What's it going to take? Lessons learned from COVID-19 and worker mental health in the Australian construction industry

In Australia, rates of suicide and poor mental health among construction workers were high before the COVID-19 pandemic. "Lock downs”, "restrictions”, "social distancing” and legislative changes responding to the pandemic have likely exacerbated the working conditions that foster poor mental health. This study analyses the way in which workplace health and safety (WHS) is regulated in Australia against the backdrop of existing research relating to the development of Australia's WHS laws, and the state of mental health of those working in Australia's construction industry. This study was conducted using a doctrinal research methodology and utilising legal theory. This study assesses the capacity of the Australian WHS regulatory system to protect construction workers' mental health by examining and interpreting key provisions in Australia's WHS laws. It then uses a regulatory theory, responsive regulation, to explain the inconsistency between the capacity of those laws to safeguard mental health and the very poor state of mental health of Australia's construction workers. The conclusion reached is that there is scope to improve current WHS laws to better protect construction workers' mental health. A recommendation is made, that current WHS laws are changed to prescribe minimum standards of worker mental health, and mandate control measures to minimise and/or eliminate psychosocial risks. It is submitted that these changes in the law will contribute to a changed culture in Australia's construction sector, which is supportive of mentally healthy workplaces and workers. © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

COVID-19 exposure setting, social and gender determinants in a Mediterranean region

BACKGROUND: Knowledge of social and gender determinants, which influence the places where people are exposed to COVID-19, may be relevant in the development of preventive and control strategies. The aim of this paper was to determine the context in which COVID-19 cases were infected (household, work/labor, health, social-health, and social-leisure settings) according to country of origin, occupational social class and gender, which is essential in order to designing public health strategies. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of an epidemiological registry of 56,628 COVID-19 incident cases was made, whose exposure/ contagion setting was studied according to the previous variables from June 15 to December 23, 2020, in the Region of Murcia (Spain). An exact Fisher test was used to study the distribution of COVID-19 cases based on the above variables. RESULTS: The cumulative incidence was higher in people from Africa (5,133.5 cases/100,000 inhabitants) and Latin America (11,351.1) than in non-immigrants (3,145.7). It was also higher in women (3,885.6) than in men (3,572.6). It is noteworthy, that 53.3% of the cases with employment were workers in industry or construction, artisans, agricultural workers, or elementary occupations. In contrast, during the second semester of 2020, 41.3% of the employed population in the Region of Murcia performed such jobs. The household was the main exposure setting (56.5% of cases with a known setting), followed by social-leisure (20.7%) and work/labor (18.2%). The labor settings were more important in immigrants from Africa (28.4%) and Latin America (35.7%) than in non-immigrants (12%), inversely to social-leisure settings. Labor context was more important in women (19.6%) than in men (16.5%) and in manual workers (44.1%) than in non-manual workers (26.6%). CONCLUSIONS: The context in which COVID-19 cases were infected is different according to social inequalities related to country of origin, gender and occupational social class.

Relationship between abusive supervision and workers' well-being in construction projects: effects of guanxi closeness and trust in managers

Purpose: The high-pressure nature of the construction industry, along with the COVID-19 pandemic, triggered abusive supervision (i.e. workplace bullying and incivility behaviour) that has diminished workers' well-being. However, despite the growing prevalence in practice and increasing concern in academia, abusive supervision remains largely unexplored by construction management scholars. This study aims to fill the gap in the current literature by analysing the effects of abusive supervision on construction workers' well-being, the mediating role of guanxi closeness and the moderating role of trust in the manager. Design/methodology/approach: A questionnaire survey was completed by 258 Chinese construction workers. The data underwent mediation and moderation analyses using PROCESS macro 3.5 for SPSS. Findings: The results revealed that managers' abusive supervision reduced construction workers' well-being at work and in life. Guanxi closeness between manager and workers mediated the relationship between managers' abusive supervision and construction workers' well-being. Additionally, trust in managers moderated the mediating effect of guanxi closeness. This study further revealed that the emotional connection between construction managers and workers, such as expressive guanxi closeness and affective-based trust, is important in handling the impact of abusive supervision on the workers. Practical implications: The findings of this study provide support for recent calls to address negative manager behaviours such as abusive supervision in construction management. They aid the development of a more comprehensive internal mechanism that considers the influence of guanxi closeness on the outcomes of abusive supervision by managers at construction sites. Additionally, interventions that develop trust in managers may be particularly effective in alleviating the tension of abusive supervision. More attention should be paid to managers' emotional connections in daily construction project management. Originality/value: Rather than concentrate on positive leadership, this study shifts the focus to negative leadership in construction project management by identifying abusive supervision as a negative primary antecedent of workers' well-being. While prior research has highlighted how negative manager behaviours affect workers' well-being from the conservation of resources theory (COR) perspective, this study is the first, to the authors' knowledge, to adopt a social exchange theory perspective by introducing guanxi closeness as a mediator. It contributes to a greater understanding of how trust in the manager alleviates the negative effect of the person's abusive supervision on construction workers. © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Psychosocial factors for safety performance of construction workers: taking stock and looking forward

