No abstract

In the ongoing attempt to prevent the spread of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) virus and flatten the curve, governments and employers have encouraged (and in some cases required) workers to work at home. This sudden widespread shift to home-based teleworking was not anticipated. Consequently, the ability to make provisions to ensure the health and safety of workers was limited. Further, in many cases, the shift to working at home has been involuntary and likely to continue for an extended period. The study presented in this paper aimed to examine the health and well-being experiences in a sample of professional/managerial workers who were engaged in teleworking as the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic situation developed. Data were collected from workers in the Australian construction industry who were required to work from home on alternate weeks to reduce the number of people in project offices. A multiwave survey was conducted at three construction projects. Longitudinal analysis of the data indicated a consistent gradual decline in the mental well-being of participants. The analysis identified a positive and significant relationship between work-life satisfaction and mental well-being and indicated that the effects of work hours, work pressure, work engagement, and work-life interference on mental well-being were mediated by the extent to which participants were satisfied with their work-life balance. Combining these results with qualitative comments made by participants helped to understand their varying experiences during the pandemic and the impact on their mental well-being. The results highlight the importance of considering work-life satisfaction and creating opportunities for improved work-family balance when designing teleworking arrangements. The paper contributes to knowledge and practice by providing the evidence that helps organizations to maximize the health benefits and reduce the risks associated with home-based working during (and potentially beyond) the pandemic.

The copper content of grape and wine from 16 wine-farms in Italy was studied during the harvest of 2003. The influence of the number of copper applications, the period between the last application and harvest, and the total amount of copper applied was examined. Of the total number of samples analysed, 13% of grape samples and 18% of wine samples exceeded the maximum residue level (MRL). The total amount of copper applied and the number of days between the last application and harvest explained 44% of the concentration of copper in grape. This low correlation may be due to other influencing factors, such as meteorology and the application method. In 2003, conditions were unusually dry and the recommended safety interval for copper application (20 days) was not sufficient to guarantee a residue level in grape below the MRL (20 mg kg(-1)). In order to reduce the probability of copper residues being close to the MRL, a period of 40-50 days between the last application and harvest is suggested. Furthermore, the copper content of grape and wine was not dependent on the pest management strategy of the farm (conventional, integrated or organic). A more important factor influencing copper residue levels may be that copper applications are made in response to the prediction of a disease outbreak rather than being dependent on the pest management strategy in place. No difference in copper content was observed between red and white grape or wine.

The practice of subcontracting out construction work has been identified as a contributing factor in poor work health and safety (WHS) performance. Relatively few studies have considered the processes through which safety climates develop within subcontracted workgroups. This study sought to examine the relationship between intra-group communication relating to WHS and the workgroup safety climate. Data was collected from 39 subcontracted workgroups in the Australian construction industry, using social network analysis to examine worker-to-worker, supervisor-toworker and worker-to-supervisor patterns of work health and safety (WHS) related communication. The relationship between group social network metrics and the group safety climate were examined. Network density was a predictor of the workgroup safety climate. Furthermore, a suppressor effect was found, such that WHS-related communication between group members and the group supervisor increased the variance in group safety climate explained in a regression model. The results highlight the importance of intra-group communication in creating a shared understanding about the priority placed on WHS within subcontracted construction workgroups. In using subcontracted workgroups as the unit of analysis and linking within-group communication patterns to the workgroup safety climate, the research makes an original contribution to knowledge in empirically demonstrating the safety benefits associated with fostering a dense communication network and encouraging frequent supervisor-worker communication in subcontracted workgroups.

Exploring the link between early constructor involvement in project decision-making and the efficacy of health and safety risk control

Purpose -The research explores the relationship between the timing with which decisions are made about how to control work health and safety (WHS) risks in construction project (i.e, either pre-or post-construction) and the quality of risk control outcomes. Design/methodology/approach -Data was collected from 23 construction projects in Australia and the United States of America (USA). 43 features of work were identified for analysis and decision-making in relation to these features of work was mapped across the life of the projects. The quality of risk control outcomes was assessed using a classification system based on the 'hierarchy of control.' Within this hierarchy, technological forms of control are preferable to behavioural forms of controls. Findings -The results indicate that risk control outcomes were significantly better in the Australian compared with the US cases. The results also reveal a significant relationship between the quality of risk controls and the timing of risk control selection decisions. The greater the proportion of risk controls selected during the pre-construction stages of a project, the better the risk control outcomes. Research implications -The results provide preliminary evidence that technological risk controls are more likely to be implemented if WHS risks are considered and controls are selected in the planning and design stages of construction projects. Practical implications -The research highlights the need for WHS risk to be integrated into decision-making early in the life of construction projects. Originality/value -Previous research has linked accidents to design. However, the retrospective nature of these studies has not permitted an analysis of the effectiveness of integrating WHS into pre-construction decision-making. Prospective studies have been lacking. This research provides empirical evidence in support of the relationship between early consideration of WHS and risk control effectiveness.

No abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to present a critical review of the use of safety performance indicators in the construction industry. The authors consider the strengths, limitations and managerial consequences associated with commonly used indicators. Design/methodology/approach The authors combine two separate data sets in this critical review. These include 32 semi-structured interviews with construction industry representatives involved in the collection and reporting of safety indicators, as well as a multi-level safety climate survey that was conducted at 12 construction sites across Australia. Findings The analysis provides new evidence that, in their current use, commonly used H&S indicators are subject to manipulation and misinterpretation. Their usefulness as tools to support safety management activities in construction projects and organisations needs to be understood in the context of their limitations. In particular, safety indicators do not reflect the full set of factors that affect workplace safety and there will always be disagreement about what should be counted and how. Originality/value As a result of the substantial shortcomings of safety indicators, great care needs to be taken when using them to determine or evaluate organisational safety policy and practices.