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Improving Safety, Health, and Wellbeing in Construction
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Improving Safety, Health, and Wellbeing in Construction

A special issue of International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (ISSN 1660-4601). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Health".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2018) | Viewed by 136473

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Albert P. C. Chan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Shenzhen Research Institute, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Shenzhen 518057, China
Interests: construction engineering; project management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Wen Yi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Built Environment, Massey University, Auckland, Albany 0632, New Zealand
Interests: logistics and green transportation; prefab transportation system optimization; optimization in construction management; transportation network modeling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Enhancing safety, health and wellbeing of construction workers is a large challenge for the construction industry worldwide. This industry has been recognized, for many years, as having a high likelihood of accidents and, unfortunately, fatalities. Statistically, the construction sector employs 6% to 10% of the total workforce, but makes up 25% to 40% of the fatalities. Obviously, the construction industry is far from the "zero accident" vision advocated by many construction companies. Apart from the dangers of the jobsite front-line, workers in the construction industry are also exposed to other potential health hazards throughout the building process. Many of the occupational hazards of site workers have not been accurately assessed; it is clear that workers are exposed to both acute and chronic illnesses at their primary workplace. Although construction work is inherently dangerous and highly prone to stressful environment, many risks/hazards can be avoided by appropriate implementation of safe work practice. Therefore, it calls for a persistent endeavour to evaluate, develop, and execute innovative approaches in improving health, safety, and wellbeing in the construction industry. This Special Issue will engage technological, managerial, cultural, and organizational perspectives in managing safety and health risk/hazard in construction and is open to any subject area relevant to construction safety and health. The listed keywords suggest just a few of the many possibilities.

Prof. Albert P.C. Chan
Dr. Wen Yi
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. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 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 2500 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

  • Innovative technologies in construction safety
  • Modeling and analysis of accident
  • Optimization for construction safety plan
  • Prevention through design
  • Human behaviour and safety
  • Safety training, education, and learning
  • Safety climate and culture
  • Safety communication
  • Ergonomics and human factors
  • Occupational hygiene and environment
  • Health and safety for migrant workers
  • Health profiling for construction workers
  • Psychosocial risks and work-related stress

Published Papers (17 papers)

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16 pages, 1331 KiB  
Article
Healthy-Sustainable Housing Index: A Pilot Study to Link Architecture and Public Health in a Semi-Urban Community in Mexico
by Pamela Zúñiga-Bello, Astrid Schilmann, Eunice Félix-Arellano, Gerardo Gama-Hernández and Urinda Alamo-Hernández
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(3), 295; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16030295 - 22 Jan 2019
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4039
Abstract
The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the link between housing and children´s respiratory symptoms, through the construction of an index (HSHI) based on the definition of healthy-sustainable housing criteria, in a semi-urban community from Morelos, Mexico. A general and household [...] Read more.
The aim of this pilot study was to evaluate the link between housing and children´s respiratory symptoms, through the construction of an index (HSHI) based on the definition of healthy-sustainable housing criteria, in a semi-urban community from Morelos, Mexico. A general and household questionnaire, and respiratory symptoms diary were applied in 60 households to gather information about schoolchildren, respiratory health, housing and lifestyle characteristics. HSHI was constructed using principal component analysis. The association between HSHI and the presence and duration of respiratory symptoms was assessed using logistic and Poisson regression models. HSHI had five components, which accounted for 63% of variance, and were classified into poor and sufficient quality. It was observed that schoolchildren who inhabit a sufficient-quality house, showed a reduction in nose irritation duration and in the allergic symptoms probability regarding component 1 (ventilation, lighting and cloth washing) and presented three times less duration of common cold by component 2 (construction material, painted walls inside the house and type of bathroom) compared to poor-quality house inhabitants. Our results suggest that living in a sufficient-quality house, as described by the HSHI, reduced the prevalence of wheezing episodes and the probability of ear pain, providing evidence about the positive association of a healthy-sustainable housing on the respiratory health of schoolchildren. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Safety, Health, and Wellbeing in Construction)
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16 pages, 2357 KiB  
Article
Impacts of Lean Construction on Safety Systems: A System Dynamics Approach
by Xiuyu Wu, Hongping Yuan, Ge Wang, Shuquan Li and Guangdong Wu
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(2), 221; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16020221 - 14 Jan 2019
Cited by 35 | Viewed by 6736
Abstract
Lean construction has been viewed as an effective management approach for reducing the occurrence of no-value or destructive activities, such as wasting resources and safety-related accidents. However, few studies have systematically addressed how and to what extent lean construction practices influence construction safety. [...] Read more.
