Search Results (148)

Improving construction site safety remains a critical challenge in Saudi Arabia’s rapidly growing construction sector, where high accident rates and diverse labor forces demand evidence-based managerial interventions. This study investigated the influence of Managers’ Safety Perceptions and Practices (MSP) on Workers’ Safety Behaviors (WSB) in the Saudi construction industry, emphasizing the mediating roles of Workers’ Safety Awareness (WSA), Safety Competency (WSC), and Safety Actions (SA). The conceptual framework integrates these three mediators to explain how managerial attitudes and practices translate into frontline safety outcomes. A quantitative, cross-sectional design was adopted using a structured questionnaire distributed among construction workers, supervisors, and project managers. A total of 352 from 384 valid responses were collected, and the data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS 4. The findings revealed that MSP does not directly influence WSB but has significant indirect effects through WSA, WSC, and SA. Among these, WSC emerged as the most powerful mediator, followed by WSA and SA, indicating that competency is the most critical driver of safe worker behavior. These results provide robust empirical support for a multidimensional mediation model, highlighting the need for managers to enhance safety behaviors not merely through supervision but through fostering awareness and competency, providing technical training, and implementing proactive safety measures. Theoretically, this study contributes a novel and integrative framework to the occupational safety literature, particularly within underexplored Middle Eastern construction contexts. Practically, it offers actionable insights for safety managers, industry practitioners, and policymakers seeking to improve construction safety performance in alignment with Saudi Vision 2030. Full article

To address the persistent challenges of substantial land occupation, intricate construction sequencing, and extended project timelines inherent to conventional substation accident oil sumps, this research introduces a novel integrally prefabricated circular cross-section oil containment structure. The study establishes a finite element representation of this prefabricated system to systematically examine structural deformation mechanisms and failure patterns under combined hydrostatic and geostatic loading scenarios. Through parametric analysis of the oil tank structure, the influences of longitudinal reinforcement diameter, thickness–diameter ratio, height–diameter ratio, and concrete-strength grade on the mechanical characteristics of the structure are explored. Utilizing the response surface methodology for the parametric optimization in finite element analysis, a comprehensive optimization of critical geometric design variables is conducted. These results indicate that longitudinal reinforcement diameter and concrete-strength grade exert negligible influence on concrete stress except for stress increase under internal pressure, with higher concrete grades. The thickness-to-diameter ratio dominantly regulates structural responses: response surface optimization achieved 12% stress reduction and 14% displacement mitigation at 220 mm wall thickness under internal pressure, despite a 4% stress increase under external loading. Height-dependent effects require specific optimization, with 18% stress reduction beyond 3000 mm under external pressure but 20% stress increase at 3400 mm under top loads. Geometric refinements enable 34–50% displacement reduction in critical zones, providing validated references for prefabricated oil tanks. Full article

The construction sector represents approximately 13% of global gross domestic product (GDP) and over 5% in Spain, employing more than one million workers. Despite its economic importance, the sector exhibits low digitalization levels and persistently high accident rates, contrasting with other industries that have successfully integrated digital technologies for safety improvement. Objective: This study evaluates the technical, operational, and regulatory feasibility of implementing digital tools and artificial intelligence (AI) in occupational risk prevention (ORP) within the Spanish construction sector. It focuses on identifying applicable technologies, assessing professionals’ perceptions of their practical utility, and analyzing key implementation barriers. Methodology: A mixed-method approach was employed in four stages: (1) a systematic literature review of digital safety tools; (2) a survey of 97 construction professionals using purposive sampling and validated through pretesting (Cronbach’s α = 0.82); (3) an analysis of official accident statistics; and (4) expert consensus using the Delphi method (three rounds, 75% consensus threshold). Results: Virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and mixed reality (MR) applications were identified as highly beneficial for training and awareness, with 78.2% of professionals supporting their use for safety training. Building Information Modeling (BIM) and drones were highlighted as the most valued tools for risk management and site supervision. Main implementation barriers include a lack of digital skills (35%), insufficient budget (30%), and high tool costs (25%). Contribution: This study proposes a mixed-method methodological framework—quantitative and qualitative—adapted to national contexts and validated through a Delphi consensus process. The framework prioritizes key technologies and identifies targeted strategies to overcome critical implementation barriers. Full article

