Hazard function deployment: a QFD-based tool for the assessment of working tasks - a practical study in the...

Area of Science:

• Occupational Safety and Health
• Construction Engineering and Management
• Risk Assessment and Management

Background:

• Accident rates in the construction industry remain persistently high despite ongoing safety initiatives.
• The inherent complexity of construction activities, characterized by diverse hazards and risk levels, complicates traditional safety management and hazard analysis.
• A need exists for a more comprehensive approach to hazard analysis that specifically addresses the articulated nature of construction tasks.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose and evaluate a novel methodology for hazard analysis in the construction industry.
• To enhance decision-making processes in safety management by reducing ambiguity in qualitative assessments.
• To explore the application of Quality Function Deployment (QFD) within safety research.

Main Methods:

• Integration of Quality Function Deployment (QFD) and Analytic Network Process (ANP) methods.
• Correlation of specific working activities, hazardous events, and their potential consequences.
• Development of a structured approach to analyze hazards across different phases of construction tasks.

Main Results:

• The proposed methodology effectively correlates construction activities with associated hazards and consequences.
• Enhanced decision-making capabilities for safety management by providing a less ambiguous assessment framework.
• Demonstrated the potential utility of QFD as a valuable tool in safety research and application.

Conclusions:

• The integrated QFD and ANP methodology offers a more effective approach to construction hazard analysis and risk assessment.
• This study provides a foundation for further research into the application of QFD in improving construction safety.
• The findings contribute to a better understanding of how to manage risks in complex construction environments.