Lean construction has been viewed as an effective management approach for reducing the occurrence of no-value or destructive activities, such as wasting resources and safety-related accidents. However, few studies have systematically addressed how and to what extent lean construction practices influence construction safety. To bridge this gap, a conceptual model is developed and validated using a system dynamics approach. The construction system in this model comprises four sub-systems (i.e., environment system, equipment system, management system, and employee system). Data were collected from 448 projects in China. Simulations were conducted to determine the correlations between five types of lean tools and the four construction sub-systems. The results show that: (a) 5S management has significant positive impacts on the control of key locations and facilities at construction sites, and contributes to the mitigation of environmental impacts; (b) visual management can significantly improve safety compliance and safety management; (c) just-in-time management has significantly positive influences on the safety facilities layout and formulation of the safety plan; and (d) the Last Planner® System and conference management are effective in improving safety training and the implementation of the safety plan. These findings provide new insights into the use of lean construction for improving construction safety through the implementation of a targeted lean approach. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Safety, Health, and Wellbeing in Construction)
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18 pages, 2982 KiB  
Article
Does Europe Need an EU Product Safety Directive for Access Scaffolding?
by Juan Carlos Rubio-Romero, Manuel Suárez-Cebador, María del Carmen Pardo-Ferreira, José María De la Varga-Salto and Jesús Antonio Carrillo-Castrillo
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(1), 103; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16010103 - 02 Jan 2019
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3376
Abstract
The main requirement established for the development of European Union product safety directives is to ensure a high level of safety for users. This research aims to analyze whether Europe needs a product safety directive for scaffolding and identify the main factors to [...] Read more.
The main requirement established for the development of European Union product safety directives is to ensure a high level of safety for users. This research aims to analyze whether Europe needs a product safety directive for scaffolding and identify the main factors to be defined in public policies on the use of standardized scaffolding in the absence of such a directive. The principal types of scaffolding were reviewed, along with European regulations, and their risk levels. Finally, a qualitative study using a panel of experts was conducted to determine the differences between types of scaffolding and whether the enactment of such a directive would be justified. Key results were that the risk level associated with scaffolding positioned it third or fourth between material agents more hazardous in relation to falls from height. There is no existing product safety directive for scaffolding, despite the fact that there are directives for other products less dangerous than or as dangerous as scaffolding. However, there are noncompulsory standards EN 12810-1-2 and EN 12811-1-2-3-4 for scaffolding, which would form the basis of the essential requirements contained in a directive if it were created. The experts highlighted significant differences between “standardized” and “nonstandardized” scaffolding, with higher safety levels and productivity, and better maintenance, inspection, assembly, and dismantling associated with the former, and lower costs with the latter. Thus, they found that the enacting of an EU product safety directive for scaffolding would be justifiable, and in its absence supported the promotion of the use of standardized scaffolding. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Safety, Health, and Wellbeing in Construction)
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16 pages, 962 KiB  
Article
Fostering Safety Communication among Construction Workers: Role of Safety Climate and Crew-Level Cohesion
by Bhavana Pandit, Alex Albert, Yashwardhan Patil and Ahmed Jalil Al-Bayati
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2019, 16(1), 71; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16010071 - 28 Dec 2018
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 5038
Abstract
Safety communication among construction workers is fundamental to effective safety management. However, evidence suggests that poor safety communication is a common problem in construction workplaces. In fact, previous research has unveiled a number of systemic barriers to effective safety communication in the construction [...] Read more.
