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Biodiversity conservation should be a core value of China's Belt and Road Initiative

Lechner AM, Chan FKS, Campos-Arceiz A

Nat Ecol Evol, 2018 03;2(3):408-409.
PMID: 29335571 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-017-0452-8
Matched MeSH terms: Construction Industry*
Green construction practices: ensuring client satisfaction through health and safety performance

Onubi HO, Yusof N, Hassan AS

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2022 Jan;29(4):5431-5444.
PMID: 34420175 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-15705-5

Studies have proven that client satisfaction (CS) is greatly affected by the nature of construction practices on site. However, not much attention has been given to CS in projects that adopt green construction practices (GCPs). This study examines the effect of GCPs on CS, and the means by which CS can be achieved through health and safety performance (HSP). This study also analyses how the relationship between HSP and CS could vary depending on the level of GCPs adopted. A questionnaire with 27 items drawn from literature was used in collecting data from class A contractors in Nigeria. The study's hypotheses were tested using the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique. The findings of the study reveal that GCPs have a positive effect on CS. HSP proved to only partially mediate the relationship between GCPs and CS. The findings also show that the effect of HSP on CS is moderated by GCPs with the stronger effect from projects with low adoption of GCPs. The study's findings highlight the pivotal role of HSP in ensuring CS in construction projects that adopt GCPs. This study makes practical contributions to the body of existing knowledge by highlighting the need for concerted efforts by contractors such as investing in health and safety training and ensuring site workers wear personal protective equipment aimed at adhering to acceptable health and safety standards. This can be achieved through provision of funds for safety activities, monitoring, and supervision of workers to guarantee HSP which translates to CS while adopting GCPs. However, the obstacles to these are the lack of safety culture by construction organizations, lack of enlightenment on the part of construction site workers, and poor safety climate on the construction project site. Additionally, the study provides greater insight on the practice of green construction among contractors by showing that the effect of HSP on CS would differ considerably on account of the level of GCPs adopted.

Matched MeSH terms: Construction Industry*
Effects of safety leadership and safety management practices on safety participation through a casual-chain mediators approach in the Chinese construction industry

Shi H, Nadeem MA

Int J Occup Saf Ergon, 2023 Dec;29(4):1383-1394.
PMID: 36178706 DOI: 10.1080/10803548.2022.2131274

Objectives. This article aims to prompt first-line workers to go beyond regular job roles and engage in more discretionary safety behavior-safety participation in the Chinese construction industry. The construction industry is a high-risk industry, and first-line workers are more likely to be exposed to workplace hazards. Once accidents happen, the negative consequences would come out. Therefore, employee voluntary safety behavior is focused on in this research. Methods. The present research framework examines the roles of safety leadership and safety management practices from the group and organizational perspectives in predicting the voluntary safety behavior (safety participation) of first-line workers in the Chinese construction industry through casual-chain mediators (safety climate and job satisfaction). In this study, partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) is adopted for data analysis and hypotheses testing. Results. After data analysis, the results show that safety leadership and safety management practices are significantly and positively associated with safety participation of first-line workers through safety climate and job satisfaction. Moreover, safety management practices have a more statistical effect on safety climate compared to safety leadership. Conclusions. These results provide some practical implications for facilitating the workers to conduct safety participation inthe construction industry.

Matched MeSH terms: Construction Industry*
Behavior-based safety program for process industries

Rashid MI, Athar M, Noor F, Hussain A

Int J Occup Saf Ergon, 2023 Dec;29(4):1440-1450.
PMID: 36221985 DOI: 10.1080/10803548.2022.2135282