PurposePsychosocial factors have received increasing attention regarding significantly influencing safety in the construction industry. This research attempts to comprehensively summarize psychosocial factors related to safety performance of construction workers. In the context of coronavirus disease 2019, some typical psychosocial factors are selected to further analyze their influence mechanism of safety performance.Design/methodology/approachFirst, a literature review process was conducted to identify and summarize relevant psychosocial factors. Then, considering the impact of the epidemic, hypotheses on the relationship between six selected psychosocial factors (i.e. work stress, role ambiguity, work–family conflict, autonomy, social support and interpersonal conflict) and safety performance were proposed, and a hypothetical model was developed based on job demands-resources theory. Finally, a meta-analysis was used to examine these hypotheses and the model.FindingsThe results showed these psychosocial factors indirectly influenced workers' safety performance by impacting on their occupational psychology condition (i.e. burnout and engagement). Work stress, role ambiguity, work–family conflict and interpersonal conflict were negatively related to safety performance by promoting burnout and affecting engagement. Autonomy and social support were positively related to safety performance by improving work engagement and reducing burnout.Originality/valueThis research is the pioneer systematically describing the overall picture of psychosocial factors related to the safety performance of construction workers. Through deeply discussed the mechanism of psychosocial factors and safety performance, it could provide a reference for the theory and application of psychosocial factors in the field of construction safety management.

Migrant construction workers' demography and job satisfaction: a New Zealand study

PurposeThe demand for construction-related occupations has increased consistently over many years in New Zealand (NZ). This has necessitated recourse to migrant workers to address capacity and capability requirements. Migrant construction workers hail from various backgrounds with a complex set of their needs being met through employment in NZ. Research on understanding the satisfaction levels of this category of construction workers is scarce. With recent insinuations about migrant exploitations, research investigations into this knowledge area are significant. In this study, the authors sought to establish the moderating effect of migrants' demography on the determinants of job satisfaction in NZ's construction sector.Design/methodology/approachData were obtained from migrant construction workers of Chinese extraction through a structured questionnaire survey. From 200 questionnaires administered, 108 samples were completed by migrant construction workers involved in major projects in Auckland city, NZ. Data obtained were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics to establish the moderating effects of their demography on job satisfaction.FindingsResults from this study support the internal validity and reliability of these personal characteristics as moderators of job satisfaction for migrant construction workers. These results suggest the relevance of personal characteristics of Chinese migrants in any improvement initiatives being developed for this group of construction workers.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings from this study contribute to the discourse on the relevance of construction migrants as a strategic alternative to addressing skill shortages within the NZ construction sector. They also provide evidence that contributes to an improved understanding of the migrant workforce to meet their aspirations and enhance their general well-being.Originality/valueAlthough the study is ethnic-specific, the conclusions show the relevance of personal characteristics in the experiences of construction migrant workers. The study is representative of the catchment of temporary migrant workers in the construction industry in NZ. The study provides insights for organisations employing migrants about putting in place appropriate measures to enhance their satisfaction levels. Finally, this study's findings may contribute to policy initiatives on the optimal categories of migrants engaged on construction activities to derive the maximum benefits for NZ.

Information System Analysis and Design for Mobile-Based Homain Applications

Builders are workers with specific expertise in development. Community needs for workers with special skills to repair parts of homes remain difficult to find due to space and space constraints. In the current era of the Covid-19 pandemic, there are many people like construction workers who want to find work, and many people who need construction workers to repair parts of their homes but are not sure if construction workers are performing well or not well recruited by them. In this study, the authors propose an application to understand how construction workers can be found through an online application, and how potential clients can find suitable and trustworthy contractors. Smartphone users only need a smartphone and an internet connection to access this HoMain app. The purpose of this study is to design an online application for a mobile-based construction service ordering system to support the needs of the community and builders during construction work. With this app, people can easily order construction services based on online location. The HoMain application development method adopts the Rapid Application method, and the application development is relatively fast and efficient. © 2022 IEEE.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic Perception on Job Stress of Construction Workers.

Construction has been regarded as one of the most stressful industries, and the COVID-19 pandemic has deteriorated this situation. This research developed and tested a model of the impact of COVID-19 pandemic perception on job stress of construction workers. Both problem-focused and emotion-focused coping were considered as mediators. Empirical data were collected using a detailed questionnaire from the Chinese construction industry. The results showed that pandemic perception was significantly related to psychological and physical stress. Emotion-focused coping was mainly triggered by pandemic fear and job insecurity, while problem-focused coping was mainly triggered by organizational pandemic response. Furthermore, the effects of pandemic fear and organizational pandemic response on job stress were mediated by problem-focused coping. Finally, the theoretical and practical significance, research limitations, and future research directions of this study are discussed.