Safety communication among construction workers is fundamental to effective safety management. However, evidence suggests that poor safety communication is a common problem in construction workplaces. In fact, previous research has unveiled a number of systemic barriers to effective safety communication in the construction industry. When workers do not sufficiently communicate relevant safety hazards and appropriate injury prevention measures, unexpected injuries can follow. Therefore, research examining factors that promote or impede effective safety communication is necessary. Towards achieving this goal, the purpose of the current research was to evaluate the effect of safety climate and crew cohesion on the demonstrated safety communication levels. The goal was achieved by gathering empirical data from 57 construction workplaces in the United States. More specifically, the participating construction workplaces were visited, and data pertaining to the safety climate and crew-level cohesion were first collected using questionnaire surveys. Next, a safety communication survey instrument was administered, and the data necessary to compute network density—a social network metric that is indicative of safety communication levels was gathered. The analysis of the data suggested that a positive relationship exists between safety climate and safety communication levels. Likewise, construction crews that demonstrated higher levels of cohesion exhibited superior safety communication levels. Finally, evidence also suggested that a synergetic effect exists between safety climate and crew cohesion in improving safety communication levels. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Safety, Health, and Wellbeing in Construction)
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20 pages, 662 KiB  
Article
Job Burnout, Work-Family Conflict and Project Performance for Construction Professionals: The Moderating Role of Organizational Support
by Guangdong Wu, Yue Wu, Hongyang Li and Chenglong Dan
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15(12), 2869; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15122869 - 14 Dec 2018
Cited by 46 | Viewed by 7473
Abstract
Construction professionals are prone to work-family conflict and job burnout, which in turn can affect project performance during implementation of delivery. To cope with this, a questionnaire survey was undertaken with construction professionals in the Chinese construction industry and 373 valid responses were [...] Read more.
Construction professionals are prone to work-family conflict and job burnout, which in turn can affect project performance during implementation of delivery. To cope with this, a questionnaire survey was undertaken with construction professionals in the Chinese construction industry and 373 valid responses were received. A theoretical model introducing organizational support as a moderating variable was developed and tested with structural equation modeling. The results showed that there is a positive correlation between work-family conflict and job burnout for construction professionals. Involving organizational support can alleviate the impact of work-family conflict on professionals’ job burnout. Meanwhile, both work-family conflict and job burnout have negative effects on project performance. Therefore, an atmosphere and culture of humanized management should be established within the construction enterprises. Additionally, organizational incentives such as regulations and rules should be formulated assisting employees achieve work-family balance. Such incentives could contribute to the construction industry and improve project performance. Furthermore, this study provides a new theoretical perspective for the management of job burnout and work-family conflict in the construction industry, complementing the existing body of knowledge. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Safety, Health, and Wellbeing in Construction)
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27 pages, 6366 KiB  
Article
Understanding the Social Contagion Effect of Safety Violations within a Construction Crew: A Hybrid Approach Using System Dynamics and Agent-Based Modeling
by Huakang Liang, Ken-Yu Lin and Shoujian Zhang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15(12), 2696; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15122696 - 29 Nov 2018
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 4508
Abstract
Previous research has recognized the importance of eliminating safety violations in the context of a social group. However, the social contagion effect of safety violations within a construction crew has not been sufficiently understood. To address this deficiency, this research aims to develop [...] Read more.