Objectives. This article describes the reduction of unsafe behaviors observed at a fertilizer complex by implementation of a behavior-based safety (BBS) program via a behavior observation form developed by a multidisciplinary team. Methods. Six observation categories, i.e., position of people, reaction of people, personal protective equipment (PPE), tools used, operating procedures and housekeeping, are used to monitor safe and unsafe behaviors for a period of 18 months. Results. Safe behaviors increased from 57 to 70% and unsafe behaviors reduced from 40 to 26%. Behaviors of employees working in various sections of fertilizer complex such as ammonia, urea, utility, bagging/shipping and workshop were also observed. Non-compliance with PPE, housekeeping and standard operating procedures was also monitored in individual sections. Non-operational areas including the administration block, housing colony, maintenance workshop, warehouse, fire station and electrical substation were also observed. Among these, the maximum unsafe behaviors are for the housing colony and minimum for the electrical substation. Conclusion. It has been concluded that working on the housing colony, administration block and fire station areas will address 74% unsafe behaviors of non-operational areas. For practical applications, worldwide industries can implement this BBS program to enhance BBS, thus reducing unsafe behaviors and increasing employee morale.

Matched MeSH terms: Construction Industry*
Fulltext Maintenance and physical asset management issues in project commissioning

Ahmad Fuad Ab Ghani, Azrin Ahmad, Nor Salim Muhammad, Reduan Mat Dan, Rustamreen Jenal

Malaysian Journal of Applied Sciences, 2018;2(2):10-28.
MyJurnal

This study describes the review on maintenance related issues during design and construction stage
within construction industry. The paper highlights the causes and errors made during design and
construction stage and their impact during the operation/production/occupancy stage as well as the
maintenance costs associated with it. The study identifies the mistakes in the working processes within
design and construction stage leading to the errors that affect the durability, performance, reliability,
maintainability, availability and safety of the systems. The paper presents a comprehensive review of
the published literatures, journals, technical papers in the related areas in the construction field. The
review highlights the new approaches and decision framework which link the designers and
construction personnel that could reduce the errors and defects in construction which then lead to
maintenance issues and asset management. The factors of accessibility, materials, design and
documentation standardization have been discussed thoroughly for better understanding in improving
maintenance and physical asset management in project commissioning.

Matched MeSH terms: Construction Industry
Fulltext A Critical Review on the Properties and Applications of Sulfur-Based Concrete

Fediuk R, Mugahed Amran YH, Mosaberpanah MA, Danish A, El-Zeadani M, Klyuev SV, et al.

Materials (Basel), 2020 Oct 22;13(21).
PMID: 33105753 DOI: 10.3390/ma13214712

The incessant demand for concrete is predicted to increase due to the fast construction developments worldwide. This demand requires a huge volume of cement production that could cause an ecological issue such as increasing the rates of CO2 emissions in the atmosphere. This motivated several scholars to search for various alternatives for cement and one of such alternatives is called sulfur-based concrete. This concrete composite contributes to reduce the amount of cement required to make conventional concrete. Sulfur can be used as a partial-alternate binder to Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC) to produce sulfur-based concrete, which is a composite matrix of construction materials collected mostly from aggregates and sulfur. Sulfur modified concrete outperforms conventional concrete in terms of rapid gain of early strength, low shrinkage, low thermal conductivity, high durability resistance and excellent adhesion. On the basis of mentioned superior characteristics of sulfur-based concrete, it can be applied as a leading construction material for underground utility systems, dams and offshore structures. Therefore, this study reviews the sources, emissions from construction enterprises and compositions of sulfur; describes the production techniques and properties of sulfur; and highlights related literature to generate comprehensive insights into the potential applications of sulfur-based concrete in the construction industry today.

Matched MeSH terms: Construction Industry
Fulltext Experimental study on shear behaviour of high strength reinforced recycled concrete beam

Lian, Oh Chai, Wee, Lee Siong, Mohd Asha’ari Masrom, Hua, Goh Ching

Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology, 2013;21(2):601-610.
MyJurnal

