Swedish Construction Industry Research Articles

Incidence of surgically treated osteoarthritis in the hip and knee in male construction workers

Objective: Occupational workload has been associated with an increased risk of osteoarthritis. The objective was to further examine the association between workload and occurrence of osteoarthritis and in particular to...

Safety climate cross-validation, strength and prediction of safety behaviour

The present paper investigates the dimensionality of safety climate, tests a hypothesis of sharedness among members in a social unit as a characteristic of safety climate and tests the predictive validity of safety climate with regard to safety behaviour. The dimensionality of safety climate reported by [Cheyne, A., Cox, S., Oliver, A., Tomás, J.M., 1998. Modelling safety climate in the prediction of levels of safety activity. Work and Stress, 12 (3), 255–271.] was successfully replicated in three different samples ( N1 = 242, N2 = 275, N3 = 284) in Swedish construction industry. Support was found for a hypothesis of a second order safety climate factor. A theoretically suggested distinction between safety climate and individual safety attitudes was supported. Safety climate was found to significantly predict self-reported safety behaviour 7 months later. This was true also with previous safety behaviour under control, supporting a causal relationship between safety climate and how workers behave with regard to safety.

Long‐term use of Swedish moist snuff and the risk of myocardial infarction amongst men

The scientific evidence on cardiovascular risks associated with long-term use of snuff is limited and inconclusive. The use of this smokeless tobacco has increased in recent decades, and adverse health effects associated with snuff use could be of great public health concern. We aimed to study whether long-term use of snuff affects the risk of myocardial infarction. Between 1978 and 1993 all construction workers in Sweden were offered repeated health check-ups by the Swedish Construction Industry's Organization for Working Environment Safety and Health. A cohort was created with information on tobacco use and other risk factors, collected through questionnaires. In total, 118,395 nonsmoking men without a history of myocardial infarction were followed through 2004. Information on myocardial infarction morbidity and mortality was obtained from national registers. Relative risk estimates were derived from Cox proportional hazards regression model, with adjustment for age, body mass index and region of residence. Almost 30% of the men had used snuff. In total, 118 395 nonsmoking men without a history of myocardial infarction were followed through 2004. The multivariable-adjusted relative risks for ever snuff users were 0.91 (95% confidence interval, 0.81-1.02) for nonfatal cases and 1.28 (95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.55) for fatal cases. Heavy users (>or=50 g day(-1)) had a relative risk of fatal myocardial infarction of 1.96 (95% confidence interval, 1.08-3.58). Snuff use increased the probability of mortality from cardiovascular disease amongst nonfatal myocardial infarction patients. Our results indicate that snuff use is associated with an increased risk of fatal myocardial infarction.

Value Delivery through Product Offers: A Lean Leap in Multi-Storey Timber Housing Construction

Among large Swedish contractors there is currently a specialization trend towards an increased use of prefabrication and complete systems in housing construction. The Lean Construction development up to date has focused on the management of value delivery for complex construction projects. Typical Swedish housing projects do not experience this broad complexity; instead the main challenge seems to be to better specify and deliver customer value. Currently, the Lean Construction methods available are not by themselves enough for the generation of value in Swedish multi-storey housing construction. The aim of this paper is to examine the potential of the product offer (a well-defined and highly standardized building system developed from the value views of specific customers) as an aid in the generation and delivery of value for multi-storey timber housing construction. From the point of view of manufacturing and customer value, the product offer is considered a Lean strategy for integrated consideration of internal and external value. Case study experiences indicate that the product offer strategy provides stability and continuity for producers that in turn provides with Lean practices in marketing, design and manufacturing. Approaching Lean, small- to medium-sized Swedish producers should focus on improvements through Lean Manufacturing. However, since an emerging demand from the Swedish construction industry forces these producers to take a larger role in the construction process, more construction related Lean improvements must also be considered. In this regard, the product offer is demonstrated to be a promising Lean strategy for the Swedish housing industry.