Previous research has recognized the importance of eliminating safety violations in the context of a social group. However, the social contagion effect of safety violations within a construction crew has not been sufficiently understood. To address this deficiency, this research aims to develop a hybrid simulation approach to look into the cognitive, social, and organizational aspects that can determine the social contagion effect of safety violations within a construction crew. The hybrid approach integrates System Dynamics (SD) and Agent-based Modeling (ABM) to better represent the real world. Our findings show that different interventions should be employed for different work environments. Specifically, social interactions play a critical role at the modest hazard levels because workers in this situation may encounter more ambiguity or uncertainty. Interventions related to decreasing the contagion probability and the safety–productivity tradeoff should be given priority. For the low hazard situation, highly intensive management strategies are required before the occurrence of injuries or accidents. In contrast, for the high hazard situation, highly intensive proactive safety strategies should be supplemented by other interventions (e.g., a high safety goal) to further control safety violations. Therefore, this research provides a practical framework to examine how specific accident prevention measures, which interact with workers or environmental characteristics (i.e., the hazard level), can influence the social contagion effect of safety violations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Safety, Health, and Wellbeing in Construction)
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19 pages, 1765 KiB  
Article
A Bayesian Network Model for Reducing Accident Rates of Electrical and Mechanical (E&M) Work
by Albert P. C. Chan, Francis K. W. Wong, Carol K. H. Hon and Tracy N. Y. Choi
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15(11), 2496; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15112496 - 08 Nov 2018
Cited by 30 | Viewed by 4748
Abstract
Accidents in Repair, Maintenance, Alteration, and Addition (RMAA) work have become a growing concern, in recent years. The repair and maintenance works of electrical and mechanical (E&M) installations involves a variety of trades, a large number of practitioners and a series of high-risk [...] Read more.
Accidents in Repair, Maintenance, Alteration, and Addition (RMAA) work have become a growing concern, in recent years. The repair and maintenance works of electrical and mechanical (E&M) installations involves a variety of trades, a large number of practitioners and a series of high-risk activities. The uniqueness of E&M work, in the RMAA sector, requires a discrete and specific research to improve its safety performance. Understanding the causal relationships between safety factors and the number of accidents becomes crucial to develop a more effective safety management strategy. The Bayesian Network (BN) model is proposed to establish a probabilistic relational network between the causal factors, including both safety climate factors and personal experience factors that have influences on the number of accidents related to E&M RMAA work. The data were collected using a survey questionnaire, involving a hundred and fifty-five E&M practitioners. The BN results demonstrated that safety attitude and safety procedures were the most important factors to reduce the number of accidents. The proposed BN provides the ability to find out the most effective strategy with the best utilization of resources, to reduce the chance of a high number of E&M accidents, by controlling a single factor or simultaneously controlling, both, the safety climate and personal factors, to improve safety performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Safety, Health, and Wellbeing in Construction)
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21 pages, 3628 KiB  
Article
PARS: Using Augmented 360-Degree Panoramas of Reality for Construction Safety Training
by Ricardo Eiris, Masoud Gheisari and Behzad Esmaeili
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15(11), 2452; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15112452 - 03 Nov 2018
Cited by 96 | Viewed by 7888
Abstract
Improving the hazard-identification skills of construction workers is a vital step towards preventing accidents in the increasingly complex working conditions of construction jobsites. Training the construction workforce to recognize hazards therefore plays a central role in preparing workers to actively understand safety-related risks [...] Read more.
Improving the hazard-identification skills of construction workers is a vital step towards preventing accidents in the increasingly complex working conditions of construction jobsites. Training the construction workforce to recognize hazards therefore plays a central role in preparing workers to actively understand safety-related risks and make assertive safety decisions. Considering the inadequacies of traditional safety-training methods (e.g., passive lectures, videos, demonstrations), researchers have employed advanced visualization techniques such as virtual reality technologies to enable users to actively improve their hazard-identification skills in a safe and controlled environment. However, current virtual reality techniques sacrifice realism and demand high computational costs to reproduce real environments. Augmented 360-degree panoramas of reality offers an innovative alternative that creates low-cost, simple-to-capture, true-to-reality representations of the actual construction jobsite within which trainees may practice identifying hazards. This proof-of-concept study developed and evaluated a platform using augmented 360-degree panoramas of reality (PARS) for safety-training applications to enhance trainees’ hazard-identification skills for four types of sample hazards. Thirty subjects participated in a usability test that evaluated the PARS training platform and its augmented 360-degree images captured from real construction jobsites. The usability reviews demonstrate that the trainees found the platform and augmentations advantageously to learning hazard identification. The results of this study will foreseeably help researchers in developing engaging training platforms to improve the hazard-identification skills of workers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Safety, Health, and Wellbeing in Construction)
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28 pages, 954 KiB  
Article
The Guatemalan Construction Industry: Approach of Knowledge Regarding Work Risks Prevention
by Francisco Arturo Hernández-Arriaza, José Pérez-Alonso, Marta Gómez-Galán and Ferdinando Salata
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15(10), 2252; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15102252 - 15 Oct 2018
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3718
Abstract
In the present work, the results are presented for the characterization of work risk prevention in the Guatemalan construction industry. This characterization has been carried out using a simple random sampling technique, employing a questionnaire that was structured into 3 groups of variables: [...] Read more.
