Job stress, job burnout and safety performance in the Palestinian construction industry

2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 170-187 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adnan Enshassi ◽  
Yasmine El-Rayyes ◽  
Suhair Alkilani
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Job Stress ◽  
Gaza Strip ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Job Burnout ◽  
Safety Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Construction Organizations ◽  
The Gaza Strip

Purpose – The purposes of this paper are to identify the most significant job-related stressors that influence construction project professionals’ safety, identify the form of stresses and job burnout experienced by construction professionals and investigate the impact of stress and job burnout on safety performance from the perception of construction project professionals in the Gaza Strip construction industry. Construction is characterized as a stressful industry, which influences the safety performance of construction personnel, especially when the stress transfers into burnout. Design/methodology/approach – The views of a variety of construction professionals operating in Gaza Strip were sought using a questionnaire survey. Project managers, project coordinators and site engineers were targeted. Of the 45 questionnaires distributed, 33 were returned. Data were analyzed using the relative importance index (RII), Pearson correlation and regression analysis that used one-way ANOVA test. Findings – Findings revealed that an organizational stressor is the major contributor to physical stress, behavioral stress and job burnout. In addition, the findings showed that construction professionals suffered from emotional stress and invisible burnout. Of significance, the findings revealed that job stresses and job burnout did not affect safety performance in the Gaza Strip construction industry because the first priority for most construction professionals was to maintain permanent employment and, therefore, stresses were often hidden. Research limitations/implications – This study is limited by its small sample size. However, the findings represent novel results, which can be taken into consideration by construction organizations. Practical implications – The findings may help construction organizations in the Gaza Strip to understand job stressors’ factors, which affect construction project professionals to help minimize or eliminate their impact on safety performance and, hence, improve productivity in construction projects. Furthermore, the study promotes personnel health and safety and enhancement of the quality of work and construction workers’ personal life. The recommendation of this study may also apply to other developing countries. Originality/value – The study contributes to the overall body of knowledge relevant to job stress and burnout in the construction industry of developing countries. It draws attention to the interrelationship between stressors, stresses, burnout and safety performance, and it illustrates a new form of burnout that is invisible burnout.

Service quality of insurance in complex project deals in the construction industry in Ghana

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
De-Graft Owusu-Manu ◽  
Frank Ato Ghansah ◽  
Amos Darko ◽  
Richard Ohene Asiedu
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Service Quality ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Insurance Firms ◽  
Complex Construction ◽  
Complex Project ◽  
Project Insurance

PurposeThe insurance sector provides insurance protection for complex project deals in Ghana. The study assesses the service quality of insurance of complex project deals in the construction industry of developing countries, specifically Ghana. The objectives are to identify the insurance typologies in complex project deals in the construction industry, to assess the level of construction insurance quality, and to assess the challenges faced in complex project insurance.Design/methodology/approachA comprehensive literature review was conducted to analyze the previously related works on insurance in the construction industry. The study then adopted quantitative research strategy where a structured questionnaire survey was used to collect information from construction industry professionals. The data analysis was organized in accordance with the specific objectives of the study with the aid of mean score analysis and independent sample t-test. The study again measured the reliability of the adopted scale using Cronbach's alpha, which indicated that all the items reliably measured what they were intended to measure, and thereby, statistical tools can be applied to give in-depth meanings.FindingsThe insurance typologies for complex projects were discovered by the study, as well as the available service qualities of insurance. The study again made it clear that the major challenges capable of affecting complex construction project are low quality of insurance companies' services and the gap in statutory and legal systems.Research limitation/implicationsThe major constraint in this study was the issue of taking only Ghana as a developing country to generalize the result. This is then to provide lessons for other developing countries.Practical implicationThe findings from this study will be useful to construction firms, insurance firms, and regulatory bodies by identifying the effectiveness of insurance as a risk mitigation measure in construction. The study will help the insurance firms to better position themselves to meet the demands of the construction industry. As the findings of this study are Ghana-specific, it is also to provide lessons for other developing countries.Originality/valueThis study delves deep into the complex construction project insurance service quality in developing countries, specifically Ghana.

