Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
4.4
3.1
Journals
Buildings
Special Issues
Rethinking Safety in Construction: Innovations and Best Practices for a...
share announcement

Rethinking Safety in Construction: Innovations and Best Practices for a Safer Site of Work

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Construction Management, and Computers & Digitization".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 December 2025 | Viewed by 10902

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Hadi Sarvari

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of the Built Environment, Birmingham City University, City Centre Campus, Millennium Point, Birmingham B4 7XG, UK
Interests: health and safety; risk management; sustainable development; construction management; project management; maintenance management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Chris Roberts

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of the Built Environment, Birmingham City University, City Centre Campus, Millennium Point, Birmingham B4 7XG, UK
Interests: processes management; environmental sustainability/circularity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As the construction industry evolves, so too must our approach to safety in the workplace. Despite technological developments and growing awareness of the need for safe work environments, construction sites remain fraught with risks that can lead to accidents and injuries. As the landscape of construction continues to shift, with advancements in technology and methodologies, it becomes crucial to rethink safety protocols and adopt innovative solutions that not only protect workers but also enhance overall efficiency. Hence, rethinking safety in construction is not just an option—it is a necessity. Rethinking safety in construction entails not only complying with regulations but also embracing innovative technologies and best practices that may significantly reduce accidents and improve overall site safety.

This Special Issue seeks contributions that establish new directions in setting a new paradigm for a safer site of work in theory and practice. The contributions will be presented to the construction community, construction researchers and safety practitioners in various industries. Papers are being sought in the following areas:

  • Safety-I;
  • Safety-II;
  • Safety systems;
  • Safety practices;
  • Safety performance;
  • Safety management;
  • Safety measurement.

Dr. Hadi Sarvari
Dr. Chris Roberts
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Buildings is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • construction safety safe site of work learning from accidents
  • safety procedures
  • safety training
  • safety culture
  • safety and leadership
  • safety and technology

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

23 pages, 690 KB  
Article
Safety Violations of Construction Workers: An Empirical Study
by Wing Chi Tsang, Shoeb Ahmed Memon and Steve Rowlinson
Buildings 2025, 15(18), 3297; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15183297 - 12 Sep 2025
Viewed by 340
Abstract
There are limited studies related to safety violations among Hong Kong construction workers. This study seeks to fill a gap in previous research and provide insight into the current safety violation phenomenon by examining the causes of safety violations. A mixed-method strategy is [...] Read more.
There are limited studies related to safety violations among Hong Kong construction workers. This study seeks to fill a gap in previous research and provide insight into the current safety violation phenomenon by examining the causes of safety violations. A mixed-method strategy is adopted for this study. The quantitative questionnaire survey, with 365 valid responses, examined the relationships by adapting the framework of the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Thirty-seven semi-structured interviews were then completed to explore the phenomenon. The findings show that intention has a significant impact on safety violations. Two proximal factors (perceived behavioural control (PBC) and attitude) significantly influence their intention, with PBC being the most significant factor. High Reliability Organising, which is the distal factor contributing to PBC, attitude, and descriptive norms, offers a new era of construction safety management that requires a sense of reflectiveness for ongoing improvement. To enhance workers’ intentions, practical interventions can be developed that focus on PBC and attitude. Training should be tailor-made to cater to the specific characteristics demonstrated by different work groups such as young and elderly workers. The government should also review the current weaknesses of safety training. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rethinking Safety in Construction: Innovations and Best Practices for a Safer Site of Work)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 409 KB  
Article
Assessing the Impact of Occupational Stress on Safety Practices in the Construction Industry: A Case Study of Saudi Arabia
by Wael Alruqi, Bandar Alqahtani, Nada Salem, Osama Abudayyeh, Hexu Liu and Shafayet Ahmed
Buildings 2025, 15(16), 2895; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15162895 - 15 Aug 2025
Viewed by 722
Abstract
Workplace health and safety issues have long plagued the construction industry. While safety efforts have traditionally focused on physical risks, increasing attention is being paid to mental health and work-related stressors, which can negatively affect both productivity and safety. In Saudi Arabia, the [...] Read more.
Workplace health and safety issues have long plagued the construction industry. While safety efforts have traditionally focused on physical risks, increasing attention is being paid to mental health and work-related stressors, which can negatively affect both productivity and safety. In Saudi Arabia, the construction sector presents a unique context because of its highly diverse, multinational workforce. Workers of different nationalities often operate on the same job site, leading to potential communication barriers, cultural misunderstandings, and inconsistent safety practices, all of which may amplify stress and safety risks. This research aims to investigate the influence of work-related stressors on construction workers’ safety in Saudi Arabia and identify which stressors most significantly contribute to the risk of injury. A structured questionnaire was distributed to 349 construction workers across 16 job sites in Saudi Arabia. The survey measures ten key stressors identified in the literature, including job site demand, job control, job certainty, skill demand, social support, harassment and discrimination, conflict with supervisors, interpersonal conflict, and job satisfaction. Data were analyzed using logistic regression and Pearson correlation to examine relationships between stressors and self-reported injuries. The findings indicated that work-related stressors significantly predict workplace injury. While the first regression model showed a modest effect size, it was statistically significant. The second model identified job site demand and job satisfaction as the most influential predictors of injury risk. Work-related stressors, particularly high job demands and low job satisfaction, substantially increase the likelihood of injury among construction workers. These findings emphasize the importance of incorporating psychosocial risk management into construction safety practices in Saudi Arabia. Future studies should adopt longitudinal designs to explore causal relationships over time and include qualitative methods such as interviews to gain a deeper understanding. Additionally, factors such as nationality, organizational policies, and management style should be investigated to better understand their moderating effects on the stress–injury relationship. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rethinking Safety in Construction: Innovations and Best Practices for a Safer Site of Work)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 1584 KB  
Article
Enhancing Worker Safety Behaviors Through the Job Demands–Resources Approach: Insights from the Korean Construction Sector
by Hyun Jeong Seo, Seung-Yoon Rhee and Young-Geun Yoon
Buildings 2025, 15(3), 486; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15030486 - 4 Feb 2025
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1959
Abstract
(1) Background: The construction industry faces high occupational accident rates due to complex work environments and physical hazards, significantly impacting worker safety and well-being. Drawing on the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory and the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model, this study addresses the challenges [...] Read more.
(1) Background: The construction industry faces high occupational accident rates due to complex work environments and physical hazards, significantly impacting worker safety and well-being. Drawing on the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory and the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) model, this study addresses the challenges posed by the multi-level subcontracting structure in the Korean construction sector. It aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the job demands and resources factors that shape workers’ safety behaviors. (2) Methods: Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted using data from the 10th Occupational Safety and Health Survey by the Occupational Safety and Health Research Institute, with a sample of 1502 construction firms. (3) Results: Job demands, including hazardous work environments, physically demanding tasks, and mental stress, were found to affect workers’ safety behaviors negatively. Middle managers’ safety competency mitigated the negative effects of these environmental, physical, and mental job demands. Additionally, safety culture and systems moderated the adverse effects of physical job demands, while organizational stress and risk management efforts moderated the impact of environmental job demands. (4) Conclusions: Managerial safety competencies, especially at the middle management level, are vital for improving safety outcomes in the construction industry. This is particularly important in the Korean construction sector, where management responsibilities are often dispersed. Training and development for managers are essential for future safety initiatives. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rethinking Safety in Construction: Innovations and Best Practices for a Safer Site of Work)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

