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CIB Conferences

Abstract

Construction workplaces significant physical and cognitive demands on workers, yet the role of nutrition in supporting energy, concentration and safety is seldom addressed in industry discourse. This study explores how construction workers understand and manage their daily eating habits, and how these habits influence performance, wellbeing and risk. The research forms part of an ongoing qualitative inquiry, using semi‑structured interviews with workers from a range of roles including bricklayers, plasterers, waste management teams and site managers. Early findings indicate considerable variation in nutritional practices, shaped by time pressures, cost, convenience and site routines. While some workers rely heavily on fast food or irregular eating patterns, others adopt structured and health‑focused approaches, demonstrating how disciplined meal preparation and balanced diets can sustain energy, improve concentration and support physical endurance. Participants also reported links between poor nutrition, fatigue and lapses in attention, with potential consequences for safety on site. Emerging insights suggest that both individual habits and workplace conditions influence nutritional behaviour. The study highlights the need for greater recognition of nutrition within occupational health strategies and identifies opportunities for employers to support healthier and more sustainable eating practices across the sector.

Keywords

Nutrition, Occupational Health, Safety Performance, Wellbeing.

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