In the present work, the results are presented for the characterization of work risk prevention in the Guatemalan construction industry. This characterization has been carried out using a simple random sampling technique, employing a questionnaire that was structured into 3 groups of variables: 1. General company data; 2. Prevention and management activities regarding health and safety in the company and on the worksite; and 3. Health and safety in the contractor companies. Following the sampling phase, the data were introduced in a database format, and a preliminary analysis was performed on the studied variables, followed by a descriptive analysis and a multiple correspondence analysis. The main findings of the study emphasize that companies in the Guatemalan construction sector are characterized as dedicating most of their activity (52.0%) indistinctly between civil engineering work, building construction and other specialized construction, mainly working as contractors (47.5%). These are “medium-sized” companies, employing an average of 81.1 on-site workers, having an average of 6.8 on-site work crews, and grossing an average turnover of 1.29 million euros annually. Likewise, it found that the larger construction companies adopt better prevention and management measures for worksite health and safety the larger companies are correlated with a high awareness of experiencing worksite accidents, while medium-sized companies have medium-level awareness. Companies with fewer workers manage workplace risk prevention worse, with low accident risk awareness. This correlation between these indicative variables of company size and workplace risk management and prevention is clearly reflected in the four company “clusters” that have been identified as having homogenous characteristics using the multiple correspondence analysis technique. Companies in the Guatemalan construction sector should make a greater effort to improve manager and worker training regarding workplace risk prevention to increase the effectiveness of company prevention management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Safety, Health, and Wellbeing in Construction)
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14 pages, 366 KiB  
Article
Job Satisfaction and Perceived Health in Spanish Construction Workers during the Economic Crisis
by Yolanda Navarro-Abal, Luis Carlos Sáenz-de la Torre, Juan Gómez-Salgado and José Antonio Climent-Rodríguez
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15(10), 2188; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15102188 - 07 Oct 2018
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 4582
Abstract
The attitude towards work, either satisfaction or dissatisfaction, could influence the way in which workers perceive their health status. To check this hypothesis, this study analyses job satisfaction and its relationship with occupational health perception of Spanish construction workers. A descriptive, cross-sectional, observational [...] Read more.
The attitude towards work, either satisfaction or dissatisfaction, could influence the way in which workers perceive their health status. To check this hypothesis, this study analyses job satisfaction and its relationship with occupational health perception of Spanish construction workers. A descriptive, cross-sectional, observational study was carried out through a socio-demographic data questionnaire, the General Scale of Job Satisfaction and the SF-36 Health Survey. The study was conducted from January 2014 to June 2015, on a sample of 302 individuals belonging to Andalusian companies using the stratified random method to access companies from different provinces and sizes. The findings indicate that work experience in the sector increases general satisfaction: workers above 55 years of age are more satisfied with their work than those between 36 and 45. Likewise, workers with an experience of 2–5 years show higher levels of overall satisfaction, in opposition to workers with 6 months and 2 years of experience. On the other hand, workers without a contract and interns are the most dissatisfied in job terms. Also, there is a positive correlation between job satisfaction and the positive dimensions of health perception (physical functioning and physical and social role functioning), as well as a negative correlation between job satisfaction and bodily pain and general health perceived. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Safety, Health, and Wellbeing in Construction)
18 pages, 1218 KiB  
Article
Using Interpretative Structural Modeling to Identify Critical Success Factors for Safety Management in Subway Construction: A China Study
by Ping Liu, Qiming Li, Jing Bian, Liangliang Song and Xiaer Xiahou
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15(7), 1359; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15071359 - 28 Jun 2018
Cited by 49 | Viewed by 5105
Abstract
With the rapid development of urbanization in China, a vast number of subway projects are under construction and planned in many cities. However, the complexities of the environment in subway construction inherently bring about many uncertainties and risk factors. Understanding the inherent properties [...] Read more.
