Citation :

Navya Agarwal, "Structural Failures and the Normalisation of Occupational Hazard in Mumbai’s Construction Sector," International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, vol. 13, no. 4, pp. 39-49, 2026. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23942703/IJHSS-V13I4P105

Abstract

Construction workers are one of the most marginalized and vulnerable workforces in India. However, there is a lack of enforcement, a lack of documentation, and a lack of reporting of construction site safety regulations. Mumbai is one of the largest cities in the world, and its construction attracts migrants from other states. Mumbai, on account of its being a metropolitan city with continuous ongoing construction, the construction workers are exposed to a variety of safety and health risks every day, including but not limited to falling from heights, electrocution, and heat stress. There are laws such as the BOCW Act 1996 and the OSH Code 2020, but accidents occur due to unsafe practices, due to gaps in enforcement and weak accountability. Almost all the information that is available and accessible about construction workers’ safety in India is quantitative and has little to no coverage of the construction workers’ actual experiences. This research shows that informal labor, institutional neglect, and the normalisation of working with the risk of injury all contribute to the unsafe conditions for the construction sector in Mumbai. This is a mixed-method research that has a qualitative-dominant approach. This was accomplished by conducting semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions, and a survey with around fifteen workers and safety professionals at two construction sites in Mumbai. The primary data was supplemented with secondary sources like the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) and the Ministry of Labor and Employment. Findings reveal that despite basic safety equipment being available across sites, the usage of these tools is still low due to discomfort, time constraints, and compliance that is externally driven rather than embedded. Post-accident responses are limited to minimal compensation and are accompanied by little evidence of systemic improvement. This research provides an evidence-based foundation to advocate for stronger enforcement of policies and transparent reporting mechanisms, keeping in mind the diverse cultural context of the workers.

Keywords

BOCW Act, Construction safety, Migrant labour, Mumbai, Occupational hazard.

References

1. Kishor Bhagwat, and Venkata Santosh Kumar Delhi, “Investigation of Multi-Level Safety Culture in the Indian Construction Industry: A Multi-Level Employees' Perception based Approach,” International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics, vol. 28, no. 4, pp. 2052-2065, 2022.
   [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
2. Vigneshkumar Chellappa, Ahmed Jail Al-Bayati, and Yan Luximon, “Enhancing Migrant Workers' Safety in Construction: Identifying Key Factors and Strategies,” Journal of Legal Affairs and Dispute Resolution in Engineering and Construction, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 1-9, 2025.
   [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
3. Vigneshkumar Chellappa, Vasundhara Srivastava, and Urmi Ravindra Salve, “A Systematic Review of Construction Workers' Health and Safety Research in India,” Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, vol. 19, no. 6, pp. 1488-1504, 2021.
   [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
4. Directorate General Factory Advice Service and Labour Institutes, Construction Safety for Workers, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Government of India. [Online]. Available: https://dgfasli.gov.in/public/Admin/Cms/AllPdf/worker_manual_construction_eng.pdf
5. Sri Datta Duddukuru, and Bonaventura H.W. Hadikusumo, Safety Law, System and Regulation Influencing the Construction Sector in India, 1^st ed., Routledge, 2019.
   [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
6. Uwe Flick, The SAGE Handbook of Qualitative Data Analysis, SAGE Publications Ltd, pp. 1-664, 2013.
   [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
7. Reshma Geordy et al., Assessment of Safety Practices in Construction Sites, Journal of Advanced Research in Dynamical and Control Systems, vol. 10, no. 8, pp. 1084-1088, 2018. [Online]. Available:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/331994500_Assessment_of_safety_practices_in_construction_sites
8. Abid Hasan, and Kumar Neeraj Jha, “Safety Incentive and Penalty Provisions in Indian Construction Projects and Their Impact on Safety Performance,” International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion, vol. 20, no. 1, pp. 3-12, 2013.
   [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
9. Ministry of Labour and Employment, Accidents of Construction Workers, Press Information Bureau, Government of India, 2023. [Online]. Available: https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleaseIframePage.aspx?PRID=1982414&reg=48&lang=2
10. Ministry of Labour and Employment, Safety of Workers at Construction Sites, Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 323, Government of India, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://sansad.in/getFile/loksabhaquestions/annex/1715/AU323.pdf?source=pqals
11. Lokmat Times, Mumbai: Labourer Falls from Third Floor of Under-Construction Site in Vikhroli, Contractor Booked, Lokmat Times, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.lokmattimes.com/mumbai/mumbai-labourer-falls-from-third-floor-of-under-construction-site-in-vikhroli-contractor-booked-a510
12. The Free Press Journal, Mumbai News: Construction Worker Dies After Falling from Under-Construction Building in Kanjurmarg, The Free Press Journal, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/mumbai-news-construction-worker-dies-after-falling-from-under-construction-building-in-kanjurmarg
13. Drisya Murali, and M. Suresh, “Shaping the Future of Safe Work: A Review of Research Trends and Gaps in Construction Worker Safety Culture,” Information Systems for Intelligent Systems, Singapore, pp. 273-283, 2025.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
14. National Data Sharing and Accessibility Policy, Accidental Deaths and Suicides in India 2023, 2025. [Online]. Available: https://www.data.gov.in/catalog/accidental-deaths-suicides-india-adsi-2023
15. Johan Ninan, “Construction Safety in Media: An Overview of Its Interpretation and Strategic Use,” International Journal of Construction Management, vol. 23, no. 6, pp. 945-953, 2021.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
16. Sasmita Samanta, and Jyotiranjan Gochhayat, “Critique on Occupational Safety and Health in Construction Sector: An Indian Perspective,” Materials Today Proceedings, vol. 80, pp. 3016-3021, 2021.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
17. Atul Kumar Singh et al., “Study on Safety Health of Construction Workers at Workplace: A Sustainable Perspective Approach,” Frontiers in Built Environment, vol. 10, 2024.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
18. P. Sivaprakash, and S. Kanchana, “A Study on Statutory Provisions for Construction Safety in India,” Archives of Civil Engineering, vol. 64, no. 1, pp. 171-179, 2018.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar]
19. Pooja Tripathi, and Yash Kumar Mittal, “Current Safety Practices in the Construction Industry: A Case Study Approach,” IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, Jaipur, India, vol. 1326, pp. 1-9, 2024.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
20. Vishu Vijayan, and M.S. Riyana, “A Study about the Status of Implementation on Safety Standards and Legal Requirements Pertaining to Construction Safety,” International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research, vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 856-861, 2018.
    [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
21. Vigneshkumar Chellappa, Rita Yi M. Li, and Ahmed Jalil Al-Bayati, “Essential Qualifications for Safety Personnel in the Indian Construction Industry: Delphi Approach,” Journal of Structural Design and Construction Practice, vol. 30, no. 2, pp. 1-8, 2025.
    [CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]