The Australian construction industry employs over 1.3 million employees. That’s about 9% of the workforce.
But there could also be construction sites dangerous workplaces. There are also more accidents on the street Monday than every other weekday, as we see on this pattern many countries.
Many aspects give us this “The Monday effect“. We can address these and other issues to scale back avoidable workplace accidents on Mondays and other weekdays.
Construction is dangerous
The construction sector has higher rates accidents at work than the national average.
The industry reported that in 2023 45 employees diedwhich is a rise from the five-year average of 33.
Construction employees most often die from being hit by moving objects. The next most common causes are deaths resulting from falls, trips and slips.
Financial yr 2022-23 There were over 16,600 serious employees’ compensation claims in the construction sector. The median salary is now A$18,479 and the median lost work time is 8.5 weeks – each higher than in previous years.
“The Monday Effect”
Various studies conducted in numerous regions confirm that “The Monday effect”in construction. For example, a Chinese study found that fatal accidents occurred 12.6% more often on Mondays in comparison with other weekdays. There was a similar trend in Spain AND Hong Kong.
We also see “The Monday effect” IN other industries, akin to agriculture, forestry, mining and manufacturing.
A Spanish study that checked out records almost 3 million accidents at workincluding construction, confirmed the Monday effect across industries, firms of all sizes, every kind of employees, and every kind of injuries.
Linked data from all workplace accidents in Queensland also confirms Monday’s impact.
Why Mondays?
Construction accidents are more likely on Monday many reasons.
For example, staying up late on Sunday night and getting a poor night’s rest the night before the work week starts contributes to “cognitive failures” and mistakes at work on Monday.
Mondays often involve starting recent tasks or projects. This may cause unknown risks.
Construction site conditions, including weather, may change over the weekend, causing unexpected hazards. For example, strong winds over the weekend could cause scaffolding or unsecured materials to maneuver, increasing the risk of accidents on Monday.
We need to handle the root causes
AND test chargeable for the safety and efficiency of the Australian construction industry, stressed the have to proactively anticipate and stop accidents somewhat than taking motion after they occur – on Mondays or other days of the week.
The study used in-depth interviews with 30 industry professionals at 14 firms to discover several aspects contributing to construction accidents:
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unrealistic deadlineswhich might prompt employees to rush and cut corners to get the job done on time
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shortage of expert laborwhich suggests some employees could also be doing work for which they aren’t qualified
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employees are afraid to talk out about safety concernswhich can result in failure to report and address potential threats
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complicated and unknown custom structureswhich can involve unique risks and challenges that employees may not have encountered before
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insufficient human factor risk assessmentwhich include fatigue, stress or cognitive overload and might result in errors and unsafe decisions on the spot
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rushed training programsparticularly for safety reasons, which can leave employees unprepared to cope with risks or follow proper procedures.
What can we do to forestall accidents?
Part of the solution to a few of these problems is supporting a workplace culture during which security it is perceived as a core value and shared responsibility of employers, superiors and employees.
In construction firms, where safety is treated as “psychological contract” – unwritten but mutual obligations of employees and superiors – employees are higher equipped identifying and eliminating security threats.
Awareness campaigns highlighting issues akin to the “Monday effect” can even encourage adjustments to workflows to scale back the risk of accidents. This may include scheduling less dangerous or less complex tasks for Mondays to present employees time to return to their every day duties.
What else can we do?
Technology it will possibly also help prevent accidents.
For example, wearable sensors on a wristband or smartphone can discover, track and monitor employees body posture. These sensors can detect unsafe lifting practices, excessive bending, or prolonged exposure to a static or uncomfortable position. These are aspects that may contribute to ergonomic risks and injuries.
Augmented reality could be used to simulate tasks to assist employees practice techniques safely.
Artificial intelligence could analyze the image from the camera Down monitor workplaces in case of dangerous activities and signaling threats.
But cost concernsprivacy and industry belief that these investments are worthwhile are amongst the barriers to the adoption of those technologies.
Talking about money
Raising awareness of the economic costs of workplace accidents can change attitudes and priorities.
2019 Australian study found that the average cost of a construction accident ranges from $2,040 to $6,024,517. This depends on whether the accident resulted in brief or long absence from work, whether someone is partially or completely unable to work, or whether someone dies.
Elements of this estimate include compensation, lack of income or earnings, costs of coaching and retraining of staff, social welfare advantages, in addition to costs of treatment, tests and care.
Goal: zero deaths
Deaths and injuries at work on construction sites mustn’t be dismissed as accidents. They are a symptom of many systemic aspects that should be addressed through thoughtful motion and a commitment to safety.
Just as road safety initiatives aim to realize zero fatalities, the construction industry should focus on achieving zero workplace fatalities.
