrial subproducts for the large-scale remediation of contaminated soils and industrial building debris connected to Hg mining. The main purpose of the present research was to ensure worker health and safety [...] Read more.
The LIFE-funded European research project SUBproducts4LIFE seeks to demonstrate the use of industrial subproducts for the large-scale remediation of contaminated soils and industrial building debris connected to Hg mining. The main purpose of the present research was to ensure worker health and safety by creating a protocol for working in a highly mercury-contaminated demolition debris. A methodology consisting of sampling campaigns with a Lumex RA-915 mercury analyser, evaluating the accuracy of an empirical Hg emission model, evaluating each working task, providing recommendations for minimising the workers’ exposure and calculating the maximum work period in each area was proposed. It was also shown to forecast Hg biological markers. As a result, a work protocol was developed with three scenarios which allow planning the work and forecasting the workers’ mercury exposure as a function of the daily temperature, ensuring that the workers’ mercury exposure is below occupational mercury levels. The working protocol allows planning the works safely with minimum exposure to gaseous mercury and working fulfilling standard requirements. Plans for restoration or new use of industrial mercury-contaminated sites have increased in recent years, and the research improves the knowledge of Hg gas distribution and worker Hg exposure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Occupational Health in the Construction Industry)
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