Risk Management Strategies in Construction Organizations

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 406-413
Author(s):  
Shabbab Ajami Alhammadi ◽  
Bassam A. Tayeh ◽  
Wesam S. Alaloul ◽  
Tareq J. Salem
Keyword(s):  
Risk Management ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Gaza Strip ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Validity And Reliability ◽  
International Agencies ◽  
Construction Organizations ◽  
Risk Management Strategies ◽  
The Gaza Strip

Background: Construction projects are among the riskiest businesses due to the number of factors involved that are difficult to control; hence, the popularity of risk management as part of the decision-making process in construction organizations is increasing. Despite the advancements, there are various risks involved that lead to project failure. Aim: Thus, this study aims to assess the risk management strategies in construction organizations in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. Methods: Seventy questionnaires were distributed after subjecting them to pretesting and pilot study that confirmed the validity and reliability of the questions. The target respondents included engineers and consultants from the construction organizations, Ministry of Works and Housing, and international agencies. The questionnaire was retrieved with a 65.71% response rate. Results: Results indicated that the most popular method of risk factor determination in the Gaza Strip is the “checklist” (RII=84%). For tools/methods of risk analysis, relying on experience in the direct assessment is the most prominent, with an RII of 78%. For the methods of avoiding risk before the project implementation, dependence on experience in the work for preparing and planning was ranked highest (having RII of 81.6%). Finally, follow-up on the implementation to avoid rework, with an RII of 77.6%, was ranked highest among other factors of avoiding risk during the construction projects implementation. Conclusion: This study highlights the key risk management strategies that will be beneficial for the construction industry stakeholders to resolve the unwanted risk failures in the construction industry.

Is the construction site a safer place under the USACE or local government guidelines? The case of Afghanistan

2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Hashim Ibrahimkhil ◽  
Laith Hadidi
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Local Government ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Safety Performance ◽  
Construction Site ◽  
Infrastructure Projects ◽  
Construction Sites ◽  
Safety Practices ◽  
Content Type

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to assess the safety level of construction sites in Afghanistan following the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) safety practices and compare this with other construction sites in Afghanistan that follow local government safety guidelines. The USACE oversees and funds many infrastructure projects in Afghanistan, and these projects are supposed to follow the same standards implemented in the USA, including safety standards. The local government of Afghanistan also funds infrastructure projects in Afghanistan; however, these do not follow USACE best practices. This research explores the question of whether the USACE standards provide a safer construction site. The effect of the USACE standards on safety practices in construction projects is also investigated in the Afghanistan construction industry.Design/methodology/approachA literature review and other safety checklists were used to develop a safety checklist containing 104 items (questions) in 17 categories. Subsequently, the checklist was used to assess the safety performance of 57 construction projects (25 USACE projects, and 32 governmental projects). Utilizing quantitative analysis, the Spearman rank correlation coefficient (Rho) and Mann–Whitney tests were carried out for correlation and statistical disparity between USACE and governmental projects.FindingsThe safety performance level of Afghan government projects was found to be poor in relation to other developing countries, while in USACE projects it was excellent. In addition, fire prevention, safety administration, PPE, heavy equipment, and handling and storage of materials for all types of contractors were the most overlooked aspects of Afghan Government projects.Practical implicationsThe findings clearly demonstrate the deficiencies in construction sites observed during this study and also support the adoption of USACE standards in Afghanistan projects.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the safety of construction sites in Afghanistan. The study also demonstrates the benefits of adopting international standards (USACE) to improve the safety of construction sites in a developing country such as Afghanistan. The findings provide evidence of the safety of the Afghanistan construction industry compared to other developing countries. These findings will contribute to the Afghan Government's efforts to track injury statistics.

