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This study explored the ramifications of COVID-19 on construction operations in Malaysia.

Following a detailed literature review, 37 ramifications are identified and divided into nine aspects. A self-designed survey is then employed to seek the perceptions of construction practitioners around the Klang Valley region regarding the significance of the ramifications. A total of 203 valid responses are subjected to statistical analyses to prioritise the ramifications.

All the potential ramifications are perceived to be significant, with the five utmost critical ramifications being rescheduling the project timeline, compliance with government SOP, delay in the handover project, compulsory COVID-19 test for all workers and the extra cost incurred to provide COVID-19 test for workers.

This study highlights the ramifications of COVID-19 on construction operations and deliberately informs construction organizations regarding the shortcomings of recent construction management. Besides, the insights suggested that industry practitioners devise corresponding strategies for project sustainability in future similar crises.

The findings serve as a valuable reference and are benign to industry professionals and researchers from developing nations, especially nations that share similar characteristics to Malaysia.

This study aims to investigate technology-based health and safety (H&S) management to control the spread of disease on construction sites using a partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) approach.

An extensive literature review is conducted to develop a conceptual framework. The variables identified from the literature review are included in a cross-sectional survey which gathered a total of 203 valid feedback. The variables for challenges are grouped under their relevant construct using exploratory factor analysis. Then, a hypothesized model is developed for PLS-SEM analysis using Smart PLS software. Later, the outcome of the model is further validated by nine construction experts using a semi-structured questionnaire survey.

The results rationalized the relationships between the COVID-19 H&S measures, challenges in implementing COVID-19 H&S measures on construction sites and the innovative technologies in transforming construction H&S management during the COVID-19 pandemic. The possible challenges that obstruct the implementation of H&S measures are highlighted. The potential technologies which can significantly transform H&S management by reducing the impact of challenges are presented.

The findings benefited the industry practitioners who are suffering disruption in construction operations due to the pneumonic plague.

By developing a conceptual model, this study reveals the contribution of technology-based H&S management for construction projects during the COVID-19 pandemic, which remains under-studied, especially in the context of the developing world.

Most of the previous studies conducted on the subject of subcontractors often focussed on a single phase of subcontracting practice; either on registration, selection of subcontractors or on monitoring of subcontractors without much integration to other different phases involved. Thus, on the basis of that reason, the purpose of this paper is to link the gap between different phases of subcontracting practice. This study also attempts to explore the relationships between the key criteria used by general contractors in selecting subcontractors before job awarding (CSSC) and the key criteria used for monitoring subcontractors during construction work (CMSC); which will then include an investigation of the effects these criteria have on project performance (PP).

The data obtained from a total of 162 G7 contractors in Malaysia were analysed. The interrelationships between the criteria and the effects of these criteria on PP were investigated simultaneously by employing a single model based on structural equation modelling (SEM) method.

The final model has discovered four major criteria that are often considered during the selection of subcontractors namely, “communication”, “relationship”, “general obligation” and “resource management” of a subcontractor. Meanwhile, the major criteria that are referred to in the monitoring of subcontractors are “workmanship”, “awareness of environment, health and safety” and “communication and relationship”. The four CSSC were found to be interrelated among themselves and affected CMSC during the construction stage. The research also revealed that the criteria used in monitoring subcontractor do affect the performance of a project. Thus, based on the result of this investigation, the monitoring of subcontractor is essential in discerning the performance level of a project.

An established SEM improves a subcontracting practice by creating platforms for CSSC, CMSC and PP to influence each other. With the gap between selection and monitoring subcontractors are filled, then the prediction of the subcontractors’ performance can be made possible.