This paper analyzes the occupational risks associated with the activities of transporting and spreading bituminous emulsion, focusing on a specific technological process used in a company in Romania. This study aims to identify risk factors, systematically evaluate them, and propose preventive measures aimed at reducing occupational accidents and diseases. The main hazards identified include exposure to hazardous chemicals, mechanical risks generated by the equipment used, and ergonomic factors that may affect workers’ health. Given the specificity of the activity analyzed, there is currently a lack of relevant studies specifically addressing the occupational safety and health of this category of workers, which further highlights the novelty and importance of the present research. Based on the results obtained, recommendations are formulated for optimizing work conditions, including the use of appropriate protective equipment, improving operational procedures, and implementing effective technical and organizational measures. This study contributes to the development of a solid preventive framework in the field of transporting and applying bituminous emulsion, thus supporting the improvement of occupational safety and health in the road construction industry. The results obtained can be used to develop more effective policies in the field of occupational safety and to raise awareness among decision-makers about the need for proactive measures in preventing occupational risks. Full article

Occupational health and safety (OHS) is a critical component of sustainable work practices, guaranteeing employee well-being in parallel with minimizing business operation threats. The integration of ethics in OHS practices, however, poses a major obstacle, given that most businesses prefer complying with regulations rather than adopting proactive, ethically directed risk avoidance. This study employs a systemic process in assessing business ethics integration in practices of OHS, emphasizing leadership, employee engagement, and precautionary safety. This quantitative survey research sought to gauge the utilization of OHS practices among firms in the construction industry. This study examined critical factors such as employee training, absenteeism patterns, wellness programs, and usage of safety practices. Our study outcomes identify a reduction in accidents in workplaces, lower absenteeism, and improved monitoring of employee well-being when a blend of systemic safety programs and ethically directed strategies is utilized. This study emphasizes the imperative of a proactive, ethically comprehensive strategy in practices of OHS, which calls for improved leadership, constant safety learning, and enhanced wellness programs. The findings contribute to the development of sustainable risk management frameworks, offering practical insights for businesses, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to improve workplace safety culture. Full article

The construction industry faces persistent occupational health and safety challenges, with numerous risks arising from construction sites’ complex and dynamic nature. Accidents frequently result from inadequate safety distances and poorly managed work-er–machine interactions, highlighting the need for advanced safety management solutions. This study develops and validates an innovative hazard warning system that leverages deep learning-based image recognition (YOLOv7) and Internet of Things (IoT) modules to enhance construction site safety. The system achieves a mean average precision (mAP) of 0.922 and an F1 score of 0.88 at a 0.595 confidence threshold, detecting hazards in under 1 s. Integrating IoT-enabled smart wearable devices provides real-time monitoring, delivering instant hazard alerts and personalized safety warnings, even in areas with limited network connectivity. The system employs the DIKW knowledge management framework to extract, transform, and load (ETL) high-quality labeled data and optimize worker and machinery recognition. Robust feature extraction is performed using convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and a fully connected approach for neural network training. Key innovations, such as perspective projection coordinate transformation (PPCT) and the security assessment block module (SABM), further enhance hazard detection and warning generation accuracy and reliability. Validated through extensive on-site experiments, the system demonstrates significant advancements in real-time hazard detection, improving site safety, reducing accident rates, and increasing productivity. The integration of IoT enhances scalability and adaptability, laying the groundwork for future advancements in construction automation and safety management. Full article

Occupational incidents comprising injuries and accidents remain a serious concern globally. With sleep deprivation and fatigue representing key drivers of many workplace incidents, one strategy to reduce occupational incidents is implementing effective sleep management systems. Yet, to date, there are complaints about the methodological approach in sleep–safety studies. The extent of work carried out with respect to the impact of sleep on safety outcomes needs to be reviewed to highlight the state of the art in the face of increasing technological advancement and changing lifestyle attitudes. A systematic search of the Scopus and PubMed databases retrieved 63 journal articles published up to 2023. The units of analysis included article performance and thematic analysis. It was deduced that workers in healthcare and construction have been the focus of most studies, pointing to the prevalence of safety issues in both these sectors. Most of the studies adopted a quantitative methodology employing validated sleep questionnaires, especially the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Using thematic analysis, the research focus was mapped into six areas, including sleep disorders, cognition and performance, and injury and accident prevention in the construction sector. In objective studies, alertness and cognitive performance were considered a proxy for sleep deprivation and safety performance. Harmonising sleep questionnaires is necessary to prevent excessive paperwork and ineffective safety systems. This study has the potential to provide occupational health and safety researchers outside of the medicine and psychology disciplines with knowledge on baseline information that could advance efforts to address sleep deprivation and the resulting safety concerns in the workplace. Full article