Techniques and benefits of implementing the last planner system in the Gaza Strip construction industry

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 (7) ◽  
pp. 1424-1436 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bassam A. Tayeh ◽  
Khalid Al Hallaq ◽  
Hafiz Zahoor ◽  
Abdulla H. Al Faqawi
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Gaza Strip ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Team Members ◽  
Similar Work ◽  
Look Ahead ◽  
Last Planner System ◽  
Potential Benefits ◽  
The Gaza Strip ◽  
Last Planner

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to prioritize the vital tools/techniques for the effective implementation of the last planner system (LPS) in the cross-cultural setting of a developing country, i.e. Gaza Strip. Besides, the potential benefits of implementing LPS are prioritized. Design/methodology/approach The significant techniques and likely benefits of LPS implementations were identified through comprehensive literature, followed by their verification through a pilot study. The quantitative data were collected using a questionnaire survey from 89 companies, operating in the Gaza Strip construction industry. The relative important index was calculated for prioritizing the significant tools/techniques (16) which support the effective LPS implementation, and highlighting the potential benefits (10) achieved through LPS implementation. Findings The results showed that the “use of visual devices to spread information in the construction site,” “attendance of key actors” and “look ahead plan” are the most important tools/techniques supporting LPS implementation. The top three potential benefits of implementing LPS include: “allows a better understanding of the program control,” “maximizes the co-operation and confidence among team members” and “allows the manager to better visualize the work program.” To prevent any waste in project time and to ensure the material supply and continuity of works, the study recommends advance supply and storage of demand materials, and early availability of the shop-drawings for acceptance by the superintendent. Practical implications The study’s findings are expected to guide the key construction stakeholders to prioritize their energies toward effective LPS implementation in the Gaza Strip. Originality/value Though this study pertains to Palestine, its methodology can be generalized in other countries and regions, having a similar work environment, after making necessary cultural adjustments.

Quantitative analysis of the impact of craft worker availability on construction project safety performance

2016 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 307-322 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hossein Karimi ◽  
Timothy R.B. Taylor ◽  
Paul M. Goodrum ◽  
Cidambi Srinivasan
Keyword(s):  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Poisson Regression ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Safety Performance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Poisson Regression Analysis ◽  
Incident Cases ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Craft Worker

Purpose This paper aims to quantify the impact of craft worker shortage on construction project safety performance. Design/methodology/approach A database of 50 North American construction projects completed between 2001 and 2014 was compiled by taking information from a research project survey and the Construction Industry Institute Benchmarking and Metrics Database. The t-test and Mann-Whitney test were used to determine whether there was a significant difference in construction project safety performance on projects with craft worker recruiting difficulty. Poisson regression analysis was then used to examine the relationship between craft worker recruiting difficulty and Occupational Safety and Health Administration Total Number of Recordable Incident Cases per 200,000 Actual Direct Work Hours (TRIR) on construction projects. Findings The result showed that the TRIR distribution of a group of projects that reported craft worker recruiting difficulty tended to be higher than the TRIR distribution of a group of projects with no craft worker recruiting difficulty (p-value = 0.004). Moreover, the average TRIR of the projects that reported craft worker recruiting difficulty was more than two times the average TRIR of projects that experienced no craft recruiting difficulty (p-value = 0.035). Furthermore, the Poisson regression analysis demonstrated that there was a positive exponential relationship between craft worker recruiting difficulty and TRIR in construction projects (p-value = 0.004). Research limitations/implications The projects used to construct the database are heavily weighted towards industrial construction. Practical implications There have been significant long-term gains in construction safety within the USA. However, if recent craft shortages continue, the quantitative analyses presented herein indicate a strong possibility that more safety incidents will occur unless the shortages are reversed. Innovative construction means and methods should be developed and adopted to work in a safe manner with a less qualified workforce. Originality/value The Poisson regression model is the first model that quantifiably links project craft worker availability to construction project safety performance.

Young construction workers: substance use, mental health, and workplace psychosocial factors

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 155-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ken Pidd ◽  
Vinita Duraisingam ◽  
Ann Roche ◽  
Allan Trifonoff
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Social Support ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Psychological Distress ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Psychosocial Factors ◽  
Job Stress ◽  
Poor Mental Health ◽  
Psychological Wellbeing ◽  
Content Type

