PPE non-compliance among construction workers: An assessment of contributing factors utilizing fuzzy theory

Construction practitioners are at a disproportionately higher risk of fatal and nonfatal injuries compared to practitioners from other industries. The absence of and inappropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE), hereinafter referred to as PPE non-compliance, are major causes of fatal and nonfatal injuries at construction workplaces.

Accordingly, a robust 4-step research methodology was employed to investigate and assess factors that contribute to PPE non-compliance. As a result, 16 factors were identified utilizing literature review and ranked utilizing fuzzy set theory and K-means clustering. Top among them: inadequate safety supervision, poor risk perception, lack of climate adaptation, lack of safety training, and lack of management support.

Managing construction safety in a proactive manner is vital to eliminate or minimize construction hazards and improve overall site safety. Thus, proactive measures to address these 16 factors were identified utilizing a focus group methodology. The validation of the statistical findings with that of the focus groups of industry professionals provides validation of the findings as both practical and actionable.

This study significantly contributes to construction safety knowledge and practice which, in turn, aids academic researchers and construction practitioners in their continuous efforts to reduce fatal and nonfatal injuries among construction workers.