Relationship between nutrition and construction safety performance : experimental work

Abstract: It is known that nutrition is linked with worker health and safety (H&S) performance. However, this relationship has not been evaluated empirically. The present paper evaluates the relationship between nutrition and safety performance on construction sites. Empirical data were collected through a field questionnaire survey conducted on site construction workers in South Africa. Principal components analysis and Spearman’s correlation analysis were used to analyze the data. Findings revealed that increased consumption of certain foods termed “alternatives” in the current study, including dairy products, eggs, nuts, fish and cereals, was associated with improved safety performance. No significant correlation was found between nutritional choice and negative performance measures. By providing evidence of which foods may be correlated with safety performance of construction workers on construction sites, the design of explicit nutrition interventions for construction workers, particularly including planning for these significant foods, will be allowed. The study will also result in nutrition being given more attention in H&S considerations on construction sites