Investigation into workplace health and safety issues within the Australian commercial construction industry's migrant workforce

Abstract

Each year, there are approximately 12,600 workers compensation claims arising from the Australian construction industry, each representing an injury or health condition resulting in loss of productivity. In 2013–14, the construction industry accounted for around 9% of the Australian workforce, but accounted for overall 12% of workplace related fatalities. Previous studies have shown a high association between accident rates in the construction industry and the migrant workforce adversely impacting on social sustainability. The main issues faced by non-English speaking workers were language, cultural barriers, training barriers and communication. The migrant workforce is equivalent to roughly 24% of the construction industry’s total workforce. Over 11% of workers originate from countries where English is the first language and 12.2% originate from non-English speaking countries. The aim of this study is to investigate the challenges faced by non-English speaking migrant workers including communication and cultural barriers, and to explore any potential impacts this may have on construction site safety as a key contributor in achieving social sustainability. It presents a detailed single case study that is representative of a typical case, a typical “project” among many different projects. Data is captured on everyday working conditions using a series of tripartite interviews (project managers, site managers and Workplace Health and Safety officers). Using the triangulation theory, multiple perspectives were sought instead of looking only from a single perspective to facilitate a deeper understanding of these issues. The research found many unsafe working practices endemic to migrant workers and that communication and language barriers faced by migrant workers have an adverse impact on site safety within the Australian commercial construction industry.