Personality traits affecting construction Worker's near-miss recognition performance: Analysis based on eye tracking

The construction industry is widely acknowledged as hazardous in nature, requiring proactive measures to mitigate accidents and minimize fatalities. While hazard recognition is recognized as a key preventive measure, research gaps persist regarding the impact of workers' personalities on near-miss identification. This study aimed to investigate the influence of the big five personality traits on construction workers' recognition of the Fatal-four near-miss incidents. Using an eye-tracking experiment conducted in a controlled environment, 35 participants were exposed to 16 well-balanced near-miss scenarios derived from actual construction sites. Participants completed self-reported questionnaires to assess their personality traits, and their near-miss recognition performance was recorded and analyzed using a wearable eye tracker. The findings revealed a significant correlation between openness/intellect and workers' attentiveness indicators. Notably, individuals with higher scores in openness/intellect displayed enhanced attentiveness during the task. Moreover, the influence analysis demonstrated that workers with low conscientiousness and low openness/intellect exhibited a higher frequency and earlier attention to Fatal-four near-miss opportunities within the presented images. This study provides empirical evidence on the relationship between personality traits, attentiveness, prioritization, and near-miss incidents in the construction industry. The results open avenues for developing personalized safety training programs tailored to individuals with lower near-miss identification abilities, thereby fostering robust safety culture within the construction sector.