Occupational exposures and head and neck cancers among Swedish construction workers

Occupational exposures in the construction industry may increase the risk of head and neck cancers, although the epidemiologic evidence is limited by problems of low study power and inadequate adjustment for tobacco use. In an attempt to address this issue, the relationship between selected occupational exposures and head and neck cancer risk was investigated using data from a large cohort of Swedish construction workers. Altogether 510 squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (171 in the oral cavity, 112 in the pharynx, 227 in the larynx) were identified during 1971-2001 among 307 799 male workers in the Swedish construction industry. Exposure to diesel exhaust, asbestos, organic solvents, metal dust, asphalt, wood dust, stone dust, mineral wool, and cement dust was assessed using a semi-quantitative job-exposure matrix. Rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated for head and neck cancers in relation to occupational exposure, using Poisson regression with adjustment for age and smoking status. Asbestos exposure was related to an increased laryngeal cancer incidence (RR 1.9, 95% CI 1.2-3.1). Excesses of pharyngeal cancer were observed among workers exposed to cement dust (RR 1.9, 95% CI 1.2-3.1). No occupational exposures were associated with oral cavity cancer. These findings did not materially change upon additional adjustment for cigarette pack-years. These findings offer further evidence that asbestos increases the risk of laryngeal cancer. The observation of a positive association between cement dust exposure and pharyngeal cancer warrants further investigation.

Learning capabilities in organizational networks: case studies of six construction projects

Organizational learning is a key mechanism for adapting to changes in the organization's environment, sharing know‐how and experiences, and for providing innovative solutions. Practices of organization learning are examined in six Swedish construction projects. In the Swedish construction industry, organization learning practices are in many cases underdeveloped and therefore mechanisms for sharing know‐how, information, and experiences remain an organizational capability not fully exploited. Findings suggest that construction projects are primarily relying on informal and personal contacts rather than more formal reporting and computer‐based management control systems. The implications for management in the industry are that new arenas wherein various professional groups can share knowledge and information would be beneficial for construction projects in terms of enabling for joint learning and a better use of the intellectual resources employed the project.

Multiple myeloma and diesel and other occupational exposures in swedish construction workers.

We examined the relationships between occupational exposures and the risk of multiple myeloma among male construction workers in Sweden. A total of 446 myeloma subjects were identified among 365,424 male workers followed from 1971 to 1999. Occupational exposure was assessed using a semiquantitative job-exposure matrix, based on a survey carried out by the Construction Industry's Organization for Working Environment, Occupational Safety and Health in Sweden. Rate ratios (RRs) in the exposed groups relative to the unexposed groups were estimated by Poisson regression. We found an increased risk (RR = 1.3, 95% CI 1.04-1.71) among construction workers exposed to diesel exhaust. Adjustment for other occupational exposures did not change this estimate (RR = 1.3, 95% CI 1.00-1.77). However, there was no monotonic increase in risk with estimated level of exposure (RR for low = 1.4, moderate = 1.1, high = 1.4). There was no evidence of increased risk associated with the other occupational exposures among these construction workers, including asbestos, asphalt, cement dust, metal dust, mineral wool, organic solvents, stone dust and wood dust. Occupational exposure to diesel exhaust in the Swedish construction industry may present a small risk of multiple myeloma, but lack of an exposure-response trend tempers our ability to draw clear conclusions.

Illustrative Benchmarking Rework and Rework Costs in Swedish Construction Industry

Following several studies investigating the causes of construction rework among some projects in the Swedish construction industry, we conducted this study in cooperation with R&D West, a group of construction companies in Sweden, to measure the costs of rework in construction projects. Rework has become an endemic feature of the procurement process in construction that invariably leads to time and cost overruns in projects. Thus, in order to improve the performance of projects, it is necessary to identify the causes and costs of construction rework. The research presented in this paper identifies, analyzes, and discusses the causes, magnitudes, and costs of rework experienced in seven Swedish construction projects. The findings revealed that the costs of rework for the case study projects were 4.4% of the construction values of the observation period, and the time needed to correct them was 7.1% of the total work time. The construction errors that generated rework were further analyzed according to their origins, types, and positions, causes of construction rework were identified and discussed, and preventive actions were suggested.

Occupational sunlight exposure and cancer incidence among Swedish construction workers.