Recently, there has been great interest on the applicability of Recycled Concrete Aggregate (RCA) as a new ecological construction material that can be sustainable in a gradually expanding construction industry. This paper reports the structural performance particularly on shear behaviour of high strength reinforced recycled concrete beams. Compressive cube strength of the tested beams ranged from 65-74 MPa at the age of 28-days. The experimental program compared conventional concrete mix with concrete mix having substitution of 25% recycled concrete aggregates of grade 25-30 MPa. In this study, three 150 mm x 200 mm x 1200 mm simply supported rectangular concrete beams in each mix were tested under a four-point bending static load with various shear span to effective depth ratios (a/d = 1.0, 1.5, 2.0). Subsequently, the shear behavior of the beams was investigated through studies of load-deflection responses, effect of a/d ratios and crack patterns. The test results reported that the substitution of 25% recycled concrete coarse aggregates barely affects the shear capacity of the high strength reinforced concrete beams with a/d of 1.5 onwards. Finally, experimental results were compared using existing design codes by ACI 318, Eurocode-2 and AS3600 which lie on the safe side.

Matched MeSH terms: Construction Industry
Fulltext Software development for optimal design of different precast slabs

Noorzaei, J., Wong, J.N., Thanoon, W.A., Jaafar, M.S.

Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology, 2009;17(1):-.
MyJurnal

Precast concrete technology forms an important part in the drive towards a full implementation of the Industrialized Building System (IBS). The IBS requires building components and their dimensions to be standardized, and preferably cast off site. Slabs are major structural elements in buildings, other than beams and columns. Standardized and optimized slabs can significantly enhance the building industries in achieving the full implementation of the IBS. Nevertheless, this requires computer techniques to achieve standardized and optimized slabs which can satisfy all building design requirements, including the standards of architectural and structural design standards. This study proposed a computer technique which analysed and designed five different types of slabs which will satisfy all the requirements in design. The most commonly used slabs included in this study were the solid one way, solid two way, ribbed, voided and composite slabs. The computer techniques enable the design of the most optimized sections for any of the slab types under any loading and span conditions. The computer technique also provides details for the reinforcements required for the slabs.

Matched MeSH terms: Construction Industry
Fulltext The relationship between team competency and design risk management among construction industries in Kuantan

Nur Dini Jamil, Adekunle Qudus Adeleke

Journal of Advanced Research in Applied Sciences and Engineering Technology, 2018;10(1):77-81.
MyJurnal

This paper assessed the relationship between team competency and design risk
management among Kuantan construction industries. Similarly, a survey was
conducted among 10 local and national construction industries in Kuantan with a
stratified random sampling. The returned questionnaires yielded 10 responses which
was used for data analysis. Five point Likert scale categories of risk management from
the previous studies was used and statistical analysis affirmed that there is positive
relationship between team competency and design risk management among Kuantan
construction industries.

Matched MeSH terms: Construction Industry
Fulltext The relationship between effective communication and construction risk management among Kuantan Malaysian construction industries

Nur Fazlina Abdul Rahman, Adekunle Qudus Adeleke

Journal of Advanced Research in Applied Sciences and Engineering Technology, 2018;10(1):18-24.
MyJurnal

In this paper, the influence of effective communication in construction risk
management among Kuantan Malaysian construction industries was assessed. Then a
survey was conducted on pilot test among 10 local construction industries in Kuantan
Malaysian, using stratified random sampling, out of which 10 questionnaires were
collected for data analysis. Methodologically, this research is perhaps the first to
study the influence of effective communication on construction risk management
among Kuantan Malaysian construction industries. Using the five point Likert scale
categories of risk management from previous studies. Pearson Correlation anaylysis
output results affirmed that there is a strong positive relationship between effective
communication and construction risk management among Kuantan construction
industries.

Matched MeSH terms: Construction Industry
Fulltext Effect of time overruns on apartment building among Kuantan Malaysian construction industries

Nur A'shirah Mohd Azman, Adekunle Qudus Adeleke

Journal of Advanced Research in Applied Sciences and Engineering Technology, 2018;10(1):41-47.
MyJurnal

This paper assessed the effect of time overruns on apartment building among
Kuantan Malaysian construction industries. A survey was conducted among 10
construction industries in Kuantan Pahang. Using proportionate stratified random
sampling, out of which 10 questionnaires were distributed for data analysis. Using
five point Likert scale categories from previous studies, statistical analysis affirmed a
significant positive relationship between time overruns and apartment building
among Kuantan Malaysian construction industries.

