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Vulnerabilities, extreme weather and temporal tensions as experienced by construction workers in the Swedish construction sector

Author

Listed:
  • Bo Nilsson
  • Anna Sofia Lundgren
  • Jenny Lönnroth

Abstract

Aim: Climate change poses increasing risks to outdoor occupations, including construction work. This study explores how vulnerability is constructed in narratives of manual labour within the Swedish construction sector, particularly under extreme weather conditions. Methods: Drawing on 16 qualitative interviews with Swedish construction workers, the study adopts a social constructionist lens to explore how vulnerability is shaped and experienced. Findings: The findings identify multiple, intersecting forms of vulnerability—bodily, hierarchical, material, social, and market-driven—exacerbated by climate-related challenges such as high temperatures, heavy rainfall, and strong winds. Crucially, the analysis highlights how extreme weather disrupts temporal rhythms, widening the gap between scheduled work plans and the actual time needed to complete tasks. Conclusion: The paper concludes that vulnerability arises not only from direct exposure to adverse weather, but also through indirect social, material, and temporal dynamics inherent in the construction sector and exacerbated by climate change.

Suggested Citation

  • Bo Nilsson & Anna Sofia Lundgren & Jenny Lönnroth, 2026. "Vulnerabilities, extreme weather and temporal tensions as experienced by construction workers in the Swedish construction sector," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 21(4), pages 1-18, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0345707
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0345707
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Glenn Morgan & Valeria Pulignano, 2020. "Solidarity at Work: Concepts, Levels and Challenges," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 34(1), pages 18-34, February.
    2. World Bank, 2012. "Turn Down the Heat: Why a 4°C Warmer World Must Be Avoided [Bajemos la temperatura : por qué se debe evitar un planeta 4º C más cálido]," World Bank Publications - Reports 11860, The World Bank Group.
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