Interdependency of construction safety hazards from a network perspective: a mechanical installation case

Area of Science:

• Construction Safety
• Risk Management
• Network Analysis

Background:

• Traditional risk assessments often assume hazard independence, potentially biasing safety management strategies.
• Effective construction safety requires understanding the complex interdependencies between various hazards.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and validate a hybrid qualitative-quantitative approach for mapping hazard associations in construction.
• To identify critical hazards and network characteristics within an elevator installation project.

Main Methods:

• Development of a hazard network model specific to elevator installation.
• Application of a qualitative-quantitative hybrid methodology to analyze hazard interdependencies.
• Identification of network topology and critical hazard types based on association analysis.

Main Results:

• The hazard association network exhibits sparse distribution, few central nodes, and highly cohesive interrelationships.
• Human error, specifically 'wrong sequence' operations, acts as a critical gatekeeper influencing multiple hazards.
• Risk management strategies should encompass diverse mitigation approaches rather than solely focusing on direct causal links.

Conclusions:

• Hazard interdependencies in construction are complex and non-linear, necessitating advanced analytical models.
• Identifying critical 'gatekeeper' hazards like 'wrong sequence' can significantly enhance safety protocols.
• The findings provide a foundation for more robust and less biased construction risk assessments.