Worker Perspectives on COVID-19 Risks: A Qualitative Study of Latino Construction Workers in Oakland, California.

Latino construction workers in the U.S. have faced a disproportionate risk for COVID-19 infection in the workplace. Prior studies have focused on quantifying workplace risk for COVID-19 infection; few have captured workers' experiences and perspectives. This study describes COVID-19-related workplace risks from the perspectives of Latino construction workers. We conducted a qualitative study using semi-structured phone interviews with Latino construction workers from the Fruitvale District of Oakland, California. Twenty individuals were interviewed from December 2020 to March 2021. Nearly all participants (19/20) were Spanish-speaking men; mean age 42.6 years. The majority were low-income and over one-third did not have health insurance. Participants worked in varied construction-related jobs ranging from demolition to office work; additionally, four were day laborers, and three belonged to a labor union. We identified four major themes with public health policy and workplace safety implications: (1) Major concern about the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection for family health and economic wellbeing; (2) Clarity about mask use and social distancing but not disclosure; (3) Variability in access to additional resources provided by employers; and (4) Uncertainty around structural support for SARS-CoV-2 quarantine/isolation. Our findings provide further evidence from workers' own perspectives of the major gaps experienced during the pandemic in workplace protections and resources.

72nd National Conference of IAOH OCCUCON 2022, 21-23 January 2022

This conference proceeding contains 39 articles that discuss various topics related to occupational health. Discussed are hypersensitivity among farmers, prescription eye wear among toy makers, COVID-19 and comorbidity, personal protective equipment among health care workers, arrhythmia and COVID-19 among industrial worker and migrant workers, volatile organic compound exposure in a testing laboratory, catastrophic health expenditure among construction workers, musculoskeletal disorder symptoms among optometrists, stress among commercial airline pilots, health care practitioners, and lab technicians, bio-aerosols and flour mill workers, among others.

Effectiveness of peer support to reduce depression, anxiety and stress among migrant construction workers in Singapore

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of promoting peer support to reduce depression, anxiety and stress among migrant construction workers in Singapore. Design/methodology/approach: This longitudinal study drew participants from migrant workers of various nationalities in the construction sector in Singapore. Baseline data pertaining to depression, anxiety and stress was established using the DASS-21 questionnaire, and salient covariates such as demographic factors and work environment factors recorded using suitable questionnaires. Intervention was training of participants on peer support techniques, supplemented by episodic support by trained counsellors. At the end of 6 months, DASS-21 was again deployed to obtain the post-results. Comparison of baseline with post-results data was performed to evaluate effectiveness of the peer support intervention. Findings: Statistically significant reduction was observed in measures of all the three parameters studied, namely, depression, anxiety and stress. A decrease of 3.3 (95% CI:2.3 to 4.3) points in mean depression score, a decrease of 2.6 (95% CI: 1.6 to 3.7) points in mean anxiety score and a decrease of 2.7 (with 95% CI: 1.6 to 4.0) points in mean stress scores on the DASS-21 scale were recorded. Conclusions: Peer support is effective in improving mental health of migrant workers in the construction sector in Singapore. This intervention should be considered among other measures to improve their welfare. Originality/value: This is the first paper that talks about the mental health of migrant workers pre-COVID and hence would be a strong paper for the future comparative studies for pre-and post-COVID periods. This is the first paper that addresses the benefits of peer-support among migrant workers to improve their mental wellbeing. © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited.

Surveillance of Migrants, Construction Workers and Patients under COVID-19: New Technologies on Guard of “Dangerous Classes”

Surveillance research is more than seven decades old, but this area has not yet attracted the attention of the scientific community in Russia. At the same time, surveillance technologies in the country are developing rapidly, having a significant impact on social processes and relations. This article seeks to contribute to the Russian academic discourse on surveillance. It focuses on a particular surveillance technology that, while originally aimed at the commercial realm, has moved into the realm of public–private partnerships and has rapidly evolved beyond what it was designed for. The concept of social sorting proposed by David Lyon is chosen as the main theoretical approach for the analysis of the empirical material. It also uses Guy Standing’s concept of the precariat, and Malcolm M. Feely and Jonathan Simon’s concept of the new penology. It is concluded that the studied surveillance technology is focused on preventing risky situations that may occur in the future (violations of labor discipline, the spread of coronavirus infection, or the non-compliance with Russian legislation and ignoring constitutionally significant values). Surveillance-targeting is driven by perceptions of a heightened risk posed by a range of populations in the context of these situations, and can be explained by referring to the concept of “dangerous classes”. Unlike the results obtained in a number of other works, this study shows that the surveillance technology considered does not lead to the complete exclusion of targeted categories of the population from the social space while performing the traditional function of disciplining the supervised and maximizing profits. © 2022. Russian Sociological Review. All Rights Reserved.