With the rapid development of urbanization in China, a vast number of subway projects are under construction and planned in many cities. However, the complexities of the environment in subway construction inherently bring about many uncertainties and risk factors. Understanding the inherent properties of the critical success factors (CSFs) will contribute significantly to the subway construction. From this perspective, this paper aims to identify the CSFs for safety management in subway construction. This study screened preliminary CSFs through a literature review and in-depth interviews with experts in China. Based on the data gathered and subsequently analyzed from the questionnaire surveys, a final total of 24 CSFs were identified. Then, interpretative structural modeling was employed to ascertain the interrelations among them. The result showed that the factors concerning the engineering survey and design not only occupy relatively higher scores in the questionnaire survey but also contribute significantly latent impacts on other factors. In addition, the creation of a reasonable schedule and the investment of the safety measures were also found to have a fundamental impact on the safety management of subway construction. This research guided the safety managers in determining the most important safety factors they must face and provided them valuable information that could promote safety performance and decrease the number of accidents over the course of subway construction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Safety, Health, and Wellbeing in Construction)
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21 pages, 1645 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Coworkers’ Safety Violations on an Individual Worker: A Social Contagion Effect within the Construction Crew
by Huakang Liang, Ken-Yu Lin, Shoujian Zhang and Yikun Su
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15(4), 773; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15040773 - 17 Apr 2018
Cited by 49 | Viewed by 6236
Abstract
This research developed and tested a model of the social contagion effect of coworkers’ safety violations on individual workers within construction crews. Both situational and routine safety violations were considered in this model. Empirical data were collected from 345 construction workers in China [...] Read more.
This research developed and tested a model of the social contagion effect of coworkers’ safety violations on individual workers within construction crews. Both situational and routine safety violations were considered in this model. Empirical data were collected from 345 construction workers in China using a detailed questionnaire. The results showed that both types of safety violations made by coworkers were significantly related to individuals’ perceived social support and production pressure. Individuals’ attitudinal ambivalence toward safety compliance mediated the relationships between perceived social support and production pressure and both types of individuals’ safety violations. However, safety motivation only mediated the effects of perceived social support and production pressure on individuals’ situational safety violations. Further, this research supported the differences between situational and routine safety violations. Specifically, we found that individuals were more likely to imitate coworkers’ routine safety violations than their situational safety violations. Coworkers’ situational safety violations had an indirect effect on individuals’ situational safety violations mainly through perceived social support and safety motivation. By contrast, coworkers’ routine safety violations had an indirect effect on individuals’ routine safety violations mainly through perceived production pressure and attitudinal ambivalence. Finally, the theoretical and practical implications, research limitations, and future directions were discussed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Safety, Health, and Wellbeing in Construction)
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18 pages, 1126 KiB  
Article
Accidents of Electrical and Mechanical Works for Public Sector Projects in Hong Kong
by Francis K. W. Wong, Albert P. C. Chan, Andy K. D. Wong, Carol K. H. Hon and Tracy N. Y. Choi
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15(3), 485; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15030485 - 10 Mar 2018
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 5732
Abstract
A study on electrical and mechanical (E&M) works-related accidents for public sector projects provided the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the causes of accidents by analyzing the circumstances of all E&M works accidents. The research aims to examine accidents of E&M [...] Read more.
