Supervisor-worker communication and supervisor support have been identified as critical determinants of young construction workers’ experience of injury and ill-health.

The three year project will utilise a mixed methods approach: (i) to understand the way that supervisors and workers talk about life, health and safety, (ii) to identify the characteristics of supportive interaction and supervision of young workers, and (iii) to identify organizational or context-related drivers of conversation failure (e.g. time pressure, lack of top level support etc).

A randomised controlled trial will evaluate three interventions designed to encourage young workers and their supervisors to talk openly about issues of life, health and safety. The results will inform the development of training and guidance development for workplaces taking on young construction workers.