Accidents and injuries at work are unavoidable. Promoting corporate sustainability requires strategies concerning employees’ health and a safe work environment in light of social, environmental, and economic development. The purpose of this paper is to examine the significant association between Occupational Safety and Health Management (OSHM) and Corporate Sustainability (CS) in the context of West Bank industries in Palestine, bolstering the mediating role of Affective Commitment (AC) and Emotional Intelligence (EI). We sampled 126 executive and knowledgeable Palestinian employees in the region using a questionnaire for data collection. We used Smart PLS 4 to evaluate the study model and hypotheses. This study bridges the gap by investigating the relationship of the study constructs in Palestinian industries in the West Bank. This study contributes to the literature by demonstrating how OSH practices can improve CS by encouraging social engagement, economic performance, and environmental conservation. The study’s findings are consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals, especially SDG 3, which establishes policies to enhance public health and improve well-being for people at any age, and SDG 8, which advocates for sustainable progress in the economy, prolific employment, and decent job for everyone. The findings highlight how important it is for West Bank businesses to implement training in emotional intelligence and encourage affective commitment to improving safety and health strategies, ultimately resulting in increased corporate sustainability by considering social and environmental policies. Full article

Occupational accidents in the construction sector are a significant concern for government agencies and enterprises globally. A detailed assessment of the potential consequences of accidents is essential for supervisory teams. This study presents a novel multidimensional safety assessment optimization model that assesses the cost–benefit relationship of safety measures, considering their impact on workers, company reputation, project cost, project duration, society, and the environment. First, safety risks and measures for primary work items in a typical building construction were determined. The experts subsequently assessed these risks based on precautions. Then, an optimization model was designed using a genetic algorithm and implemented for the risk assessment of a building construction project to identify the optimal measures for reducing risk scores and precautionary costs. Despite the total risk score achieved using the developed approach increased by 17.86% compared to the traditional risk assessment technique, the precautionary measures cost was reduced by 43.60%. Comparing the proposed model with the traditional risk assessment approach, it is observed that the model provides near-optimal risk scores and precautionary costs. The study offers significant implications for both practice and theory by examining risks from multiple perspectives and providing flexibility to users. Full article

Individuals with high psychological resilience cope with stress more effectively. It is crucial to select a suitable psychological resilience tool for workers in high-risk industries to identify and help those with lower resilience early on, protecting their health and reducing accidents. The CD-RISC-10 is widely used, and this study assessed its validity and reliability among Chinese construction workers, focusing on workers on elevated platforms. A total of 325 valid CD-RISC-10 scales were collected and analyzed using statistical methods, such as exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and K-means cluster analysis. The results show that the CD-RISC-10 can effectively measure psychological resilience with a high scale reliability of 0.857, and it had an acceptable model fit (CFI = 0.947) and good item discrimination. About 17.23% of the measured sample of Chinese workers working at height were identified as having resilience impairments, and demographic variables such as age, length of service, educational level, and accident experience had a significant impact on the level of resilience, revealing the heterogeneity of the workers. This study validated the measurement validity of the CD-RISC-10 scale among Chinese high-place workers, and the analysis results were conducive to conducting psychological resilience assessments, improving workers’ occupational health, and promoting the sustainable development of construction enterprises. Full article