Special Issue: Construction safety. (Special Issue: Construction safety.)

This special issue includes 32 articles focusing on economic development and construction safety research;correlates of safety voice in the offshore oil rig sector;deep learning for autonomous vehicle and pedestrian interaction safety;critical success factors for epidemic emergency management in colleges and universities during COVID-19;injury severity and influence factors in surface mines;a qualitative study of mental health supports in the Ghanaian mining industry;safety hazards in coal mines of Guizhou China during 2011-2020;the effect of within-firm vertical pay disparity in occupational safety;psychosocial safety climate as a precursor to team and individual motivational functioning;workplace safety management practices, job insecurity, and employees' organizational citizenship behavior.

Demographic Influences on Perceived Stressors of Construction Workers during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Construction work is one of the most stressful occupations in the world, and the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated this reality. This research conducted a detailed investigation on the perceived stressors of different demographic groups among construction workers. Empirical data were collected using a structured questionnaire in the Chinese construction industry. The empirical data were processed using both an independent sample t-test and an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The findings indicated that male workers reported greater workloads than did females. Married workers experienced more pandemic fear and job insecurity, and they were more sensitive to the poor working environment. Highly-educated workers were inclined to be more satisfied with organizational pandemic responses, and had lower job insecurity and role ambiguity, but they experienced heavier workloads. In addition, the differences in work experience and age were statistically significant with regards to job insecurity. This research contributes to the body of knowledge by giving a comprehensive understanding of demographic influences on perceived stressors among construction workers. It also provides valuable insights to identify sensitive demographic groups and promote their health and wellbeing during and after the pandemic.

Covid-19 protocols: assessing construction site workers compliance

Purpose>This paper aims to investigate construction site workers’ compliance with various coronavirus (Covid-19) protocols while working on construction sites.Design/methodology/approach>This survey was conducted at the end of the imposed lockdown following Nigeria’s upsurge of the Covid-19 pandemic. The survey research method was adopted for the study using a structured questionnaire administered to 246 construction site workers under strict Covid-19 preventive measures. The data was complemented through personal observations of the study site activities. The results were analysed using frequency tables and a factor analytical approach.Findings>The preventive measures in place on construction sites can be classified into personal protective measures, good etiquette/manners, contact precautions and prompt actions. Although the workers claimed to be aware of the Covid-19 pandemic, their disposition towards the preventive measures on construction sites is worrisome. Hence, their level of compliance with the protocols could mitigate the spread of the virus.Originality/value>This paper fulfils an identified gap to study the need to promote public health by mitigating the global pandemic’s spread in areas where social distancing cannot be easily observed.

Effectiveness of Interventions for Controlling COVID-19 Transmission between Construction Workers and Their Close Contacts

The insufficiency of continued nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) and ongoing vaccination programs continues to pose challenges in recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Before herd immunity, controlling at-risk and vulnerable groups in combination with vaccination plans is strongly recommended. The construction industry is especially vulnerable to the negative impacts of COVID-19 as illustrated by frequent relevant clusters globally and given the manual labor performed by construction workers in close physical proximity, which increases the likelihood of exposure. To gain insights into the transmission dynamics of COVID-19 to inform the establishment of effective and targeted NPIs in the construction industry, a dual-community model was developed that includes the susceptible-exposed-infectious/asymptomatic-hospitalized-recovered-pathogen (SEI/AHR-P) model for construction workers and the susceptible-exposed-infectious/asymptomatic-hospitalized-recovered (SEI/AHR) model for their close contacts. The results of our sensitivity analysis corroborate previous findings that close contacts are significant participants in the spread of the infection. However, the contributions of indirect transmission pathways at a construction site were found to be weak, suggesting the need for further study given conflicting results in other research. Based on the parameters identified as significant in the sensitivity analyses, 28 NPI scenarios were devised to analyze the total attack rate (TAR) and duration of an outbreak (DO). The scenario in which exposed individuals are controlled in terms of close contacts performs best, reducing the TAR with 25% absolute efficiency (AE) and decreasing the DO in the whole population by 1.8 days. In addition to NPIs, both construction workers and their close contacts are suggested to get vaccinated. Vaccination of all construction workers would lead to a lower TAR compared to vaccination of only 15% of both construction workers and their close contacts. Vaccination of all construction workers along with at least 67% of their close contacts can extinguish an ongoing wave. © 2022 American Society of Civil Engineers.