We studied sunlight exposure from outdoor work in relation to cancer, using data from 323,860 men participating in an occupational health service program of the Swedish construction industry. An experienced industrial hygienist assessed the exposure for 200 job tasks. We estimated relative risks (RRs) adjusted for age, smoking, and magnetic field exposure. There was an increased RR in the high-exposure group for myeloid leukemia [RR = 2.0, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) = 1.1-3.6] and lymphocytic leukemia (RR = 1.7, 95% CI = 0.9-3.2). For non-Hodgkin's lymphoma there was a 30% increase in risk in the high-exposure group (95% CI = 0.9-1.9). There was no increased risk of malignant melanoma, except for tumors of the head, face, and neck in the high-exposure group (RR = 2.0, 95% CI = 0.8-5.2), and we also found an increased risk for malignant melanoma of the eye in this group (RR = 3.4, 95% CI = 1.1-10.5). Outdoor workers had no increased risk of nonmelanoma skin cancer. Nevertheless, the RR for lip cancer (squamous cell carcinoma) among the high-exposure group was estimated at 1.8 (95% CI = 0.8-3.7). Among other sites, an increased risk of stomach cancer was suggested in this group (RR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.0-1.9). The results for lymphoma, leukemia, and possibly also for stomach cancer might reflect a suppression of the immune system from ultraviolet light in outdoor workers.

Interpretation and translation of industrial recipes: a study of strategic thinking in the Swedish construction industry

The aim of this article is to promote an understanding of changing knowledge structures. The study focuses on strategic management and how knowledge structures evolve and change. It is argued that: Industrial recipes can function both as restricting and driving forces for changing the existing knowledge structure of strategic thinking among managers. Institutional conditions force companies to act in new ways and in new markets, but institutional conditions also impede learning by not opening up for solutions which are beyond the recipe. Managerial action is guided by transforming interpretation of the industrial recipe. The industry recipe provides security for managers, but their subsequent action can be very different from their traditional actions. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Information technology and the efficiency of materials supply: The implementation of EDI in the Swedish construction industry

Electronic data interchange (EDI) and other forms of information technology have attracted a lot of interest as a means for making the materials supply system more efficient. Potential cost savings and the opportunities for increased competitiveness have been recognized by, among others, the large Swedish construction companies. However, despite this interest in EDI communication and several years of industry-wide development work, practical use is still very limited. The purpose of this article is to describe and analyse the potential advantages of EDI, and to identify and analyse implementation problems and barriers that contribute to the slow rate of diffusion.

Measures to prevent portable ladder accidents in the construction industry.

Ladder accidents account for nearly 5% of all reported occupational accidents in the Swedish construction industry. Eighty-five ladder accident victims were interviewed to obtain detailed information about factors contributing to their accidents. Accidents were almost equally divided between straight ladders (N = 39) and step- ladder (N = 33). The majority of accidents occurred while the victim was working from the ladder. Climbing up and, particularly, down straight ladders was associated with numerous accidents. For straight ladders, sliding at the base was the most common event preceding the injury. Low angle of inclination was a common contributing factor. For step-ladders, tipping sideways was the most common preceding event. Misstepping the final step while descending accounted for 10% of all accidents. More than 90% of the victims fell from less than 4m. The interviews provided detailed information which served as a basis for proposals for alternatives to portable ladders; a step-scaffold adjustable for work at levels up to 3m and a portable scaffold for work at levels of 1-3m. These alternatives are under development. In addition, proposals for improving the stability of current portable ladders are made.

Smokeless tobacco use and increased cardiovascular mortality among Swedish construction workers.

Little is known about the risks of cardiovascular disease associated with the use of smokeless tobacco, which produces blood nicotine levels similar to those caused by cigarette smoking. Male Swedish construction industry employees (n = 135,036) who attended a health examination were followed by studying cause-specific mortality during a 12-year period. The study population comprised 6297 smokeless tobacco users, 14,983 smokers of fewer than 15 cigarettes per day, 13,518 smokers of 15 or more cigarettes per day, 17,437 ex-smokers, 50,255 "other" tobacco users, and 32,546 nonusers. The age-adjusted relative risk of dying from cardiovascular disease was 1.4 for smokeless tobacco users and 1.9 for smokers of 15 or more cigarettes per day, compared with nonusers. Among men aged 35 through 54 years at the start of follow-up, the relative risk was 2.1 for smokeless tobacco users and 3.2 for smokers. When data were adjusted for body mass index, blood pressure, and history of heart symptoms, the results were essentially unchanged. Cancer mortality was not raised in smokeless tobacco users. Both smokeless tobacco users and smokers face a higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than nonusers. Although the risk is lower for smokeless tobacco users than for smokers, the excess risk gives cause for preventive actions.

