Health and Safety Perceptions of Construction Workers in Denmark

Construction is among the most hazardous industries, with risk factors existing on multiple levels, ranging from individual to organizational issues. Ensuring a healthy and safe workplace is crucial for worker performance and job satisfaction and is also highlighted in the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals. This study involved a national survey among construction workers in Denmark conducted in 2023. The study aimed to address two primary research questions: 1) the number of years of industry experience and 2) the size of projects influence workers' perceptions of Health and Safety (H&S). The research design involved six steps: 1. Theoretical framework, 2. Survey design, 3. Pilot test, 4. Data collection, 5. Data cleaning, and 6. Data analysis. Previous studies on H&S perceptions have often been limited by small sample sizes and varying definitions of project size. This study’s robust sample of 2,176 valid responses allows for more generalizable conclusions. The analysis showed that less experienced workers reported more frequent encounters with several H&S issues, whereas project size had a marginal impact. Contrarily, correlation analysis indicated stronger relationships (Pearson Correlation Coefficient (PCC) = 0.18, 0.20, and 0.25) between project size and perceptions of H&S practices than between experience and H&S perceptions (PCC = 0.12, 0.16, and 0.17). The findings highlight the importance of tailored safety training, particularly for less experienced workers, and suggest that larger projects may have better-established safety practices, emphasizing the need for consistent safety management, especially on smaller-scale projects.