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.

Occupational safety and health (OSH) in construction work continues to be a problematic issue, and OSH coordinators are a pivotal initiative for improving this in the EU. However, no studies on the impact of (OSH) coordinators in construction exists. This study conceptualizes the hierarchy of controls (HOC) as a means for visualizing and evaluating the impact of OSH coordinators’ work. The study engages with a large observational material based on fieldwork notes from 107 days of observations with 12 successful OSH coordinators. The analysis shows that during the 107 observation days, the coordinators implemented 280 OSH measures and were prevented 71 times from implementing measures. Most of the implemented measures were in the administrative (53.6%) and engineering (35%) controls. This may provide part of the explanation of why an increasing focus on OSH coordination has not translated into improved OSH outcomes in construction. The study contributes with insights for OSH coordinators and professionals seeking to improve the visibility and legitimacy of their work. In addition, it may be beneficial to organizations interested in ensuring the effectiveness of their organizational OSH practices. The study also creates foundations for more research-based practices, education, and professionalization of OSH coordinators as a profession.

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 intragroup communication relating to WHS and the workgroup safety climate. Data were collected from 39 subcontracted workgroups in the Australian construction industry using social network analysis to examine worker-to-worker, supervisor-to-worker, and worker-to-supervisor patterns of WHS-related communication. The relationship between group social network metrics and 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 intragroup 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.

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.