Construction Research Congress 2020
Safety Performance of a Fatigued Construction Worker
Publication: Construction Research Congress 2020: Safety, Workforce, and Education
ABSTRACT
The construction industry has a high rate of fatal and non-fatal occupational accidents. Every year, over 60,000 construction workers lose their lives due to accidents in the workplace. Construction workers often face safety and health risks performing construction activities in hazardous environments. In addition, construction activities are demanding which in turn can lead to fatigue. In fact, fatigue is one of the leading causes of construction accidents. To prevent accidents, workers must be able to recognize hazards in their workplaces and perceive associated safety risk. This study aimed to empirically investigate the impact of fatigue on construction workers’ hazard recognition and safety risk perception. To achieve the research goals, 135 construction workers were recruited. First, the workers’ level of fatigue was measured using OFER scale. Then, their hazard recognition and safety risk perception were evaluated using pre-evaluated case images all captured from real construction projects. The results of the study revealed (1) a correlation between fatigue and hazard recognition and (2) a significant correlation between fatigue and safety risk perception. This research is the first endeavor to empirically study the impact of fatigue on safety performance (i.e., hazard recognition and safety risk perception) of construction workers. The findings of this article will be beneficial for professionals and practitioners who are seeking effective measures to improve the safety performance of workers in construction.
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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors would like to extend their sincere appreciation to the project managers and construction workers who assisted and participated in this research study. This research effort would have not been possible without their help, support, and contribution.
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Information
Published In
Construction Research Congress 2020: Safety, Workforce, and Education
Pages: 591 - 598
Editors: Mounir El Asmar, Ph.D., Arizona State University, David Grau, Ph.D., Arizona State University, and Pingbo Tang, Ph.D., Arizona State University
ISBN (Online): 978-0-7844-8287-2
Copyright
© 2020 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Published online: Nov 9, 2020
Published in print: Nov 9, 2020
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