Niroshana, N; Siriwardana, C and Jayasekara, R (2023) The impact of COVID-19 on the construction industry and lessons learned: A case of Sri Lanka. International Journal of Construction Management, 23(15), pp. 2521-2538. ISSN 1562-3599
Abstract
The Sri Lankan construction industry has experienced rapid development in the post-war era due to new trends in the country. Currently, the construction industry in the country is experiencing difficulties due to the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even before the pandemic, the industry has been struggling due to issues that affect its productivity, such as lack of skilled labourers and low levels of health and safety in sites. In such a context this paper aims at identifying and evaluating the challenges posed by the pandemic. Seventy responses were obtained from officials in the top and middle levels of management in different construction companies in the country through an online survey. Challenges and solutions have been identified and analysed under four key areas namely, workforce management, health and safety, welfare facilities, and emergency preparedness. The findings of the study can aid construction professionals with shaping up construction projects beyond COVID-19. Accordingly, the industry needs several efforts in regard to legislative enactments, administrative support, education and training, and review and evaluation.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | COVID-19; dengue; emergency preparedness; health and safety; workforce management |
| Index terms: | COVID-19, health and safety, emergency preparedness, construction company, survey, construction project, lessons learned, pandemic, low level, productivity, construction professional, war, Sri Lanka, construction industry, education and training |
| Subjects: | organization, data collection methods, industry analysis, professional education, measurement and scaling, professional development, conflict and crisis studies, production management, health safety and environment, Geography, safety engineering, management, health risk and incident analysis |
| Topics: | Education, Legal Issues, Information Management, Geographical Context, Project Management, Research Practice, Health and Safety, Business Strategy |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here