Mitigating dust pollution from construction activities: A behavioural control perspective

Construction sites constitute major sources of pollutants creating negative impacts on the environment. Sustainable construction aims at mitigating these negative externalities while promoting economic and social outcomes. Dust pollution in construction sites is an invisible hazard, which is often ignored as little more than a nuisance. Although behavioral control is a popular way of preventing dust generation, past research has paid little attention to worker behavior regarding dust mitigation. This study aims to test a model that predicts intentions to alter the conduct of workers towards dust control in construction activities. This study adopted a questionnaire survey design with construction participants in Sri Lanka, using structural equation modelling to test several hypotheses based on the Norm Activation Model. The results proved that awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility could have a positive impact on personal norms, which in turn could influence the behavior of site employees. The study also provided new insights on employees’ awareness of dust hazards, their sense of responsibility for its control, and the importance of their company. Policymakers and practitioners are recommended to pay more attention to how to harness worker’s support to mitigate dust pollution, and construction companies should initiate educational campaigns to raise awareness about environmental impacts, to influence personal norms of the workers in building sites. This research contributes to the body of knowledge by enhancing our understanding of factors influencing employees’ dust control behavior.