Ensuring Biological Hazard Preparedness in Health and Safety of Construction Sector: A Framework for a Code of Practice

The construction industry is considered one of the most dangerous industries due to its hazardous nature of work. Currently, the health and safety procedures in the construction industry are observed to be low in most parts of the world. The impacts of COVID-19 have extensively revealed the lack of preparedness in health and safety procedures in the industry. Even before COVID-19, dengue outbreaks have posed a significant threat to the industry. In such as a context, this study has aimed at identifying the current practices in the construction industry for enhancing the level of health and safety in construction sites for biological hazards and challenges in implementing those practices. The study has drawn on a focus group discussion considering dengue outbreaks in Sri Lanka as a case in point and a systematic literature review that consists of 21 publications on biological hazards in construction sites. According to the findings, current practices can be identified under four groups namely, hazard elimination, engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment (PPE). In implementing these practices, the lack of guidance, inadequate compliance to safety procedures, cost implications, and breakdowns in supply of PPE act as the main challenges. Although some measures are frequently practiced in awake of COVID-19, the long-term run of those measures can pose several consequences. It highlights the need for long-term planning in regard to biological hazard preparedness in construction sites. The paper presents a framework that can be followed in developing a code of practice for biological hazard preparedness of the construction industry. The proposed framework assists policymakers in shaping up the current health and safety procedures into a sustainable stage.