Occupational injuries among non-standard workers in the Taiwan construction industry

Introduction: Global changes in the labor force have led to an increase in non-standard employment (NSE) workers, particularly apparent in the construction industry. These workers have a higher risk of occupa-tional injury and negative health-related outcomes. Method: In this study, relevant literature and the database for construction accidents are examined to identify the classification of NSE in the Taiwan con-struction industry. Accident reports from 2000 to 2018 are extracted from case reports of the Northern Occupational Safety and Health Center of Taiwan. Pearson's chi-squared test are then employed to ana-lyze a total of 1,612 occupational fatality cases in the construction industry to explore the differences in occupational injuries between NSE and standard employment (SE). Further, characteristics of occupa-tional injuries for different types of NSE in the construction industry are analyzed. Results: The NSE occu-pational injury rate for older workers over 60 years old is higher, especially for self-employed workers taking on technical work. NSE workers are more expected to suffer occupational fatalities in the small-scale, non-public, and repair projects. Occupational injuries involving self-employed and temporary agency workers are clearly regionally concentrated. Temporary agency workers involved in occupational injuries are most engaged in non-technical work and movement for worker motion with their unfamil-iarity with the worksite. Most enterprises did not perform safety management on construction sites for occupational injuries involving NSE workers, especially for self-employed workers. Conclusions: The results show that the hazard characteristics of NSE workers are clearly different from SE workers. NSE workers face inferior job security and protection, especially for self-employed workers. Practical Applications: The results can be used to establish effective occupational safety management policies and programs more efficiently.(c) 2022 National Safety Council and Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Global changes in the labor force have led to an increase in non-standard employment (NSE) workers in the construction industry, who are at a higher risk of occupational injuries and negative health outcomes. This study examines the classification of NSE in the Taiwan construction industry and analyzes the differences in occupational injuries between NSE and standard employment (SE) using accident reports from 2000 to 2018. The results show that older workers, self-employed workers, and temporary agency workers engaged in non-technical work are more susceptible to occupational injuries. Safety management for NSE workers, especially self-employed workers, on construction sites is inadequate.