The connection between workarounds and safety hazards on construction sites

Department of Built Environment, Central University of Technology, Free State, 20 President Brand Street, Bloemfontein, South Africa

Abstract

Construction is one of the most dangerous industries because of the numerous safety hazards that can result in fatalities or major injuries. Workarounds are a contributing factor contributing to construction accidents, yet they receive little attention. To address this problem of accidents in the construction industry, this study investigated the connection between workarounds and safety hazards on construction sites. The data were collected using semi-structured interviews from case studies in Bloemfontein City, South Africa. The results showed how well participants understood the impact of workarounds on construction sites. It has been determined that construction accidents often stem from worker objectives that align with organisational goals for health and safety procedures. The findings also identified an artificial intelligence-driven hazard identification strategy designed to detect hazards, analyse past incidents and their resolutions, and leverage that knowledge to identify and mitigate potential accidents. A limitation of the study is that the proposed artificial intelligence-driven hazard identification strategy for construction sites has not yet been validated. Thus, the main goal of future studies should be to evaluate the effectiveness of the artificial intelligence-driven hazard identification strategy on actual construction projects.