Hassan, H (2020) Psychosocial risks among migrant workers in the Middle East construction sector. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham, UK.
Abstract
Background: The Middle East has witnessed an unprecedented construction boom in recent years supported by a massive migrant workforce. The working conditions of this workforce are generally recognized as poor. Few researchers have examined health and safety and their possible relations with the psychosocial working conditions of this workforce. A paucity of knowledge exists on the occupational risks to health and safety in this population, and this is particularly the case for risks arising from the psychosocial work environment. Added knowledge in this domain could usefully inform risk reduction activities concerning modification to the design, organization, and management of work as a means to protect and promote workers' health and safety. Aims and Methods: A sequential mixed-methods investigation was conducted involving migrant construction workers at a large construction site in the Middle East. Study 1 involved a series of qualitative focus groups (n = 50) with the aim of identifying problematic psychosocial working conditions. Focus group transcripts were subjected to thematic analysis to identify themes in the narratives. The findings of Study 1 informed the design of a questionnaire completed by 651 workers to produce a descriptive profile of theory-based and role-specific psychosocial hazard exposures, the psychosocial safety climate, and indices of health and safety (Study 2). Data from Study 2 were subjected to logistic regression analyses to explore associations between psychosocial hazard exposures and safety climate in relation to health and safety outcomes. Results: Thematic analyses of focus group transcripts from Study 1 revealed a series of psychosocial hazards, namely high job demands, poor management support, and financial strain. Key among these hazards was indebtedness to a labour recruiter in participants' home countries. In the quantitative study, the descriptive profile was stratified by job type (labourers, skilled workers, foremen) and characterized by high exposure to potentially harmful psychosocial hazards, poor safety climate, and poor health and safety indices. Exposure to generic theory-based and role-specific psychosocial hazards was associated with elevated odds of negative health and safety outcomes. Conclusions: Research that focuses on generic theory-based psychosocial risk factors, alongside those that are role- and context-specific, offers a strong basis for interventions relevant to a specific occupational group. The current investigation has advanced knowledge on psychosocial risks among migrant construction workers in the Middle East construction sector and points towards pathways for the protection and promotion of the health and safety of this large and neglected population.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | climate; construction site; construction worker; focus group; hazards; health and safety; occupation; safety; workforce; working conditions |
| Index terms: | promotion, skilled worker, risk factor, work environment, investigation, logistic regression analysis, job demand, working conditions, construction worker, safety climate, health and safety, risk reduction, focus group, Middle East, occupation, construction site, migrant worker, thematic analysis, questionnaire, narrative, population, construction sector, exposure |
| Subjects: | data collection methods, work location, public and environmental health, management, employment law, qualitative and interpretive research, methods and analysis, sociology, statistical analysis, industry analysis, practitioner, physical geography and landforms, financial risk, health safety and environment, demography, environmental hazards |
| Topics: | Organizational Design, Site Management, Human Resources, International Construction, Urban Studies, Roles and Professions, Research Practice, Cost Management, Legal Issues, Sustainability, Geographical Context, Health and Safety |
| 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