Shaping the discourse of worker health in the UK construction industry

The UK construction industry is in poor health, statistics show rates of occupational illness significantly higher than for workers in any other industry. Recently, the scope of occupational health management on large sites has increased as public health has become included within the organizational remit. Concerns have been raised around the consequences of this development, its close relationships to Corporate Social Responsibility, and how this is now shaping the wider discourse. To explore this phenomenon, a critical discourse analysis of UK “construction worker health” has been carried out, using the public-facing data of ten large UK contractors. Findings show that “public” has now overtaken “occupational”, the latter restricted to legal compliance presented as corporate citizenship, the former championed as evidence of benevolent organizational values. Yet public health concerns are limited to those of lifestyle and individual responsibility, whilst more complex issues around the social determinants of health as associated with work are missing from the discourse, separating organizations from the impacts of their work on their workers. A contemporary mapping of “construction worker health” is developed for consideration by industry and academics to support future health initiatives and research.     

Occupational stress and job demand,control and support factors among construction project consultants

Occupational stress affects the health and wellbeing of people who work, and the construction industry is recognized as a high-stress working environment. The relationship between job demands, job control, workplace support, and experiences of stress in the South African construction context is investigated, using hierarchical regression, factor analysis and structural equation modeling to explore the strength of thirteen factor relationships with perceived stress. Data were gathered from an on-line questionnaire survey response sample of 676 architects, civil engineers, quantity surveyors, and project and construction managers. Predictors displaying a significant relationship with occupational stress are the presence of work–life imbalance, the need to ‘prove’ oneself, hours worked per week, working to tight deadlines, and support from line managers in difficult situations at work. Existing theories of occupational stress are confirmed but not completely supported. The construction industry should give attention to how the need to work long hours is justified. Organizations should look to improving managerial and collegial support for construction professionals, but be careful in engaging in socializing and project team-building activities. Further research will need to focus more deeply on construction-specific job demand factors; explore why women professionals appear to experience more stress than men; and aim to develop reliable early-warning detection techniques for construction professionals.     

建筑劳务工人职业流动的影响因素:基于上海市数据的分析

目前我国建筑业劳务工人职业流动过于频繁,这一现象对建筑工程质量和安全、劳务工人利益保障及技术水平提升等方面均存在重大影响。针对这一问题,通过结构化的问卷实地调研建筑劳务工人的职业流动历史、对行业内流动行为的感知以及未来流动意愿的情况,分析了劳务工人职业流动频率及其影响因素。研究发现:建筑业职业流动率介于 30%~45%之间,职业流动过于频繁;薪酬水平和社会关系是影响劳务工人职业流动的最主要因素;不同的社会关系造成的信任程度会影响劳务工人职业流动的选择;劳务工人选择职业流动时薪酬变动的心理阈值为现有薪酬水平的 10%~15%之间。基于以上发现,提出了相应的对策建议。     

The development of corporate social responsibility in the Australian construction industry

In the Australian construction industry, large companies develop corporate social responsibility (CSR) in order to maintain an image of being a good corporate citizen. CSR relevant to the construction industry is defined including the following activities: moral obligation to be a good citizen; sustainability; reputation; relationship with employees and unions; relationship with suppliers and community representatives; and commitment to reporting on CSR. CSR is then examined through 85 interviews conducted with members of boards of directors, suppliers, employees, customers and community representatives of 17 large corporations. In order to be recognized as a socially responsible business, the corporations should: apply a corporate governance structure that takes into consideration working environment concerns; improve their sustainability, occupational health and safety measures, relationships with suppliers and commitment to local community protection and engagement.     

我国建筑工人职业流动的特点及分类研究

建筑工人的频繁职业流动严重阻碍我国建筑业产业结构升级和可持续发展。针对建筑劳务作业的特殊性,阐述建筑工人职业流动的特点、表现形式及分类,通过分析各流动类型的影响,指出需要高度警惕和治理的职业流动类型,为进一步深入研究奠定基础。     

辱虐管理对建筑工人流动意愿的影响——基于情绪耗竭和传统性作用

建筑工人职业流动率较高,建筑工人频繁的职业流动不利于建筑产品供给效率的提高。本文基于资源保存理论和情感事件理论,构建了建设项目组织情境下辱虐管理影响建筑工人流动意愿的被调节的中介效应模型。研究结果发现,辱虐管理显著正向影响建筑工人的流动意愿,情绪耗竭部分中介辱虐管理和建筑工人流动意愿之间的关系,建筑工人传统性反向调节辱虐管理和建筑工人流动意愿之间的关系以及情绪耗竭的中介效应。建筑工人传统性越高,辱虐管理和建筑工人流动意愿之间的正向联系就越弱,情绪耗竭的中介效应也越弱。     