27 pages, 548 KB  
Article
The Interplay Between Safety Leadership and Construction Workers’ Safety Behavior: Do Perceived Employer Safety Obligations Matter?
by Marwan Elosta and Ahmad Alzubi
Buildings 2024, 14(11), 3650; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14113650 - 17 Nov 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2750
Abstract
In an industry where safety is paramount yet frequently compromised, the transformative impact of safety leadership on workers’ safety behavior illuminates a path to reducing construction hazards and fostering a culture of proactive safety practices. Combining transformational leadership theory, social exchange theory, and [...] Read more.
In an industry where safety is paramount yet frequently compromised, the transformative impact of safety leadership on workers’ safety behavior illuminates a path to reducing construction hazards and fostering a culture of proactive safety practices. Combining transformational leadership theory, social exchange theory, and the theory of planned behavior, this research examines the complex interplay between safety leadership and safety behavior through the mediating role of safety knowledge, specifically investigating how perceived employer safety obligations moderate these relations. Based on 359 cross-sectional data obtained from construction industry professionals in Istanbul, Turkey, it was found that safety leadership significantly boosts safety behavior and safety knowledge, with safety knowledge serving as an effective mediator. Although perceived employer safety obligations did not moderate the affect the safety leadership on safety knowledge, they significantly moderated the link between safety leadership and safety behavior, as well as between safety knowledge and safety behavior, emphasizing the crucial role of perceived employer safety obligations in enhancing safety practices and outcomes. This study substantially enhances the construction safety management literature by elucidating the intricate dynamics between safety leadership and safety behavior and the pivotal role of perceived employer safety obligations. It offers robust theoretical advancements and practical strategies, enabling construction firms to leverage safety leadership for improved workplace safety outcomes and organizational performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rethinking Safety in Construction: Innovations and Best Practices for a Safer Site of Work)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

31 pages, 2888 KB  
Review
Barriers, Bottlenecks, and Challenges in Implementing Safety I- and Safety II-Enabled Safe Systems of Working in Construction Projects: A Scoping Review
by Hadi Sarvari, David J. Edwards, Iain Rillie and Chris Roberts
Buildings 2025, 15(3), 347; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15030347 - 23 Jan 2025
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 4215
Abstract
The construction industry has endured high incident rates for many decades. Although multiple safety measures in the form of Safety I- and II-enabled safe systems of working (SSoWs) have been implemented, statistics reveal that a significant prevalence of incidents prevails worldwide. However, there [...] Read more.
The construction industry has endured high incident rates for many decades. Although multiple safety measures in the form of Safety I- and II-enabled safe systems of working (SSoWs) have been implemented, statistics reveal that a significant prevalence of incidents prevails worldwide. However, there is limited information available about the actual factors that are impeding these SSoWs. This study investigates and evaluates the barriers, bottlenecks and challenges (BB&Cs) that hinder the implementation of Safety I- and II-enabled SSoWs in the construction industry. Using a scoping review methodology, a thorough search of articles documenting the BB&Cs of implementing Safety I- and II-enabled SSoWs was carried out using Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. An initiative model was employed for categorising BB&C to implement Safety I and II, which includes micro- (site), meso- (organisation), and macro (environment)-thematic groupings, as a guiding framework for the mapping and analysis of results. The search yielded 98 articles that discussed the implementation of Safety I and II, with 54 of them specifically related to BB&Cs. Emergent results emphasised how there is scant literature on the BB&Cs of implementation Safety I- and II-enabled SSoWs across site, organisation and environment levels. Extensive global research is necessary to comprehensively understand the obstacles to implementing Safety I and II in practice as a first step towards reducing incidents and accidents on site. Cumulatively, the findings suggest that implementing Safety I- and II-enabled SSoWs should be based on removing BB&Cs and evaluating how they affect safety performance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Rethinking Safety in Construction: Innovations and Best Practices for a Safer Site of Work)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-5
Back to TopTop