Risk Perception and Its Influencing Factors among Construction Workers in Malawi

Abstract

This study employed a deductive research approach and a survey strategy to assess risk perception and its influencing factors among construction workers in Malawi. Three specific construction hazards and their associated risks were selected. The hazards were ‘working at height (WAH) ‘manual handling of loads (MHL)’ and ‘heavy workload or intense pressure to be more productive (HWP)’. The study engaged multistage sampling of 376 subjects. Univariate analysis, factor analysis and multiple linear regressions were performed in order to determine the main influencing factors among the independent variables. The study established that workers were aware of risks posed by their work. They perceived the risk associated with WAH, MHL and HWP as very high (62.7%, = 8.80 ± 1.95); (48.5%, = 8.10 ± 2.38); (57.9%, = 8.49 ± 2.22) respectively. The study identified six factors as variables that showed significant effect on workers’ perception of risk (p < 0.05). These factors were “dreaded factor”, “avoidability and controllability”, “expert knowledge”, “personal knowledge”, education level and age. It is concluded that contractors in the Malawian construction industry should integrate analysis of behaviors and risk perception of the workers and other players to guide the identification of better health and safety interventions at their worksites.

Differences in Workplace Risk Perception between Foreign-Born and First-Generation Mexican American Construction Workers

“…These findings agree with Oah et al [ 22 ]. On the other hand, our results differ from the findings of Ellaban et al [ 41 ], Trillo-Cabello et al [ 5 ], Chaswa et al [ 42 ], and Forcael et al [ 3 ], who found that the risk perception was different depending on the age of the participants, for which they mention that this demographic variable is a factor that can influence such perceptions.…”

Tunnel Construction Workers’ Cognitive Biases and Unsafe Behaviors: The Mediating Effects of Risk Perceptions

“…Workers' RPs were tested to be salient factors of WUBs. e linkages have been documented in some previous studies [15,49]. In this paper, RPs were divided into ERP and BRP and each of RPs is negatively associated with WUBs.…”

“…For instance, Man et al [48] developed a novel measurement for construction workers' RPs and validated three dimensions of the RPs, namely, probability, severity, and worry and unsafe. RPs can be influenced by a wide range of psychological, social, institutional, and cultural variables, such as safety climate, social pressure, occupational features, and demographic characteristics [43,49,50]. Of these variables, CBs are salient antecedents of RPs [30,51,52].…”

“…FB is negatively associated with BRP (vi) Hypothesis (Hb6). Overconfidence is negatively associated with BRP Individuals' RPs guide the risk decision-making processes, and thus, erroneous and deviated RPs often lead to improper behaviors [49]. Existing studies in construction safety management demonstrated that RPs were predictors of WUBs [15,26,54].…”

Perceived Implications of Non-Compliance with Safety Practices in Construction Projects: Construction Professionals’ Awareness Level

“…This supports Smallwood and Haupt's (2004) conclusion that health and safety knowledge acquisition is due to different sources such as experience and the workshop attended which is informal. In addition, Chaswa et al (2020) concluded that the awareness level of risk associated with accidents is affected by factors such as expert knowledge, personal knowledge and educational level. Thus, differences in the awareness level of certain implications of non-compliance with safety practices may be due to expert knowledge of the professionals and their individual knowledge.…”