A critical analysis of construction incident trends and strategic interventions for enhancing safety

Abstract

Construction projects are subject to uncertainties and hazards that pose significant risks to the health and safety of workers. The number of incidents caused by construction hazards is increasing, indicating an urgent need for more systematic hazard analysis methods and the development of effective preventive measures. Investigating incidents helps identify underlying patterns and trends, which is crucial for preventing recurrence and creating safer workplaces. While previous research has explored hazard investigation and the introduction of modern technologies for hazard prevention and mitigation, there have been limited efforts to analyze construction incident databases and identify the root causes of incidents through case studies. This study aims to address this research gap by conducting a case study that focuses on a database containing records of 10,415 construction incidents from 2014 to 2020 across New South Wales, Australia. The study adopted a two-step methodology, first conducting a descriptive incident analysis, followed by identifying hazard-specific interventions based on a literature review. Analyzing the frequency of occurrence revealed 10 high-risk hazards that caused the highest number of incidents across construction businesses. Falling objects had the highest frequency of occurrence, accounting for 19.59% of all incidents. Analyzing the frequency of incidents by business type also showed that residential construction is the most hazardous business in the construction industry, with 2,057 recorded incidents. This study contributed to the body of knowledge by revealing patterns, trends, and vulnerable areas to help identify the main reasons for the upward trend of incidents and address them with effective interventions.