贯标在施工现场管理中的运用

分析了安全管理贯标的三大特征,对其在施工现场管理的运用作了详细阐述,提出了工程施工管理需持续改进的三个方面,以加强施工企业在施工过程中对质量、环境与职业健康安全的控制。     

论现代建筑与环境的关系

从建筑与环境的关系、单体建筑与群体建筑的关系及建筑与建筑之间的关系三个方面深入探讨了建筑与环境的关系,以寻找建筑与环境内在的关联性,从而处理好空间环境因素在建筑中的应用。     

Assessing reliability of design,construction, and safety related decisions

Currently there is no approach which would help to comprehensively ensure occupational safety. Many scientists perform researches and calculations, create new methods related to safety and health, but most of them analyze separate aspects of safety in the field of construction. The authors of this paper present a new complex view on ensuring occupational safety and health during construction. The selection of safety solutions is performed based on complex evaluation of structure, technology and safety. In their previous works, the authors offered a new method for multiple attribute decision synthesis, SyMAD-3, which helps to choose an effective construction project alternative from multiple alternatives by assessing various construction, technological and occupational safety solutions, based on a set of quantitative attributes. However, the integration of these solutions may cause doubts, since decision making in construction is always associated with uncertainty. The investment projects in construction are characterized by the large accuracy variation (from 15 to 50%) of some attribute values. Although the SyMAD-3 method is mathematically grounded, it does not answer the question if the error of attribute values impacts the final decision and if this decision can be reliably assessed.In the present paper, the authors supplement the SyMAD-3 method with decision sensitivity analysis (SyMAD-3 with SA) to improve the reliability of the SyMAD-3 method and assess the reliability of the obtained decision. The SyMAD-3 with SA method allows us to choose an effective alternative of a construction project by assessing three stages of construction, based on a set of attributes given the error of their values, and determine the reliability of the final decision. The proposed method is implemented in a software package created by the authors with the aim of analyzing decisions and performing experimental calculations in the field of construction.     

Accidents in materials handling at construction sites

The aim of this study is to examine those occupational accidents at construction sites that are related to materials handling as compared with all reportable occupational accidents at construction sites. The main concern is to define the kinds of accidents that occur in materials handling. The data were gathered from two sources: a large Finnish construction company and the database of reports of serious occupational accidents (Sammio). One third of all the reported accidents in the studied construction company occurred during materials transfer and 36% of the absenteeism days resulted from these accidents. Materials handling thus caused more serious accidents than other work activities (t = ?2.44, df = 351, p < 0.005). Minor accidents were mostly due to over‐exertion whereas serious accidents were mostly falling from a height and injuries caused by falling and collapsing objects. The manual transfer of materials caused most of the materials transfer accidents in the company and mechanical transfer most of the serious materials handling accidents. Over‐exertion can, therefore, be decreased by reducing manual materials handling. On the other hand, replacing manual transfers with mechanical transfers means that there arises a risk of serious accidents.     

福州万象商业广场的绿色施工技术

绿色施工包括节能、节地、节材、节水,保护环境和保证职业健康等方面内容,本文介绍福州万象商业广场的绿色施工综合技术。     

Understandings of occupational health and safety risk control in small business construction firms: barriers to implementing technological controls

The construction industry poses a particular challenge for the making of occupational health and safety (OHS) risk control decisions which are equitable to all parties involved in the construction process. Typically, small business construction firms are engaged as subcontractors in the construction industry and are located at the lower end of the inter-organizational hierarchy in a construction project. As such, their ability to exert an influence on decision-making in the construction process is limited, despite their employees' day to day exposure to OHS risks. A qualitative study of understandings of OHS risk control was conducted among a sample of small businesses engaged in the Australian construction industry. Two OHS risks relevant to the construction industry were selected for study. One risk (falls from height) represented an immediate consequence while the other (occupational skin disease) represented a long-term health effect. Understandings of control for these OHS risks were explored during in-depth interviews. The results suggest that, at the small business end of the industry, there is a fatalistic resignation to OHS risks being an unavoidable part of the job. This leads to an emphasis on individual rather than technological controls for OHS risk. The implication of these findings for the effective management of OHS risk is discussed.     