A study on electrical and mechanical (E&M) works-related accidents for public sector projects provided the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the causes of accidents by analyzing the circumstances of all E&M works accidents. The research aims to examine accidents of E&M works which happened in public sector projects. A total of 421 E&M works-related accidents in the “Public Works Programme Construction Site Safety and Environmental Statistics” (PCSES) system were extracted for analysis. Two-step cluster analysis was conducted to classify the E&M accidents into different groups. The results identified three E&M accidents groups: (1) electricians with over 15 years of experience were prone to ‘fall of person from height’; (2) electricians with zero to five years of experience were prone to ‘slip, trip or fall on same level’; (3) air-conditioning workers with zero to five years of experience were prone to multiple types of accidents. Practical measures were recommended for each specific cluster group to avoid recurrence of similar accidents. The accident analysis would be vital for industry practitioners to enhance the safety performance of public sector projects. This study contributes to filling the knowledge gap of how and why E&M accidents occur and promulgating preventive measures for E&M accidents which have been under researched. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Safety, Health, and Wellbeing in Construction)
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16 pages, 1201 KiB  
Article
Relationships among Safety Climate, Safety Behavior, and Safety Outcomes for Ethnic Minority Construction Workers
by Sainan Lyu, Carol K. H. Hon, Albert P. C. Chan, Francis K. W. Wong and Arshad Ali Javed
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15(3), 484; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15030484 - 09 Mar 2018
Cited by 95 | Viewed by 9778
Abstract
In many countries, it is common practice to attract and employ ethnic minority (EM) or migrant workers in the construction industry. This primarily occurs in order to alleviate the labor shortage caused by an aging workforce with a lack of new entrants. Statistics [...] Read more.
In many countries, it is common practice to attract and employ ethnic minority (EM) or migrant workers in the construction industry. This primarily occurs in order to alleviate the labor shortage caused by an aging workforce with a lack of new entrants. Statistics show that EM construction workers are more likely to have occupational fatal and nonfatal injuries than their local counterparts; however, the mechanism underlying accidents and injuries in this vulnerable population has been rarely examined. This study aims to investigate relationships among safety climate, safety behavior, and safety outcomes for EM construction workers. To this end, a theoretical research model was developed based on a comprehensive review of the current literature. In total, 289 valid questionnaires were collected face-to-face from 223 Nepalese construction workers and 56 Pakistani construction workers working on 15 construction sites in Hong Kong. Structural equation modelling was employed to validate the constructs and test the hypothesized model. Results show that there were significant positive relationships between safety climate and safety behaviors, and significant negative relationships between safety behaviors and safety outcomes for EM construction workers. This research contributes to the literature regarding EM workers by providing empirical evidence of the mechanisms by which safety climate affects safety behaviors and outcomes. It also provides insights in order to help the key stakeholders formulate safety strategies for EM workers in many areas where numerous EM workers are employed, such as in the U.S., the UK, Australia, Singapore, Malaysia, and the Middle East. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Safety, Health, and Wellbeing in Construction)
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25 pages, 1082 KiB  
Article
Evaluating the Impacts of Health, Social Network and Capital on Craft Efficiency and Productivity: A Case Study of Construction Workers in China
by Jingfeng Yuan, Wen Yi, Mengyi Miao and Lei Zhang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15(2), 345; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15020345 - 15 Feb 2018
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 8097
Abstract
The construction industry has been recognized, for many years, as among those having a high likelihood of accidents, injuries and occupational illnesses. Such risks of construction workers can lead to low productivity and social problems. As a result, construction workers’ well-being should be [...] Read more.