Screwdrivers and their use from a Swedish construction industry perspective

The purpose of this paper is to focus on certain important aspects of screw driver use in occupational work situations, with an emphasis on force exertion and screwdriver use in construction work. Hand tools are involved in many accidents and injuries in the Swedish construction industry. Traditions with in the industry sometimes have a strong influence on what tools are being used and how the work is performed. Manual and pistol-grip powered screwdrivers are the most common tools and the work is often performed with highly repetitive arm elevations, sometimes in constrained postures for long periods of time. Manual screwdriving causes high loads in the forearm muscles. There has therefore been a shift to the use of battery-powered screwdrivers, which have been shown to reduce forearm muscle load considerably, while at the same time increasing production. Factors apart from the tool itself, such as working height, screw-head type and characteristics of the target material, leading to long external shoulder moment arms and high required push forces, are primarily responsible for high loads, particularly in the shoulder muscles. Push reaction forces may exceed 70% of MVC and sometimes account for more than 70% of the external shoulder torque. Fatigue develops rapidly in the shoulder muscles during short-cycled repetitive overhead screwdriving. To reduce the risk of developing imjuries from screwdriving in construction work, it is necessary not only to improve screwdriver design, but also to improve posture and to select appropriate screws and material. It is also important to consider the work organization.

Does long-term concrete work cause silicosis?

The machining of cast concrete often produces heavy exposure to respirable silica dust. Work with concrete in general results in considerably less exposure, however, and only a few cases of silicosis due to work with concrete have been reported. Telephone interviews with detailed questions on occupational history were made with 271 construction workers specializing in concrete work for more than 20 years, and exposure data were evaluated for different work tasks. The mean cumulative exposure of subjects to silica was estimated to be 2.4 mg.years.m-3. Chest radiographs were classified according to the International Labour Office classification. There was no suspicion of silicosis for any of the workers. The risk of contracting silicosis from work with concrete in the Swedish construction industry in recent decades is considered to be slight and does not justify general, periodic chest radiographic screening.

R&D Cooperation by Swedish Contractors

A survey of technical and administrative research and development (R&D) performed by Swedish contractors indicates that total R&D in 1989 reached 1.6% of total value added. Large firms in the industry show higher R&D intensities. Reasons for undertaking development work and preferred patterns of collaboration are ranked by eleven contractors in the survey. Increasing competitive power is the main reason given, regardless of firm size. Contractors also agree on the importance of owners as partners in development projects. Given this background, experiences from the first seven years of the joint employer and union Development Fund of the Swedish Construction Industry (SBUF) are reported. Data on all 264 finished projects, their applicants, participants, and themes are analyzed. Rising educational levels, structural change in the industry, and applications of advanced technology, including information technology, appear as long‐term trends that affect the future of contractor R&D in Sweden.

Dynamic efficiency: A best‐practice approach to the Swedish construction industry

Best‐practice technique as a concept was developed for the purpose of analysing the structure of manufacturing industries. In my article I argue that the concept may also be applied to the construction industry, though the rationale differs somewhat. Instead of considering the technique embodied in the real capital, one should see it as part of the organization in Marshall's meaning. This would lead to different unit operating costs and different labour productivity among firms competing in the same market. The extent of the variation of the labour productivity during the period 1979–84 is shown in the paper. Productivity functions of different efficiency groups are estimated in order to establish the best‐practice production function. In that process it is also shown that during the period 1979–84 the efficiency of the firms using the best‐practice technique grows faster than the efficiency of all other firms.

Industrial accidents in the construction industry.

In this investigation, accidents in the Swedish construction industry in 1967 leading to permanent disability or death were studied. The aims were to illustrate the magnitude of the problem and to create a basis of decision for the taking of preventive measures. The population consisted of nearly 400 cases. The whole population excluding a 5% non-response was studied. The course of events and causes of the accidents were analysed according to the statements of workers, employers and police. The injured workers were interviewed by telephone; otherwise information was acquired from police reports and injury reports of the National Social Insurance Board. Not only had the injured been subjected to physical suffering and financial problems as a result of the accidents, but the humanitarian losses, in terms of limitations to family life and leisure activities were striking. Accident prevention must not be restricted to mere technical and psychological measures. According to our results it would be more fruitful to attack juridical, organizational, professional-economical, political circumstances. It is particularly important that a practical plan be formulated and accepted by the responsible authorities.