Based on the results of the nuclear accident response education questionnaire, we use system dynamics to develop a nuclear accident response education effectiveness evaluation model. A questionnaire survey was conducted for the pre- and post-tests of the course to understand course effectiveness and explore the interactive relationship between factors. The system dynamics is used to develop a nuclear accident response education effectiveness evaluation model. Age and education are significantly related to education and training experience (number of times), and the age, occupation, and education level are significantly related to individuals’ experience (number of times) of participating in a nuclear accident evacuation exercise. In the workshop courses, the public’s awareness of self-protection against nuclear accidents was significantly improved. Experience in educational training was significantly related to evacuation exercises. Individuals’ age and experience of participating in education and training can be used to predict their willingness to participate in evacuation exercises. Using systems thinking and analysis, an evaluation model for nuclear incident response education effectiveness is constructed as a reference for evaluating effectiveness. The designed education and training courses can increase public participation in nuclear accident response education and strengthen the cognitive benefits of response protection. Full article

This article aims to present a structured literature review that utilizes computational intelligence techniques, specifically fuzzy logic, neural networks, genetic algorithms, and machine learning, to assist in the assessment of workplace risk from human factors. The general aim is to highlight the existing literature on the subject, while the specific goal of the research is to attempt to answer research questions that emerge after the review and classification of the literature, which are aspects that have not previously been addressed. The methodology for retrieving relevant articles involved a keyword search in the Scopus database. The results from the search were filtered based on the selected criteria. The research spans a 40-year period, from 1984 to 2024. After filtering, 296 articles relevant to the topic were identified. Statistical analysis highlights fuzzy systems as the technique with the highest representation (163 articles), followed by neural networks (81 articles), with machine learning and genetic algorithms ranking next (25 and 20 articles, respectively). The main conclusions indicate that the primary sectors utilizing these techniques are industry, transportation, construction, and cross-sectoral models and techniques that are applicable to multiple occupational fields. An additional finding is the reasoning behind researchers’ preference for fuzzy systems over neural networks, primarily due to the availability or lack of accident databases. The review also highlighted gaps in the literature requiring further research. The assessment of occupational risk continues to present numerous challenges, and the future trend suggests that fuzzy systems and machine learning may be prominent. Full article

The construction sector is among the most dangerous industries, recognized for its significant rate of accidents with even more serious consequences, especially in developing countries. In addition to threatening the health and living conditions of workers, occupational accidents also negatively impact work productivity and sustainability. In this context, a country-by-country analysis of occupational accidents in the sector is critical to understand local demographic differences better and determine the impact of workplace safety practices. In parallel with the growing economy, the construction sector in Türkiye creates a large employment area and stands out as one of the sectors where occupational accidents occur most frequently. This study aims to analyze the interactions of occupational accidents and incapacity with demographic factors in the construction sector in Türkiye. This study analyzes the demographic factors, including age, gender, marital status, education, and work experience, of workers involved in occupational accidents within the construction industry between 2018 and 2022. As a result, it is found that young (18–27 years), male, single, and less experienced (1–10 years) workers are more prone to occupational accidents while increasing age and education level increases the risk of incapacity caused by occupational accidents. As experience increases, the probability of occupational accidents decreases; however, the recovery period is longer for workers who are exposed to heavy working conditions for a long time. The results show that the probability and severity of occupational accidents differ according to demographic characteristics. Therefore, high-risk workers should be identified, and occupational safety policies should be restructured based on this data. This study provides an important guide for policy changes and practical applications for demographically oriented restructuring of occupational safety measures in the construction industry. Full article

(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

Despite the introduction of preventive safety measures, such as near-miss reporting, to mitigate accidents and minimize fatalities, construction workers are constantly exposed to stressful situations that negatively affect their safety behavior and reporting efficiency. Occupational stress is induced by various factors, with mental stress and auditory stress being common workplace stressors that impact workers on the job site. While previous studies have demonstrated the effect of stressor conditions on workers’ hazard recognition and safety performance, research gaps persist regarding the direct impact of workplace stressors on workers’ stress levels and near-miss recognition performance. This study investigates workers’ near-miss recognition ability through an eye-tracking experiment conducted in a controlled environment under mental and auditory stress conditions. The findings from this study reveal that workplace stressors triggered by mental and auditory stress can adversely affect worker stress levels, safety behavior, and cognitive processing toward near-miss recognition. Visual attention towards near-miss scenarios was reduced by 26% for mental stress conditions and by 46% for auditory stress conditions compared to baseline. The results may potentially open avenues for developing wearable stress prediction and safety intervention models using bio-sensing technology and personalized safety training programs tailored to individuals with low identification abilities. Full article