Purpose Young Australian workers are at elevated risk of mental health and alcohol and other drug related problems. The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between alcohol and drug (AOD) use, psychological wellbeing, and the workplace psychosocial environment among young apprentices in the construction industry. Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional survey of a cohort of 169 construction industry apprentices in their first year of training was undertaken. The survey included measures of psychological distress (K10), quantity/frequency measures of alcohol and illicit drug use, and workplace psychosocial factors. Findings Construction industry apprentices are at elevated risk of AOD related harm and poor mental health. Levels of psychological distress and substance use were substantially higher than age/gender equivalent Australian population norms. Job stress, workplace bullying, and general social support accounted for 38.2 per cent of the variance in psychological distress. General social support moderated the effects of job stress and bullying on psychological distress. Substance use was not associated with psychological distress. However, workplace social support accounted for 2.1 per cent of the variance in AUDIT-C scores, and 2.0 per cent of the variance in cannabis use. Workplace bullying explained 2.4 per cent of the variance in meth/amphetamine use. Practical implications Construction trades apprentices are a high-risk group for harmful substance use and poor mental health. Study results indicate that psychosocial wellbeing interventions are warranted as a harm reduction strategy. Originality/value This is the first study of its kind to describe a cohort of Australian construction trade apprentices in terms of their substance use and psychological wellbeing. The study shows workplace psychosocial factors may predict young workers psychological wellbeing.

scholarly journals Integrated model for the stressors, stress, stress-coping behaviour of construction project managers in the UK

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 761-782 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shamil George Naoum ◽  
Carlos Herrero ◽  
Charles Egbu ◽  
Daniel Fong
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Structural Equation Modelling ◽  
Structural Equation ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Project Managers ◽  
Stress Coping ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Equation Modelling ◽  
And Performance ◽  
The Impact

Purpose It is axiomatic that construction is a fast-paced and competitive industry, which goes hand in hand with many construction professionals suffering from stress including construction project managers (C-PMs). The role of C-PMs is crucial to achieving project success as they are responsible for planning the project, organising human resources, controlling operations and the budget, and forecasting probable difficulties. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the causal relationships between stressors, stresses, stress-coping behaviours and their impact on the performance of C-PMs. Design/methodology/approach To investigate the relationships between stress and performance among C-PMs, a questionnaire was designed based on the extensive literature, and was sent to 150 C-PMs who had amassed at least five years’ direct working experience in the construction industry. A total of 44 completed questionnaires were returned. Correlation analysis and structural equation modelling were employed to understand the integrated relationships between these factors. Based on the data collected and analysis of the results, an integrated structural equation model of the stresses and performances of C-PMs was developed using AMOS version 22.0. Findings The results of structural equation modelling reveal the following: burnout is the type of stress that has the highest impact on the performance of C-PMs, being detrimental to their interpersonal performance (IPP) and positive for their organisational performance (OP), whereas physiological stress worsens the task performance of C-PMs and objective stress improves their IPP. The most active stressor towards the performance of C-PMs is “workgroup cooperation”, which has an impact on the IPP in a positive way but is detrimental to the OP. Career-developing environment, poor organisational structure and role conflict affect both stress and performance together. Originality/value This study provides a comprehensive investigation into the impact of various types of stress on the performances of C-PMs. The result constitutes a significant step towards the stress management of C-PMs in the dynamic and stressful construction industry.

Effects of financial management practices on technical performance of building contractors in northeast Nigeria

2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-223
Author(s):  
Abdulmalik Sa'eed ◽  
Nuru Gambo ◽  
Ibrahim Ibrahim Inuwa ◽  
Innocent Musonda
Keyword(s):  
Developing Countries ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Construction Industry ◽  
Financial Management ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Technical Performance ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Northeast Nigeria