Matched MeSH terms: Construction Industry
Fulltext Feasibility Studies of Palm Oil Mill Waste Aggregates for the Construction Industry

Kanadasan J, Fauzi AFA, Razak HA, Selliah P, Subramaniam V, Yusoff S

Materials (Basel), 2015 Sep 22;8(9):6508-6530.
PMID: 28793579 DOI: 10.3390/ma8095319

The agricultural industry in Malaysia has grown rapidly over the years. Palm oil clinker (POC) is a byproduct obtained from the palm oil industry. Its lightweight properties allows for its utilization as an aggregate, while in powder form as a filler material in concrete. POC specimens obtained throughout each state in Malaysia were investigated to evaluate the physical, chemical, and microstructure characteristics. Variations between each state were determined and their possible contributory factors were assessed. POC were incorporated as a replacement material for aggregates and their engineering characteristics were ascertained. Almost 7% of density was reduced with the introduction of POC as aggregates. A sustainability assessment was made through greenhouse gas emission (GHG) and cost factor analyses to determine the contribution of the addition of POC to the construction industry. Addition of POC helps to lower the GHG emission by 9.6% compared to control specimens. By channeling this waste into the construction industry, an efficient waste-management system can be promoted; thus, creating a cleaner environment. This study is also expected to offer some guides and directions for upcoming research works on the incorporation of POC.

Matched MeSH terms: Construction Industry
A comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) of concrete and steel-prefabricated prefinished volumetric construction structures in Malaysia

Balasbaneh AT, Ramli MZ

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int, 2020 Dec;27(34):43186-43201.
PMID: 32734541 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-020-10141-3

In recent years, off-site volumetric construction has been promoted as a viable strategy for improving the sustainability of the construction industry. Most prefabricated prefinished volumetric construction (PPVC) structures are composed of either steel or concrete; thus, it is imperative to carry out life cycle assessments (LCAs) for both types of structures. PPVC is a method by which free-standing volumetric modules-complete with finishes for walls, floors, and ceilings-are prefabricated and then transferred and erected on-site. Although many studies have examined these structures, few have combined economic and environmental life cycle analyses, particularly for prefinished volumetric construction buildings. The purpose of this study is to utilize LCA and life cycle cost (LCC) methods to compare the environmental impacts and costs of steel and concrete PPVCs "from cradle to grave." The results show that steel necessitates higher electricity usage than concrete in all environmental categories, while concrete has a higher emission rate. Steel outperforms concrete by approximately 37% in non-renewable energy measures, 38% in respiratory inorganics, 43% in land occupation, and 40% in mineral extraction. Concrete, on the other hand, performs 54% better on average in terms of measures adopted for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Steel incurs a higher cost in the construction stage but is ultimately the more economical choice, costing 4% less than concrete PPVC owing to the recovery, recycling, and reuse of materials. In general, steel PPVC exhibits better performance, both in terms of cost and environmental factors (excluding GHG emissions). This study endeavors to improve the implementation and general understanding of PPVC.

Matched MeSH terms: Construction Industry
Identifying key accident causation factors in the Malaysian construction industry

Oni OZ, Olanrewaju A, Cheen KS

Int J Occup Saf Ergon, 2024 Jun;30(2):366-377.
PMID: 38243387 DOI: 10.1080/10803548.2024.2308376

Objectives. Notwithstanding its economic importance, the construction industry is still facing challenges due to its high accident record. As a result, the goal of this study is to identify the key underlying causes of accidents in the Malaysian construction industry that construction stakeholders can focus on to reduce the menace of accidents in the industry. Methods. To achieve this goal, relevant literature was reviewed in order to identify the causes of accidents. The identified factors were used to develop the survey questionnaire for collecting primary data, and the collected data were analysed using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Results. The results of the EFA and CFA establish and confirm 11 clusters for the causes of accidents on construction sites: management problems; inadequate training; inadequate supervision; mental health problems; bad attitudes; inadequate funding; inadequate experience; material and equipment handling; poor safety practices; inadequate orientation; and work environment. Conclusion. The study concludes that addressing all 11 factors will drastically reduce the incessant accident occurrences in the construction industry. The result of this study will help construction stakeholders know where to direct their energy in an effort to reduce construction accidents.

