Guan, Z; Samarasinghe, D A S; Yiu, T W; Reddy, R and Laird, I (2026) Examining the risk factors influencing safety outcomes for Chinese migrant construction workers in New Zealand. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 33(15), pp. 182-202. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Purpose – With globalization, Chinese migrant construction workers (CMCWs) have become a key labour force in the construction industry. Despite their contributions, CMCWs face higher incident risks compared to native and other migrant workers. This study examines the significance and relationships among five critical factors—communication barriers, safety policies, quality of safety training, personal factors, and cultural differences—that impact safety outcomes for CMCWs. By addressing a critical research gap in migrant construction worker safety, it provides a PLS-SEM model for enhancing the health and safety of CMCWs. Design/methodology/approach – Data collected from a questionnaire survey was analysed using a partial least squares structure equational modelling (PLS-SEM) tailored to CMCWs in New Zealand. Findings – Findings indicate that safety policy (p = 0.005) and personal factors (p = 0.042) significantly influence safety outcomes for CMCWs. Originality/value – Targeted safety management systems that enforce safety policies and strengthen safety awareness are essential for improving CMCW safety. This study provides an innovative view on language barriers, suggesting they do not primarily hinder communication but rather limit access to safety information, reduce the effectiveness of training, and impede the development of safety awareness. This framework enhances the understanding of occupational safety for CMCWs and offers a foundation for future research in safety management practices tailored to this demographic.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Chinese; construction workers; health and safety; migrant |
| Index terms: | effectiveness, risk factor, construction worker, modelling, safety training, occupational safety, construction industry, safety management system, New Zealand, critical factor, methodology, questionnaire, globalization, migrant worker, safety management, partial least square, labour force, health and safety, cultural difference, face, survey |
| Subjects: | research methods, Geography, health safety and environment, cross-cultural studies, environmental hazards, practitioner, psychology, analytical methods, management, economics, performance management, occupational health and safety management, industry analysis, economic factors, statistical analysis, data collection methods, risk assessment |
| Topics: | Research Practice, Roles and Professions, International Construction, Organizational Design, Geographical Context, Engineering Principles, Health and Safety, Sustainability, Risk Management, Quality Management, Supply Chain Management |
| 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