Pandemic Risk Management in Construction Projects

Abstract

Construction projects undergo critical stages resulting to circumstances with high uncertainty and risk, which has been escalated by the pandemic. As the pandemic continues to overwhelm the world, its negative effects to construction industry are clearly manifested. Health and safety risks in previous studies and researchers are not risk factors that has great impact to construction industry. However, the COVID-19 pandemic significantly increases the risks that needs intensive risk management techniques to continue construction operations. This study seeks to identify emerging risks and explored risk management techniques applied by construction companies in the Philippines in light of covid-19 pandemic. Findings of the study were based from a questionnaire survey on pandemic risk management in construction projects. Questionnaires were administered based on purposive sampling. Respondents were civil engineers and architects who are directly involved in management and administration of construction projects. The data obtained were analyzed and presented through frequency table and charts. As concluded, health and safety risk are the main risks factors that has effects on cost, time and quality of construction projects. Furthermore, these risks must be managed with great effort and coordination with the government to minimize its effects. In addition, the study is essential to construction industry to mitigate and control new emerging risk to ensure successful project completion.