Matched MeSH terms: Construction Industry*
Factors associated with mosquito control among construction workers: A systematic review

Dapari R, Mohd Fadzil MF, Hanzir MY, Mohamed Jais JS, Safarudin NF, Albar A

PLoS One, 2024;19(5):e0303330.
PMID: 38718075 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0303330

INTRODUCTION: Workers in the construction industry frequently work in construction sites with numerous areas that can potentially accumulate water, such as tanks, wet cement surfaces, or water puddles. These water collection sites become ideal breeding grounds for mosquito infestation, which leads to a higher prevalence of mosquito-borne diseases, especially malaria and dengue among construction workers. Despite that numerous factors have been identified in controlling vector-borne diseases, the specific factors that influence mosquito control at construction sites have yet to be explored.
AIMS: This systematic review aims to determine the factors associated with mosquito control among construction workers.
METHODS: Primarily, articles related to factors associated with mosquito control among construction workers were collected from two different online databases (ScienceDirect and EBSCOhost). Two independent reviewers were assigned to screen the titles and abstracts of the collected data, stored in Microsoft Excel, against the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Afterwards, the quality of the included articles was critically assessed using the Mixed Method Appraisal Tool (MMAT). Of the 171 articles identified, 4 were included in the final review.
RESULTS: Based on the thorough evaluation, mosquito-related knowledge, practical mosquito prevention measures, and Larval Source Management (LSM) were identified as vital factors associated with mosquito control among construction workers. The significant association between mosquito-related knowledge and control practices indicates higher knowledge linked to effective practices, particularly among female workers and those who were recently infected with malaria. Concurrently, there were notable challenges regarding sustainable preventive measures and larval control methods in construction settings.
CONCLUSION: Implementing effective mosquito control, including knowledge and practice on mosquito control together with vector control, is highly required to suppress the expanding mosquito population. It is recommended that employers provide continuous mosquito control education and training to their employees and reward them with incentives, while employees should comply with the guidelines set by their employers to ensure successful mosquito control and reduce the spread of mosquito-borne diseases in the construction industry.

Matched MeSH terms: Construction Industry*
Fulltext Challenges for a safe workplace and cope up strategy: a case study for construction industry in Sarawak, Malaysia

Mohammad Fazley Hossain, Chowdhury, Rusli, Bin Ahmad

Journal of Cognitive Sciences & Human Development, 2018;4(2):0-0.
MyJurnal

Like many other parts of the globe, in Malaysia, construction industry has a vital support to
the national economy, even though statistics indicates that, at the same time, it is an extremely
risky profession due to high accident rate. In addition, current evidences suggest that, in
general, safety in Sarawak construction industries lack attention. As, human behavior is regarded
as the principal component that contributes to accidents in this industry, this study
intends to explore existing barriers in development and maintaining safety performance behavior
as well as possible coping strategies. A qualitative analysis of in-depth interview (N=4)
among different levels of professions within industries in Kuching, Sarawak reveals that,
price sensitive subcontracting, short-term projects, irregular cash flow, dependency on larger
companies, less managerial and supervisory engagement, and priority on progress alone create
obstacles for safety behavior. On the other hand, possibly, the challenges can be managed
through integration of safety into contracts as compliance, associated disbursement, and introducing
incentives.

Matched MeSH terms: Construction Industry
Fulltext Amazing Types, Properties, and Applications of Fibres in Construction Materials

Mohajerani A, Hui SQ, Mirzababaei M, Arulrajah A, Horpibulsuk S, Abdul Kadir A, et al.

