Employment and winter construction: a comparative analysis of Denmark and western European countries with a similar climate

Abstract

Reduced seasonal building activity in the construction sector is often assumed to be related to hard winter conditions for building activities and poor working conditions for construction workers, resulting in higher costs and poor quality of building products, particularly in the northern hemisphere. Can climatic conditions alone explain the sizeable difference in reduction in building activity in the construction sector in European countries in the winter months, or are other factors such as technology, economic cycles and schemes for financial compensation influential as well? What possibilities exist for reducing seasonal variation in employment? In addition to a literature review related to winter construction, European and national employment and meteorological data were studied. Finally, ministerial acts, ministerial orders or other public policy documents related to winter construction were scrutinized in order to identify and compare economic incentives and compensation schemes intended to increase winter working in construction in Denmark and other western European countries. Overall, economic development in the construction sector and the level of compensation or the duration of contracts for workers is more likely to explain differences in seasonal activity than climatic or technological factors.

Keywords:

• Weather
• construction process
• employment

Acknowledgement

The research project was supported by a grant from the Danish Enterprise and Construction Authority.

Notes

aData from 2004 (Danish Enterprise and Construction Authority, 2004).

bIn the Netherlands enterprises have created risk funds, which reimburse the enterprises for part of the wages paid during periods when work is suspended. In this way, the risk fund also secures the corresponding compensation of time lost for employees.

cPayment after the third consecutive day is assumed by unemployment insurance.

dConstruction workers in Sweden are hired on long-term contracts.

eTwo possible solutions: (1) the client describes which of the precautions that are regarded as necessary in the actual case and to describe to what extent they have to be used; or (2) the client can choose to tender the entire work including weather-related precautions. In this case the responsibility is handed over to the contractor.

fIn most cases fixed-price contracts are used where the contractor has the full economic responsibility for the precautions.

gIn most cases fixed-price contracts are used. No definition of bad weather exists.