COVID-19 & OHS - An Insight into Mitigation of Transmission Risk among Construction Workforce

Abstract

COVID-19 had badly affected all the industries around the globe. One of the most affected industries is the construction industry because of its nasty and workers intensive environment. The construction industry faced many challenges regarding supply chain disruptions, project delays, cost overrun, health and safety issues and shortage of workers. Occupational health and safety has remained a major concern of the construction industry and Covid-19 exacerbated the OHS concern. COVID-19 has made a significant impact on workers and workplaces all over the world. The study aims to find out preventive strategies and measures to overcome issues and challenges that has impacted the OHS of construction workers and to mitigate the transmission risk among workforces. First, 26 factors were finalized through combined score of literature and experts’ opinion by conducting a questionnaire survey. Anova and Cronbach alpha tests were conducted to check the reliability and consistency of questionnaire responses. A total of 35 interviews were conducted to calculate the transmission risk due to determined factors, for pre and post implementation of strategies and find out the measures and strategies to overcome the issues of OHS of workers and mitigate the transmission risk among workers. Interviewees includes HSE managers, Safety officers, Safety engineers, Project engineer and Site supervisors. The risk matrix method was used to calculate the transmission risk. According to input given by interviewees, 15 factors contributed to a very high risk of transmission, 5 factors were at high, and 6 factors were at medium risk level. The different measures and strategies adopted by the interviewees with respect to each factor resulted in all factors being categorized as medium risk level. The collected measures and strategies were analyzed with thematic content analysis. All the measures and strategies were disseminated in Six themes “Training, communication & education”, “Enforcement & Supervision”, “Administrative Actions & Policies”, “Worker’s engagement & Support”, “Management & Control”, “Positive Community & well-being”. It is asserted that determined measures and strategies can contribute to creating a safe environment at sites to mitigate the transmission risk of COVID-19 and effectively address concerns of OHS of workforce.