Materials (Basel), 2019 Aug 07;12(16).
PMID: 31394815 DOI: 10.3390/ma12162513

Fibres have been used in construction materials for a very long time. Through previous research and investigations, the use of natural and synthetic fibres have shown promising results, as their presence has demonstrated significant benefits in terms of the overall physical and mechanical properties of the composite material. When comparing fibre reinforcement to traditional reinforcement, the ratio of fibre required is significantly less, making fibre reinforcement both energy and economically efficient. More recently, waste fibres have been studied for their potential as reinforcement in construction materials. The build-up of waste materials all around the world is a known issue, as landfill space is limited, and the incineration process requires considerable energy and produces unwanted emissions. The utilisation of waste fibres in construction materials can alleviate these issues and promote environmentally friendly and sustainable solutions that work in the industry. This study reviews the types, properties, and applications of different fibres used in a wide range of materials in the construction industry, including concrete, asphalt concrete, soil, earth materials, blocks and bricks, composites, and other applications.

Matched MeSH terms: Construction Industry
Fulltext Implementing occupational safety and health requirements in construction project

Firdaus Abd Latib, Haziq Zul Asyraf Zahari, Abdul Rahim Abdul Hamid, Kevin Chester Wong How Yee

Journal of Advanced Research in Applied Sciences and Engineering Technology, 2016;5(1):53-63.
MyJurnal

The probability of the construction accident to happen is high due the nature of
Construction work that involves complex activities, methods, machineries, materials
and hazards. The occupational safety and health (OSH) law and regulations are
mandatory for every construction project to uphold. Responsibilities to ensure the
safety and health at the workplace lies with those who create the risk and with those
who work with the risk. The owner or client of the construction project has the upper
hand in determining the standard of OSH implementation in their project through
contract documents. If the contract documents comprehensively spell out OSH
requirements and cover all OSH cost, then the issues of contractor not implementing
OSH measures could be minimized. The objective of this study is to identify
Occupational Safety and Health requirements (OSH) in the contract document of
selected construction projects. To achieve this objective, a total of seven contract
document was collected from several construction companies. The qualitative analysis
was performed to identify the extent of OSH requirements and costs are being
mentioned in the contract documents. The finding shows that most of the contract
document contains very little emphasis on OSH requirements and budgeting. Only one
contract contains, an appendix that spell out about the safe work practices for
construction works. The visible allocated budget for OSH requirements for all seven
contracts is very minute range from 0.21% to 1.99% of contract value. In order to
ensure that occupational safety and health is properly implemented, safety needs must
be included in the budget because implementation it is not free, this can be achieved
by making it a permanent feature in all bills of quantity of the project.

Matched MeSH terms: Construction Industry
Fulltext The effect of organizational culture on material risk among Malaysian construction industries

Nur Syafiqah Abdul Malik, Adekunle Qudus Adeleke

Journal of Advanced Research in Applied Sciences and Engineering Technology, 2018;10(1):34-40.
MyJurnal

This paper assessed the significant relationship between organizational culture and
material risk among Kuantan Malaysian construction industries. Survey was
conducted among 10 registered G7 contractors operating in Kuantan construction
industry. Proportionate stratified random sampling was used out of which 10
questionnaires were distributed for pilot study. Methodologically, this research is
perhaps the first to assess the relationship between organizational culture and
material risk among Malaysian construction industries with five point Likert scale
categories of material risk from previous studies. Statistical analysis affirmed a
significant positive relationship between organizational culture and material risk
among Malaysian construction industries through Statistical Package for Social
Sciences (SPSS).

Matched MeSH terms: Construction Industry
Fulltext The influence of government regulation on waste reduction among Kuantan Malaysian construction industry

Nurushshahirah Sabodin, Adekunle Qudus Adeleke

Journal of Advanced Research in Applied Sciences and Engineering Technology, 2018;10(1):72-76.
MyJurnal

This paper examined the significant relationship between government regulation and
construction waste management among Malaysian construction industries. Survey
was conducted among 10 contractors registered G7, using proportionate stratified
random sampling, out of which 10 questionnaire were collected for data analysis with
five point Likert scale categories of waste management from previous studies,
statistical analysis affirmed a significant positive relationship between government
regulation and construction waste management in Malaysian construction industries
through Statistical Package for the Social Sciences.

Matched MeSH terms: Construction Industry

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