The construction industry has been recognized, for many years, as among those having a high likelihood of accidents, injuries and occupational illnesses. Such risks of construction workers can lead to low productivity and social problems. As a result, construction workers’ well-being should be highly addressed to improve construction workers’ efficiency and productivity. Meanwhile, the social support from a social network and capital (SNC) of construction workers has been considered as an effective approach to promote construction workers’ physical and mental health (P&M health), as well as their work efficiency and productivity. Based on a comprehensive literature review, a conceptual model, which aims to improve construction workers’ efficiency and productivity from the perspective of health and SNC, was proposed. A questionnaire survey was conducted to investigate the construction workers’ health, SNC and work efficiency and productivity in Nanjing, China. A structural equation model (SEM) was employed to test the three hypothetical relationships among construction workers’ P&M health, SNC and work efficiency and productivity. The results indicated that the direct impacts from construction workers’ P&M health on work efficiency and productivity were more significant than that from the SNC. In addition, the construction workers’ social capital and the network can indirectly influence the work efficiency and productivity by affecting the construction workers’ P&M health. Therefore, strategies for enhancing construction workers’ efficiency and productivity were proposed. Furthermore, many useable suggestions can be drawn from the research findings from the perspective of a government. The identified indicators and relationships would contribute to the construction work efficiency and productivity assessment and health management from the perspective of the construction workers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Safety, Health, and Wellbeing in Construction)
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23 pages, 1024 KiB  
Article
Work-Family Conflict, Perceived Organizational Support and Professional Commitment: A Mediation Mechanism for Chinese Project Professionals
by Junwei Zheng and Guangdong Wu
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15(2), 344; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15020344 - 15 Feb 2018
Cited by 46 | Viewed by 8702
Abstract
Projects are characterized by long working hours, complex tasks and being a kind of temporary organization. As such, work-family conflict is particularly prominent for project employees. This research examined whether and how work-family conflict affects professional commitment among Chinese project professionals. Research hypotheses [...] Read more.
Projects are characterized by long working hours, complex tasks and being a kind of temporary organization. As such, work-family conflict is particularly prominent for project employees. This research examined whether and how work-family conflict affects professional commitment among Chinese project professionals. Research hypotheses were developed to explore the relationship between work-family conflict, professional commitment to the project and the mediating effects of perceived organizational support. Data were collected from 327 project managers or professionals working in construction enterprises in China; data were analyzed using structural equation modeling, applying the bootstrapping method. Results showed that there were three dimensions of work-family conflict: time-based conflict, strain-based conflict and behavior-based conflict. There were two dimensions of perceived organizational support: emotional support and instrumental support. The study also tested the negative effect of work-family conflict on professional commitment and the positive effect of perceived organizational support on professional commitment. Specifically, time-based conflict and emotional support had positive effects on professional commitment. Perceived organizational support had a total mediating effect between work-family conflict and professional commitment. The strain-based conflict dimension of work-family conflict had negative impacts on professional commitment through perceived emotional support and instrumental support. Overall, our findings extend a better understanding of work-family conflict and professional commitment in the project setting and verify the importance of social support in balancing work and family and improving employee mobility. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Safety, Health, and Wellbeing in Construction)
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Review

Jump to: Research

18 pages, 538 KiB  
Review
A Critical Review of the Use of Virtual Reality in Construction Engineering Education and Training
by Peng Wang, Peng Wu, Jun Wang, Hung-Lin Chi and Xiangyu Wang
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2018, 15(6), 1204; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph15061204 - 08 Jun 2018
Cited by 456 | Viewed by 37428
Abstract
Virtual Reality (VR) has been rapidly recognized and implemented in construction engineering education and training (CEET) in recent years due to its benefits of providing an engaging and immersive environment. The objective of this review is to critically collect and analyze the VR [...] Read more.
Virtual Reality (VR) has been rapidly recognized and implemented in construction engineering education and training (CEET) in recent years due to its benefits of providing an engaging and immersive environment. The objective of this review is to critically collect and analyze the VR applications in CEET, aiming at all VR-related journal papers published from 1997 to 2017. The review follows a three-stage analysis on VR technologies, applications and future directions through a systematic analysis. It is found that the VR technologies adopted for CEET evolve over time, from desktop-based VR, immersive VR, 3D game-based VR, to Building Information Modelling (BIM)-enabled VR. A sibling technology, Augmented Reality (AR), for CEET adoptions has also emerged in recent years. These technologies have been applied in architecture and design visualization, construction health and safety training, equipment and operational task training, as well as structural analysis. Future research directions, including the integration of VR with emerging education paradigms and visualization technologies, have also been provided. The findings are useful for both researchers and educators to usefully integrate VR in their education and training programs to improve the training performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Improving Safety, Health, and Wellbeing in Construction)
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