The effect of first aid training on objective safety behaviour in Australian small business construction firms

A 24 week experiment was conducted to determine the effect of first aid training on the occupational health and safety behaviour of participants in small business construction firms in Australia. A purposeful sample of 22 small business construction industry participants was identified. A simplified multiple baseline across workplace settings experimental design was used to introduce first aid training to workplace settings on a staggered basis. Objective measurement of occupational health and safety behaviour was conducted, by a researcher directly observing the workplace, before and after participants received first aid training. Individual performance was measured using a 14-item ‘individual safety measure’ (ISM) and global safety performance was measured using a 21-item ‘global site safety measure’ (GSSM). Pre-training and post-training performance scores for each category of safety performance were analysed using paired samples t-tests. The results were mixed. Performance improved in three of the four categories of safety performance measured by both the GSSM and ISM. The statistical significance of these improvements varied between performance categories. The results suggest that first aid training has a positive effect on occupational health and safety behaviour in Australian construction industry small businesses in the categories of personal protective equipment and housekeeping.     

Construction accident causality: learning from different countries and differing consequences

Fundamental questions remain about the practical value and generalizability of accident causation frameworks for explaining construction accidents. Relevant causality literature is reviewed; three research projects compared and implications of accident causation theories for accident investigation and analysis discussed, particularly for accidents with differing consequences and in different national contexts. The effectiveness of the UK accident causality framework ConAC (Construction Accident Causality) in identifying occupational accident causes in different industry contexts (Australia and the USA) is evaluated; and the implications of the choice of theoretical framework in the analysis of construction accident causation considered. The ConAC framework was developed from a real-time analysis of 100 relatively minor construction accidents. The Australian study used this framework to analyse the National Coroners reports of 258 construction fatalities and the USA study used it to develop research instruments for interviews regarding 27 construction accidents of varying consequences. The results suggest that the ConAC framework is helpful for the analysis of the causes of accidents with outcomes of differing severity. The studies also suggest that it has international applicability despite differing occupational health and safety legislative contexts and industrial arrangements. Furthermore, significant learning can be obtained from considering underlying causes of accidents.     

What kind of expertise is needed for low energy construction?

The construction industry is responsible for 40% of European Union (EU) end-use emissions but addressing this is problematic, as evident from the performance gap between design intention and on-site energy performance. There is a lack of the expertise needed for low energy construction (LEC) in the UK as the complex work processes involved require ‘energy literacy’ of all construction occupations, high qualification levels, broad occupational profiles, integrated teamworking, and good communication. This research identifies the obstacles to meeting these requirements, the nature of the expertise needed to break down occupational divisions and bridge those interfaces where the main heat losses occur, and the transition pathway implied. Obstacles include a decline in the level, breadth and quality of construction vocational education and training (VET), the lack of a learning infrastructure on sites, and a fragmented employment structure. To overcome these and develop enhanced understanding of LEC requires a transformation of the existing structure of VET provision and construction employment and a new curriculum based on a broader concept of agency and backed by rigorous enforcement of standards. This can be achieved through a radical transition pathway rather than market-based solutions to a low carbon future for the construction sector.     

基于全过程教学的建筑施工技术课程改革与实践

在全过程教学理论的指导下,对建筑施工技术教学课程的改革与实践活动展开了相关的探究活动,指出课程的改革可促使理论与实践更加紧密结合,既有助于学生掌握建筑工程中各主要工种的施工技术及工艺原理,又有助于培养学生分析和解决施工技术问题的能力,适应未来就业岗位的需要。     

东莞篮球中心绿色建筑施工技术

东莞篮球中心在施工过程中,按照标准规范的要求,制定并实施了相应的环保制度和管理措施,最大限度地减少污染,降低自然资源消耗,创造环保节能的绿色建筑.主要介绍了绿色施工的主要内容及工作重点和要求,详细介绍了绿色施工的管理措施,职业健康与安全管理措施.     

暖通空调监理中应注意的若干问题

探讨了暖通空调监理工程师应具有的综合素质,介绍了监理工程师在暖通空调工程监理过程中应注意的信息管理、设计、施工阶段的问题.     

国内外工程造价管理模式之比较

本文从工程量清单计价、工程造价的咨询机构以及工程造价的执业资格制度三个方面分析比较了国内外工程造价管理模式,探讨了我国工程造价管理改革的方向和途径。