Page 33 - CV Aug-Sep 2023 Issue

and asbestosis.

3. Ergonomic issues and
degenerative disorders

4. Biological hazards and
Environmental diseases; Workers
are at risk of malaria, dengue,
animal attacks, histoplasmosis (a
lung infection caused by a
common soil fungus), and other
diseases due to poor sanitation
and unsafe drinking water.

5. Psycho-social hazards:
Employment is permanently
temporary, frequently changing
employers and most projects
require living in work camps away
However that isn't the case anymore. developing, leading to a brain drain. Even
from one's home and family. There
Technical institutions like the Indian if there are enough job opportunities
are no recreational facilities, a
Institute of Technology and the National available, it's common knowledge that
lack of access to education for
Institute of Technology (IITs and Nits) several construction industry individuals
children, poor sanitary facilities,
were set up through funding by the are underpaid for their work. Moreover, in
and a lack of safe drinking water.
government. It enabled more people to specific scenarios, there is a vast
These features of construction
get educated in the technical fields at an disparity between the salaries of a male
work, as well as heavy workload,
affordable fee, bridging the gap between and female doing the same job.
the possibility of workplace
the availability of skilled and unskilled People working in the construction
violence or community violence,
labour. Due to the promotion of technical industry, especially those constantly in
and limited social support, are
education by the governments, even the field, are exposed to several kinds of
associated with increased stress
private institutions started coming up, risk. For this kind of work, just
in the workforce. The associated
thus increasing the number of intakes per remuneration isn't enough. Each worker
addictions to alcohol, tobacco,
year. This meant that more graduates needs to be insured by the company that
and smoking contribute to illness
would pass out every year in the country. employs them, which would guarantee
and suffering.
This was helpful for an economy like better payment than just paying them. It
India, which had a high demand for must be compulsory for every company
Like any other industry, the construction
skilled labour. to offer their employees Life Insurance
industry faced huge losses during the
during the contract signing. A few of the
lockdown periods. Currently, it is still
The number of graduates per year risks faced by the construction industry
recovering from the gaps that were
gradually increased, but the number of workers are
caused due to Covid lockdowns. The
job opportunities available remained the
construction industry will continue to
same. This led to the saturation of the 1. Physical hazards and mechanical
grow and expand over the years to come.
construction industry, which further led to injuries and outcomes include
many educated individuals remaining exposure to noise and vibration,
unemployed for a long time, even after extreme heat or cold, work in
graduation. Since the Indian economy windy, rainy, snowy, or foggy
could not absorb all the graduates into weather, non-ionising ultraviolet
the construction industry, people who radiation, usually from exposure to
didn't get job opportunities started the sun, and electric arc welding.

migrating to foreign countries in search of
2. Chemical hazards include dust,
better job opportunities with better
fume, mists, vapours, and gases.
remuneration. This further proved fatal to
The most significant risk to the
the Indian economy, which is still
construction workforce is Silicosis

CONSTRUCTION VISION 31 AUGUST - SEPTEMBER 2023