Purpose The purpose of this study is to assess the effects of financial management practices of small-scale building contractors on the technical performance of the contractors in the northern part of Nigeria with international best practices. Previous studies argued that the technical performance of small-scale building contractors in developing countries is poor because of insufficient cash to acquire strategic resources at the outset of a project. This continues to pose a challenge to the sustainable development of the construction industry, particularly in developing countries like Nigeria. There is, therefore, a need to identify, assess and compare the effects of financial practices of the contractors with technical performance best practices. Design/methodology/approach The technical performance of each contractor was evaluated using a five-point Likert scale. This is used to obtain the mean technical performance levels of the contractors. A questionnaire survey was administered to the professionals in the industry who were selected by using a proportionate stratified random sampling technique. The contractors’ performance was compared using ANOVA with post hoc, and the effects of contractors’ financial management practices were determined using multiple regression analysis. Findings The results of this study indicated that the contractors in Nigeria were average technical performers and there were large effects of financial management practices on the technical performance of contractors in building projects. Research limitations/implications This study is limited to small-scale building contractors in northeast Nigeria. One of the implications of this study is that it provides the criteria for an evaluation of small-scale building contractors’ technical performance in Nigeria and other developing countries that faced similar problems. Practical implications The practical implications of this study are that it establishes the current level of contractors' technical performance and serves as an awareness of contractors' current financial practices. Social implications This study created bases for self-evaluation of contractors’ technical performance and competition among small-scale contractors in Nigeria for the enhancement of productivity particularly in rural areas for national development. Originality/value This study emanated from the government reports and past studies in the area of performance management based on the persistence of poor technical performance of small-scale contractors in the construction industry.

Post-conflict housing reconstruction in the Gaza Strip

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 317-330
Author(s):  
Ghassan Elkahlout
Keyword(s):  
Building Materials ◽  
Gaza Strip ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Conflict Setting ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Post Conflict ◽  
The Gaza Strip ◽  
Housing Reconstruction ◽  
Housing Units

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the feasibility of using the agency-driven housing approach in a post-conflict context. This paper aims to identify the challenges in applying the agency-driven approach within the context of post-conflict housing reconstruction in the Gaza Strip. Design/methodology/approach In this paper, a qualitative research approach was adopted. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with key stakeholders and representatives of project beneficiaries. Secondary data drawn from academic papers, articles, technical reports and media reports were also obtained. Findings The findings support doubts in the literature about the feasibility of using the agency-driven approach in post-conflict housing reconstruction. The paper concludes that an agency-driven housing project successfully constructed a few thousand housing units and provided thousands of temporary job opportunities. The project encountered challenges in beneficiary selection; affordability of housing units; access to building materials; governance issues; and delays in implementation. Practical implications This paper offers valuable lessons for decision-makers, planners and architects to build on in future endeavours in Gaza and in similar contexts. Originality/value This paper particularly confirms the challenges of using the agency-driven housing approach in a post-conflict setting. These findings are useful for policy-makers to develop relevant strategies to address housing needs in the Gaza Strip.

Exploring influential factors leading to the poor performance of public construction project in Ethiopia using structural equation modelling

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Benti Gadisa ◽  
Hong Zhou
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Construction Projects ◽  
Construction Project ◽  
Poor Performance ◽  
Project Performance ◽  
Influential Factors ◽  
Project Design ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Public Construction

PurposeIt is well recognized that the construction industry is characterised by inefficient and ineffective service delivery due to various causative factors. Thus this study aims to examine the influential factors affecting public construction project performance in Ethiopia to improve the industry's service delivery.Design/methodology/approachFrom the extensive literature reviewed, 58 potential factors affecting construction project performance have been compiled. Based on the evidence accumulated, the conceptual model of this paper has been developed. By using survey questionnaires, valuable data were collected from the construction industry professionals in Ethiopia; analysed and interpreted with the use of both SPSS and AMOS software.FindingsIt is concluded that failure factors related to the “performance” of the contractor, the “capability” of the owner, the “project design-procurement process,” and project contract management can significantly contribute to the poor performance of public construction projects in Ethiopia. Ten key factors include inadequate contractor capacity, weak project site management and supervision, weak project management skills and capabilities of the owner, additional work orders, delayed payment, lack of comprehensive project plans between parties and incomplete project design, rising material prices, ineffective project schedules, and cost management, rising market prices and devaluation of the currency.Research limitations/implicationsThe scope of this study confined to public projects in Ethiopia. It suggests that further research needs to consider public and private construction from a comprehensive perspective in the developing countries.Practical implicationsIt provides practitioners with information and guidance on the factors that affect the performance of construction projects.Originality/valueIt provides inclusive evidence related to many factors that affect the performance of public construction projects.

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